After the post I wrote about starting your own blog, I had a lot of questions along the lines of “ok, I started my blog, but how do I get readers?” Great question. Keep in mind it won’t happen overnight. The numbers I used to get excited about for a whole day on my blog are now what I get in an hour. But it took time, and lots of hard work. Here are a few simple things you can do to start building your pageviews.
1.) Pinterest Pin It Button for Images. Pinterest is a great way to get traffic, but you have to use it effectively. That is a whole other post in and of itself, but this free WordPress plugin puts a pin it button on your picture when you hover over it (like on my blog) so readers can easily pin any photo on your post. Don’t forget to put descriptions on your photos so if they do get pinned, there is a better chance or them getting repinned!
2.) Comment on Other People’s Blogs/social media. While you are sitting around waiting for a blog or social media comment…so is everyone else. Take some initiative, and go comment with genuine comments on some blogs or social posts! I try to hit at least 5 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon/evening, more if time allows. Also I try to read NEW blogs and mix them in with old favorites. You will start to see people clicking over to your site from a comment you wrote on another blog!
3.) Interact with your readers. No one wants to feel like they are talking to an empty void, so try and reply to comments when you can, on your blog and on social media. People want to feel like you are a real person and that their time spend commenting wasn’t for nothing.
4.) Be active on social media. I avoided Twitter like the plague when I was first blogging because I didn’t understand it, but now it’s one of my preferred forms of social media and I get a ton of pageviews from it daily. Don’t just talk about your stuff, but engage in conversation with other people and make some friends! Also, Twitter chats are a great way to get exposure, more followers, and readers. Facebook and it’s every changing algorithm is a different animal all together, but I also try to at least like every comment left for me there. Instagram has become wildly popular, and don’t forget about stories! Interact with people on stories, answer questions, and comment. People will start to notice!
5.) Host a giveaway. This may cost you a little money, but could be worth it. You may even be able to get someone to donate a product. Put a post up on social media announcing your giveaway and have people enter, and share about the giveaway as an additional entry. That way, you get extra exposure! (I use Rafflecoptor, it’s free and so easy!)
6.) Write a guest post. A lot of bloggers will put out a call on their blog or on their Twitter or Facebook asking for guest posters. This is a great opportunity for you to be seen by new readers and get exposure on a more experienced blog. It takes a little time to write that extra post, but is definitely worth it if you are guest posting on more well known blogs! Some companies and brands will even let influencers do an Instagram takeover. This is a great way to get exposure from a new audience.
7.) Be Yourself: People can sniff out a fake like a bloodhound. Don’t try and mimic your favorite people and blogs that you follow. Sure you can take tips from them and learn the right way to do things, but use your own voice and put your own unique spin on things. You will find your tribe and your following, just keep being consistent with these steps and don’t quit!
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QOTD: What is your best tip for getting more pageviews on your blog?
I tend to get more views when I participate in link ups with other blogs. Thanks for the additional tips!
This goes along with twitter, but being interactive on twitter chats is a great way to reach a lot of people really quickly! Great post:)
Great post (as always) Heather! Can you tell me more about the Pin it button?
With OUaR, we started right out of the chute with the free wordpress account (but without the wordpress attached to the url); can you tell me a little more about the process of switching to the other wordpress account? Dan, who was a web-designer before going to law school, is currently trying out square space with his blog (www.shadowbot.com), but I am thinking when we upgrade, we’ll probably stick with wordpress.
I am wondering this same thing. I am currently using the free WordPress account and do not have a PlugIn option in my control panel.
love these tips! thanks girl!
Great post! For me, the giveaways have been really helpful. Right now I am giving away a Polar heart rate montitor and my views have gone way up!
Nice tips! 🙂
I find Twitter to be the best way to get more followers! Also a good giveaway goes a long way!
These are great tips, thanks for sharing! I was so confused by Twitter at first, but am finally getting the hang of it.
Great tips Heather!
Great tips Heather! I definitely need to do more on Pinterest!
I’m still working on it, but these tips either reinforce what I’m doing right or remind me of what I need to do. Thank you!
Such great tips, Heather! People are always asking me the same… I’ll send them over to you. 🙂
Awesome tips! It’s funny that you said you avoided Twitter like the plague; that’s how I feel about Pinterest! I just don’t want to get addicted to something else haha.
Thank you so much!! Great post!
Twitter is great – gets your post out to more than just your regular circle of friends on Facebook. I also just had business cards printed up for my blog and will be handing those things out like candy!
Love this post, great tips! I get most of my page views through pinning my own photos on my Pinterest page or posting my new blog entry to Twitter a few times a day. Let’s face it, a post can end up getting buried in other tweets!
Great post, Heather! Twitter is great, especially twitter chats! I find tons of new bloggers that way. My blog stats have been plateauing a bit, so hopefully these tips can help me ramp it up again! : )
Great tips! I don’t interact a ton on pinterest but should!
Love this post. Thanks for sharing your tips!
More great tips! Thanks! A quick question- how do you create your images, like the How to Get More Blog Readers at the beginning of this post. Do you use a special program?
I use pic monkey, it’s a free website, google it!
Even though I don’t blog this was an interesting post to read. I try to be a good reader by keeping up with the bloggers I follow and commenting often-want to do my part on keeping ya’ll going-lol! I love your blog for keeping me connected to the south. Once a G.R.I.T.S. always a G.R.I.T.S 🙂
And I love the Disney and running parts too!
Great post! (As a fellow southern gal, I love your blog).
I currently have an Endorphin Warrior training bracelet giveaway going on at http://www.thestoryofcarsonandalec.blogspot.com if anyone wants to hop over and enter. (The giveaway ends tonight).
You inspired me to get into the world of blogging! I LOVE your blog! I have just gotten into the world of blogging (and running) and am trying to look for ways to make my blog better.
You are so sweet thanks so much! Hope my tips helped!
Great tips! I’ll have to find that Pin It plug in.
My best tip is to do keyword research and optimize your posts/pages. You want people to find exactly what they are looking for! Oh and another huge tip that I don’t see a lot of people doing is when you recommend a product (like a book, workout DVD, etc.) link to it using an affiliate link if you can. This not only gives your reader more (a way to potentially buy the product right then if they want to) but you make $ for sharing it. Win win!
Just some quick tips.
great tips!
All great tips! Thanks for sharing! :0)
Great post, Heather!!!!!!!!! Interacting with others over Twitter is a big one I think!!!!
Yet again Heather you give great advice to help us with our blogs! You are awesome. Thanks
I like another reader above need some advice on the Pinterest PlugIn. I am currently using the free WordPress account. Do I have to get a paid account to have plugins, as I do not see that on my wordpress control panel.
Also do I have to have a paid account to use Rafflecopter to do a giveaway?
Thanks
on my dashboard plug ins is underneath the word “appearance” on the left side bar.
For rafflecoptor they give you a html code to plug into your post so i think anyone can use it but I could be wrong.
Oh, I need to get the Pin It plug in! I sometimes find myself a bit too preoccupied, and even something a bit frustrated with the numbers, comparing myself with bigger-than-me blogs or even smaller-than-me blogs that get more comments or have a better page rank… every one in a while, I think it’s also good to step back and remember the goals of your blog, and really work on connecting to readers and interacting. Numbers are important too, but it’s a balancing act I’m finding. 🙂 Thanks for your tips!
Yes that’s a great attitude! Keep going and being yourself and it will come!
I need to up my Pinterest use for sure! I also need to get a PinIt plug in for blogger.
Another good tip for the giveaway – partake in a GROUP giveaway – this almost doubled my numbers for me in a matter of 1 month!!
I have done one group giveaway and it was great!
Thanks for all the tips! I just started my blog a little over a month ago, so I need all the help I can get! If anyone knows how to do the pinterest pin with Blogger, please let me know!
Hi There,
I also just started a blog on blogger ( a few days ago), and actually found a tutorial online to add the pinterest widget and also the pinterest hovering tool for over top of the pictures. I can’t remember the exact website I used or i would share the link with you. ( there are so many out there) . Andrea, I did visit your blog and it looks great for just starting a month ago. I could use some help with design and making the tabs at the top. But I guess this is a learning process. Good luck to you and everyone out there that are just starting!
It is def. a learning process, and I am not savvy with a lot of it so I paid someone to do some of it for me!
have you tired googling it? I unfortunately don’t know much about blogger! So sorry!
Great tips girl. I am going to look into the Pinterest button immediately.
Hope you found it ok!
Great stuff! Thanks for sharing! I feel like I know what to do, the problem is finding time to do it all. 🙂 Ha! Blogging can seriously become a full-time job so easily!
Yes! I never thought it would for me but it has some days!
Great tips…thank you!! 🙂
Thanks for the tips! I’m really new to the blog world–pretty much talking to the air right now–but it’s fun! I appreciate your blogging articles–it’s great to see you look at new blogs, too. I hope you’ll visit mine sometime!!
I totally hear ya, i felt the same way the first few months. Keep at it!
All great tips Heather! I need to find that Pinterest plug-in – I’m still not very active there. Twitter has been a huge help for me!
Pinterest is starting to outpace FB on some days with referral traffic!
This is a great post and I enjoyed reading your tips. Our blog is new and it is wonderful to hear and read success stories and get advice! Our blog is greaterfitness.wordpress.com
great tips! Pinterest and Twitter are both large traffic sources for me.
me too!
This is great Heather! I just got onto Pinterest, but haven’t devoted much time to it yet. As a blogging newbie, I have a blast reading a ton of other blogs and interacting with other runners, Disney fanatics, and more on Twitter! Here’s to ever rising page views!
Great tips. I find interacting with others helps me the most.
Great tips! I’ve definitely seen more traffic when I am part of a chat, and Running Bloggers has been very helpful, as well.
I agree!
Thank you so much for publishing this article. I’ve blogged in the past to little response and I have just started a new blog again today! I have been impressed with how you format your blog; you seem to be a natural. If you ever have any other suggestions for a successful blog or personnel thoughts on mine, please share!
Thanks!
Debbie
@PutDizzle
Def not a natural, just been doing it a long time! :0)
my number of readers really went up from doing guest posts, commenting on A LOT of other blogs, and using Twitter CONSTANTLY! Great post Heather 🙂 <3
Love these tips, and happy to have learned them along the way as I grew my blog! I think the interacting on social media is huge!
I used to hate Twitter and didn’t understand the benefit of it, but man, has it changed my outlook!!
yes! SO much for me still to learn, too!
This is so helpful! I’ve been getting a lot more into twitter but I definitely need to be more active on pinterest now.
I find that getting in engaged with a community of bloggers that blog on the same topic also helps (Anyone into fashion blogging should head over to IFB, heartifb.com). Try meeting with local bloggers as friends too so that you can help each other out with new readers!
You should make a post on how to use twitter! I just got a twitter account and I don’t even know where to start. I have always been an instagramer, but this month I moved into blogging and now also tweeting. Blogging is relatively easy, i mean it is more time consuming than insta, but its fun.
Twitter on the other hand… hmm. I would need someone to teach me how to use it ….
It is so generous of you to share these tips! Also, loved the tips from the comments as well. I’ll be looking into your e-course! Thanks again.
You are welcome! Let me know if you have any questions about the course or what’s included in it!