Past Blog Talk Tuesdays topics include:
- How to Start a Blog, Blog Focus, Self Hosting and More
- Blogger Safety
- Company Outreach: Receiving Free Products, Hosting Giveaways, Posting Product Reviews and More
- Connecting with Other Bloggers
- Rising Above Negativity
- Balancing Blogging and Real Life
Today’s topic addresses the most common questions I receive related to blogging. How do I get more readers? How do I grow my blog? Let’s dig in!
Blogging and Blog Readership
- What do you think is the most important factor in having a successful blog?
Without a doubt, quality content. But what does that mean? To me, quality content is content that is thoughtful, engaging and entertaining. It all goes back to my number one tip for bloggers: Create a blog you would want to read.
This is all about being yourself and writing content that you find exciting and fun.
I’ll be the first to admit that my blog doesn’t cover mind-blowing topics. My blog is light-hearted and my goal with my content is to make you smile, while creating a space where we can share ideas and experiences and simply have fun.
I want PBF to be a positive place on the internet and try to write content that reflects this. I love writing about the things I feature on this blog and figure that the people who read my blog likely have similar interests to me and might share similar experiences.
If readers don’t like my content, there are a billion other blogs out there with amazing content about anything and everything in the world, so they would probably be a fantastic reader for a different blog out there. You shouldn’t waste your time trying to write in a way that’s not true to yourself just as you shouldn’t waste your time reading a blog that makes you unhappy or irritates you – including my blog! I’ve spent too much time reading blogs that never made me feel good inside and I have no idea why.
I don’t want to change my blog or my writing because that would be inauthentic and readers can always tell when you’re not being true to yourself. Trying to write in a way that makes everyone happy and keeps everyone entertained is impossible.
I simply make sure I am writing a blog I think I would personally want to read if I were an objective blog reader.
- Why do some bloggers get all hot and bothered about sharing their readership statistics?
I used to never understand this either and then one day it hit me. Asking a blogger how many page views they have or how many people read their blog is almost like asking a person what their salary is, especially if the person makes a majority of their income off their blog.
I would never in a million years ask a friend of mine how much money they make and I think many bloggers feel that this question is a little inappropriate since you may be able to figure out how much money they make from these statistics and a person’s salary, whether they’re a blogger or not, is something that many people prefer to keep private.
As for me, I share this information with Ryan and my family and even discussed it openly with two of my roommates (Hi Tina and Courtney!) at the Healthy Living Summit. We were very candid and comfortable with each other and shared our personal statistics because sometimes it’s nice to know as a blogger where you stand for your personal growth and developmental goals since you can’t look up statistics related to blogging on the internet like you can with any other job out there.
- Do you think quality photographs are really important to have a successful blog?
I’m probably in the minority when I say I don’t think amazing photographs are imperative to have a successful blog, though I think this also depends on the genre of your blog. Beautiful pictures seem much more important if you have a blog dedicated solely to recipes and food. I think that gorgeous photos definitely help, but I read many blogs that have pixelated pictures or no pictures at all and I read them for the content.
Of course I think a blog looks more professional when the pictures are clear and vibrant. Quality pictures make a great first impression and make me take the blogger more seriously when I first visit.
My pictures are far from professional. I like to use pictures to help tell a story, but I use my words to really get the point across. Photography isn’t a genuine interest of mine, so while I appreciate pretty pictures, they aren’t what keep me coming back to a blog. I’m all about the content!
As long as photos are sharp and clear, I think that hours and hours of photo-editing are unnecessary for many blog genres out there… but that’s just my opinion!
- How do you increase blog readership?
Buckle up! This is a long one.
I believe every single blogger out there wants people to read their blog. It seems like so many bloggers feel like they can’t say, “Yeah, I want you to read my blog!” but clearly they do, otherwise why would they write a public blog when they could just have a private journal?
Do I want people to read my blog? Of course! But growing my blog and increasing my blog readership is not my main motivation when blogging. My main motivation is simply fulfilling my passion for writing. It’s what I love. It energizes and excites me and serves as a release. Blogging is my “me” time. But blog readers keep me going. You inspire me and give me ideas. You are the fuel that keeps PBF running.
I created this blog as an outlet to write about things I enjoy rather than pharmaceuticals like I did in my full-time job. I wanted a place where I could share food and fitness ideas with my family and friends. When other people started reading it, I was so excited and my blog began to shift into a space on the internet that felt more like an open place where I could connect with other people who shared my similar interests.
I then started to view my blog as a platform for other opportunities like freelance writing which was my main goal and dream job. It was then that I began to actively attempt to put my blog out there.
Don’t sit back and expect things to happen.
I am being 100 percent honest when I say that I didn’t just sit behind the computer and blog and cross my fingers, hoping that my blog would grow organically. I put a lot of time and effort into putting it out there.
When people say “Go comment on other blogs!” as their main advice for increasing blog readership, I find this a bit insincere. I want to comment on blogs that compel me to comment, not just as a means to get my name out there. Yes, commenting on other blogs is a great way to get people to click on your name in the comments section of a blog and visit your blog, but brainstorm other outlets that you can pursue that could expose your blog to more people.
Look into local media outlets.
For example, when I lived in Orlando, I reached out to a bunch of local papers, blogs and magazines and inquired about freelance opportunities while also sharing information about my blog. Starting locally was great because I naturally had something in common with the people I was reaching out to about PBF.
(No, Newsweek was never contacted. I know my audience. 
)
As a very new blogger, local outlets were surprisingly receptive to me and my blog. I was featured in Brink Magazine (page 14), a local Orlando publication, and on the Pulse of Central Florida blog within 13 months of starting my blog.
Utilize social media.
I’ve said it before, but hop on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon. I didn’t join Twitter until I had been blogging for seven months… and now Twitter is the number one referrer of people to my blog. It’s legit. My friend Dru is a small business owner and told me I had to get on it. I felt totally awkward about tweeting and tweeting to other people at first, but like everything else, the more you use it the more natural it becomes.
Starting a Facebook page was also a good idea because I’ve found that while Twitter is utilized by many bloggers, nearly everyone is on Facebook, whether they’re a blogger or not.
Facebook is a great way to connect with readers in a more conversational way. I personally do not import my blog feed into my Facebook page because as a blog reader I visit the person’s blog already and subscribe and don’t need the feed thrown in my face on Facebook too, but I know some people swear by this as a means to attract more readers… and many readers like it, too! It’s just not my cup of tea. Do whatever works for you!
Reach out.
I also reached out to websites that I personally frequented to inform them about my blog. Since I visited their site often, I felt a personal connection to the site and felt much more comfortable approaching them about my blog. I didn’t send them a generic “check out my blog” email, but took care to write a personal email detailing why my blog might be of interest to their site and their readers.
Connect with other bloggers.
This is a big one that I never realized was all that important. (In case you missed it, I did a previous Blog Talk Tuesdays post about connecting with other bloggers.) When you reach out to other bloggers and make genuine connections to bloggers, they are likely to expose their readers to your blog. Guest posting on another blog is a great way to do this, though I never really had anyone ask me to guest post on their blog until I had been blogging for close to a year and a half.
As a blogger, know that success doesn’t come in a bottle and someone else’s blogging success doesn’t take away from your success. Link to other bloggers! Help them spread the word about their blog. Bloggers remember this. I started out reading one blog and slowly added more and more blogs to my daily reading list, but guess what? I still read the same blogs I did in the beginning and would only stop reading those if the quality of their content changed or they took their blog in a different direction that didn’t interest me.
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*Raises hand* – Hi, Julie! 😀
Great tips, as always!!
Fabulous tips, Julie!
I actually just shared my blog on my personal facebook page for the first time this morning. I was a little hestiant about sharing it with people I knew personally.. but when I thought about it.. I figured, why not? If they don’t like it or if they think it is sill that I have a blog. then so be it!
I’ve been debating sharing my blog on my fbook page for quite some time and haven’t for the same reasons you just described. I’m going to give it some serious thought after reading your comment, know you’re an inspiration today 🙂
Awesome tips once again Julie. All of these Tuesdays combined are advice no one can put a price on! Thanks 🙂
If someone pokes Sadie, I’ll totally bite them for her. I agree with meeting other bloggers. Twitter and FB are great for this!!
Honest, real, and top notch. (I promise I’m not just commenting to boost readership!)
I agree with the commenting just for the sake of comments. If all you write is “Same same!! LOVE YA!” it’s really not much different from the spambots that “comment” : this is the most excellent piece I’ve read you are clearly an expert.
No one wants to be a human spambot, right?
i love spam comments that tell me i’m fabulous. 🙂 i should approve all of those… and the links to male enhancement drugs that go with them.
Thanks so much for your advice Julie! My blog is still fairly new too and I am trying to increase my readership. Recently I had some post featured on Fitblogger and on my produce co-op’s website which was so exciting because it exposed my blog to new readers. After these features, I received some emails from other bloggers asking me if they could do a guest post for my blog. I thought guest posts were more from other bloggers that you have already connected with, so I am wondering if these are legit sources. Have you had any experience with this type of situation?
okay, here’s my opinion on this, which likely varies for other people. i do NOT ask people if i can guest post on their blog. i will ask people to guest post on MY blog, but not the other way around. i think asking about guest posting on someone else’s blog is okay though – as long as you come at them with a REAL, original post idea, not just “hey, can i guest post on your blog?” because that just seems like you’re using the blogger.
Thanks. I felt like the emails I recevied were more of the “Hey, Can I guest post on your blog” variety. Since I have no connection to these bloggers (they have never commented on my blog and I have never visited their blog before), I was a little uneasy about letting them do a guest post. I agree, I would rather ASK someone if they would be interested in doing a guest post on my blog.
I find it works well to ask people about guest posting if I’ve obviously been reading their blog. Maybe I’ve commented on their posts, maybe I’ve emailed them questions.
When people offer to write guest posts, but I’ve never heard of their names or blogs, I tell them I’m not in need of posts. But people I know through blogging? Definitely.
I’ve had both happen – asking to write guest posts and being offered to write them, and they’re both great ways to connect, and to get your name out there.
how interesting! Julie (and everyone here), I had Tina guest post on my blog a few days ago, and ever since then I had 2 emails asking if they could post on my site. Just today I got one from an individual who works with children ed. related stuff, but I don’t think I have really exposed myself in that regard much, except for my volunteering positions last year. I’m not sure if it’s spam or what! haha. Any advice for this?
Ps: They want to talk about early childhood education, etc. And I’d be willing to help, as long as it’s legit.
Thanks a ton Julie!
Okay, I could probably write a page about how great I think this post is, but I won’t…I’ll spare you that insanely long comment ;). But, I will say this- I think you are fabulous and I remember reading somewhere else on your blog that you should always ask yourself if you would want to read what you’re writing. I took that to heart before I even started my blog and I definitely try to blog by that awesome little piece of advice :D. Thank you!
I am very thankful for this post! I JUST started a blog(literally…yesterday) and it’s very nice to see these pointers! I am far from making my blog public, but I know that when I do, these are the guidelines I will follow 🙂
Also, this is one of my top 5 favorite Sadie posts–I LOL’d at all of her pictures!
Julie- this is really interesting to read about, thanks! I’m not a blogger but I regularly keep up with a bunch of healthy living blogs (including yours obviously!).
The reason I come to PBF is for light-hearted, fun, upbeat posts- and you never fail. I mean, the pics of Sadie don’t hurt either, but I think you nailed it on the head when you were describing the niche of yours/other blogs.
I really admire that you quit your full time job to pursue blogging/freelance work. I am in my senior year of college right now and I’ve got the having fun part down pat, but I need to focus my thoughts on what I really want to do next year…
Keep it up 🙂
I love these Blog Talks. It makes me realize that I have a LONG way to go with my blog – in a good way. I need to commit to it more and make time for it – not just “find time for it.”
This post makes me a little jealous that Sadie does somewhat decent poses for your pictures. Our dogs don’t know how to stay still when there is a camera present.
for every ONE picture of sadie that makes it on the blog, i have 10 rejects. 🙂
These are such great reminders and pointers! I remember reading somewhere once that the best way to write a blog is as if you’re writing an email to your best friend. I think I still struggle with the message of my blog (I like light hearted but I like to spill my heart too) and I think you have a good way of giving us perspective. I know I’ve loved watching PBF grow – it’s so exciting 🙂
i love that advice! but i’m a bit racier with my friends. 🙂
this is a great post and very informative as always, Julie! Question- doy ou think making the shift to self-hosting which, (I think), allowed for widgets such as LinkIn and more advertisements, led to an increase in your readers as well?
yes!!! do it! 🙂 self hosting also opens you up for more advertising opportunities and the widgets you can use allow for an increase in page views, which is very beneficial as well.
awesome! i am talking to someone this week who is going to help me with that stuff (i’m tech-challeneged). thanks for the reassurance!
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This is a great post Julie. I am very new to the blog world, and your blog is one of the first I started reading and is definitely one of my favorites. I’m not gonna lie – the pictures of Sadie with the hilarious captions keep me coming back. And your crock pot salsa chicken may have changed my life. 🙂 I started my blog as a means to share my marathon training experience with my friends and family, but I’d definitely like it to grow, and these are great tips. Thanks!
Readership stats are public.
Sites like compete.com and alexa.com compile and publish stats about page views, unique visitors, etc. This isn’t private information.
you’re absolutely right – i was just addressing the question i received about why it seems almost “taboo” to ask someone about their stats.
Thank you for the advice your blog talks are so helpful I love them! P.s. I met a visla named sky this weekend and found myself saying I know a visla and u look just like her, so yeah I pretend I know sadie in real life thanks to all her pictures and funny antics you blog about 🙂
This is a great one Julie (as are all your other Blog Talk posts!) I totally agree with you that the claim “comment on other blogs” is a bit insincere, but actually taking the time to comment on blogs that you really WANT to comment on, the ones that pique your interest, and participating in the community by getting to know other bloggers like you would with actual friends, is so important. And as usual, priceless Sadie pics! 🙂
totally agree!!
I have to tell you…I pretty much read your blog talk posts just for Sadie’s funny captions, she’s hilarious! Where does she get this stuff? 🙂
her facial expressions write them for me! 🙂
This is such a great series! Thanks for sharing so many helpful thoughts. I especially LOVE your number one tip for bloggers – your writing is very genuine and I can tell that you take your own advice! Keep on blogging (and posting hilarious pictures) 🙂
Great advice! Thanks for sharing Julie!!
Great tips! I have been trying to grow my blog for over a year now and have been struggling with it, so I’ll definitely take your advice!
These are great tips! I am trying to grow my blog and yours definitely serves as inspiration for me!
Also, Sadie is adorbs!
Loved the advice on getting more readers – all awesome suggestions!
Thanks for the great advice… It can definitely be discouraging to write for a while and not have regular readers! 🙁
Fantastic tips, only made better by Sadie’s side commentary! I’m curious, though- what are your thoughts on programs or sponsorships, like the FoodBuzz Featured Publisher program?
I really like working with FoodBuzz. I like being part of an ad network because they fill the ads for me and I don’t have to solicit companies about advertising on my site. It makes it simple and I’m comfortable with the ads FoodBuzz displays because they’re food-related which goes along with my blog quite well.
This is super super helfpul. I can definitely tell you put a lot of time and energy into this post..thank you!
Blog Talk Tuesdays are my favorite posts! You always have such great advice and I like how you try to cover all aspects of blogging.
This is my first day reading your blog and it’s such a great post! (BTW, i found it through a mention by on Sometimes Healthy).
so glad you stopped by!
Yay I love Blog Talk Tuesdays! I try not to get too hung up on getting traffic as I think it takes the fun out of blogging.
Thanks so much for starting this series, Julie! They are always so informative and I just love the voice of your writing.
I never thought to reach out to local media, but it totally makes sense. Thanks again!
Great job on today’s post! I’ve been so excited about this blog talk Tuesday’s topic about increasing blog readership. Since I’ve only been blogging for about 4 months now, I’m not sure when the right time to start reaching out is. Do you think it’s best to try to increase blog readership in the early stages or once you have a substantial amount of posts/categories/pages under your belt – in order for readers to have more content to browse through?
it’s definitely easier the longer you blog b/c you have more things to pull from, but once you start to feel like you’ve created a blog you’re proud of, i say start trying to get it out there!
Thanks for the advice! You’re right, it’s definitely getting easier to envision what I want everything to look like each time I post. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I have something to be proud of!
All excellent advice! I especially like the last part about linking to other blogs. I am always willing to link to someone else’s blog, even if they don’t know me! I feel like it’s imperative to give credit where it’s due and to keep that open connection going. It does bug me that some blogs are sort of tight-text with their willingness to give a shout out. But I also know most are happy to drop links whenever the chance comes up.
Also, dropping links on Twitter to other people’s blogs is fantastic too and helps each other exponentially.
yes!! i think it’s great to do your part as a blogger to try to help grow the community and help out other bloggers whenever possible.
Thanks for the great tips! I started my blog just a few months ago and have never thought about reaching out to local papers and magazines. I’ll definitely be taking your suggestions. And your dog is adorable!
Great tips, Julie! Love your Blog Talk Tuesdays – always full of great info! I think one thing I’ve definitely noticed is that my readership starting increasing after I started getting more comfortable writing in my own voice. When I first started my blog my posts were so darn PC and dull. Now I’m working on writing like I speak – like how I talk to my friends in real life. That’s how I want my readers to feel.
I can always count on funny Sadie pictures on Blog Talk Tuesday’s. Sh’es such a great filler! 🙂
If we take this many pictures of our adoreable dogs, imagine what we’ll be like when we have human children! !
Oh yea- another very helpful BTT post! Thanks Julie, I hope my blog can be as successful and fun as yours one day!
This is a great post, and highlights a lot of concerns I think many new (and established) bloggers have. I try not to comment on a blog unless i have something to add to the conversation, or a question to ask. Granted, if I recipe looks like it’s amazing and I’m practically drooling at my computer? I’ll comment that 😉
Once again, I love your Blog Talk Tuesday’s! I had never even thought about reaching out to other local media outlets, and it is such a great idea!
Julie, this is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and insight. It will definitely help me (and other bloggers) who are just starting up their blogs. You’re wonderful! 🙂
Great post and tips! Very helpful 🙂
Don’t be scared of Twitter! It’s really easy and Julie is right, it really gets your name out there. Just think of it as being able to update your Facebook status as much as you want without looking like a weirdo 🙂
OKAY such a great post!! I love the idea of reaching out to local places and the Twitter thing…it totally scares the bejeebies out of me. No idea why.
You laid it on the line and it was VERY useful information. I know we talked about a lot of it already…but I still loved seeing how you organized it all. Biggest thing is stay true to yourself no matter what the haters have to say.
I posted a survey just now to get feedback, because I am open to it, but will also ultimately do what feels right for me. Because being happy with our content, our voice, and our time blogging matters most. Otherwise, why do it?
a survey is a great idea. i think it’s great to understand WHY people read your blog and what they hope to get out of it while also staying true to yourself. i think you do a great job of balancing this!
I really am loving this series…. 🙂 Thx for sharing the goods! Now… if you can just send me an apple fritter from Tas-T-O’s…. we’ll be good to go… 😉
This is one of my favorite blog talk tuesdays yet. I could comment on each question in the post but I’ll spare you that detail. I agree with a lot of what you’ve said, mainly the content piece. I try to write what I enjoy to read above all else. Also, I just have to say that one of the most impressive things about these posts are the Sadie captions! Love them 🙂
I already asked a question this morning, so sorry to be annoying with another, but did you ever feel weird about the possibility of co-workers finding your blog? I know you mentioned on a post that once they alluded to it and you “basically died” (haha too funny) but now that I started a new job, I am hyper-aware of a co-worker’s ability to find my blog just by typing in my name on google! it makes me kind of anxious. do you think this is normal? is it a bad sign i dont really want them to see it?
I love these blog posts! 🙂
these are so many great tips 🙂 I remember when my followers started increasing and increasing I got so happy. I would never imagined that I would have the amount of followers that I have now when I first started. I’ve also found it helpful to post content that people find useful. Such as workout ideas, yummy recipes, fitness facts, etc. stuff that other people want to share 🙂
Thanks for all of these tips, Julie! So true – I admitted to myself from day 1 that I’m not just writing for myself. If I wanted to do that, like you said, I’d just keep a personal diary.
I really appreciate your advice about growing your blog. My readership has actually gone DOWN since about a month after I started :-(. Coupled with that, I’ve been a bit busier at work so can’t write more than 3 times per week…But I know that if I continue to write content that makes me smile and utilize some of your tips, I can get it back up. Thank you!
This is such a great post, Julie! You really touched on some really good points and gave helpful tips. I’ve been blogging for over a year now and I was so nervous to start a Twitter. I finally gave in and started a twitter for my blog and never looked back. 🙂 I think it’s a great way to get in touch with other bloggers and companies that you enjoy.
thanks for the help! I just started a blog this year. i think the big thing is just making your blog about you. When you try to act like another blog, it just doesnt work.
This has been my fave BT Tuesday so far. I found these tips to be the most helpful for me, for sure.
Something that has been bothering me lately is the whole commenting thing. I love commenting on a blog when someone intrigues me, if I have a question, or if I just have something to say. But I feel like many people comment just to comment, or because it is expected. I feel guilty for not commenting on other blogs sometimes.
When I started blogging, I only read yours and Skinny Runner, and I commented only if I had something to say. I never commented JUST to comment, and I still try not to.
Anyway, I don’t know where I’m going with this…but thank you for pointing out that YES there are other ways to get your name out there besides spending your entire day commenting on blogs!
LOL love how half of this post is in response to GOMI