Boosting Blog Readership....HOW THE HECK? :D

[JessHelicopter]

Hiya!!!! I have a blog which I think is amusing and worth reading but I can't seem to boost my readership. I only have 11 followers, of that most of them are family or friends!!!! LOSER!!!!

I've joined various blogging networks, I tweet and RT links and post on Facebook....but my readership is still just mainly friends. I need to get OUT there! Similarly I am looking to find other amusing blogs from Mums or Mums-to-be that are funny and silly.

Of course I am aware that my blog could just be too boring/badly written/unfunny for a larger readership so any comments would be welcome!!! It's mrshelicopter.blogspot.co.uk/

[peekyboo]

You need a Facebook page or Twitter, whichever you feel most comfortable with. I like Facebook because it's slower...which means I'm less likely to ignore anyone. Also, I just don't feel happy on Twitter, which is possibly daft. I do have the FB page linked with Twitter, though, so each time I post on there, it appears on Twitter too.
I have two blogs, one much smaller than the other (due to neglect as much as anything). The smaller one is my writing blog - which is often about everything but writing! - it's probably more similar to yours as it's a general blog with plenty of humour.
At the moment, I'm having to build up readership again, due to the aforementioned neglect and the fact I switched it from being on my website to Blogger.
So, if you want, visit the blog and open a post and you'll see the links I have at the bottom. That's about all I'm doing right now, though there are many many things you can do, apparently!

freebrians.blogspot.co.uk/

Amanda

[Smitten1981]

I've had the most readers from a Facebook page that I set up and Twitter, that's the only way really. Also if you write about anyone/thing that is on Twitter tweet them and they usually retweet you to all their followers, so that's more exposure.

Also if there's any blogger hashtag things happening on twitter then join in and tweet it, for example I'm doing the 30 Day Snap challenge, it's brought new readers along.

I also downloaded an ebook from iBooks called Blog Wonderful by Dana Fox and found that really useful.

Good Luck

Daure enterthenook.blogspot.co.uk

[JessHelicopter]

Hey thanks guys for replying! Peekyboo/Amanda.....both your blogs look interesting! I don't know much about Aspergers in adults so i'll defo have a read. And Daure...firstly how do you pronounce your name?! And secondly....are you preggers too? I am 19 weeks today....hooray!

So yes I have a twitter account....what are your addresses? I am @jesshelicopter but not many followers despite the plugging away! But my only facebook is my private one. I could try and set up a page i guess tho. Thanks again!

[Smitten1981]

It's so hard to spell my name phonetically, I guess it's like of like Door ray. Yes I'm 20 weeks tomorrow! Congrats to you!

I'll add you on twitter.

[thepig]

Having a read it seems like it's a blog suited more to friends and family, but then that's no different to lots of mummy blogs.

I suppose the question would be why do you want loads of readers and followers? Loads of people on here go through so much stress and hassle promoting their blogs, imo if you enjoy writing then do it for yourself.

Hope you don't mind me being critical, but in terms of content I'd say far to much CAPS and !!!!! Funny writing stands on it's own feet and is funnier when it's dry if that makes sense. All the over the top punctuation feels like you're being told constantly when to find something funny or outrageous.

If you do want to increase readership I'd target your posts more around tighter more specific themes that are relevant to everyone.

Format wise black text on white background is always more readable. Maybe give your site a tagline so new readers instantly know what to expect. Perhaps buy the url to lose the .blogspot for a more professional look. Maybe put all your pics through the same filter for a uniform look. Black and white can look good, especially as your pics may be just a little over the top for some tastes.

Anyway sorry for the rambling and bunched text, I'm on my phone. Oh and apologies for basically throwing the kitchen sink at you. All of that is just my opinion, not fact or what you should necessarily do! But even bad criticism is useful so try and take it in your stride

[peekyboo]

And don't criticise yourself for being curvy, you look gorgeous! (sounding like your mother...)
Just do it how you want it, re your style. If you write in a certain way, then maybe tweak it a little if you want to make it a little more formal or something. I think if you write a blog, one big thing has to be using your own voice. If you intend to write for a long time, then it's the only voice you need. A bit like, if you try to keep your telephone voice going in a normal conversation, rather than just being yourself. Does that make sense?
For my blogs, I have to remind myself not to be too formal, as I write them differently from my books. I think yours reads a bit like an open letter to friends and family, which is no bad thing. And it's very personal too, so think now (before it's too late!) if you are happy for everyone to know your beeswax.
I have gone into it the whole way, right down into the depths of my soulllll, so now I feel like I'm almost (but not quite) at the stage where I'll tell anyone anything. This is not always a good thing but can make real life more interesting too!

Amanda

[JoanneMallon]

I think you've got a great writing style and personality Jess. You just need to get out there and talk to other bloggers, and also think about what a wider readership might want.

First of all, ditch Google Friend Connect, it's becoming obsolete. It's already been turned off for non Blogger blogs. A Facebook page and/or a strong Twitter feed would be better. Tweet links to your posts 3 or 4 times a day to catch people when they're around. Use Hootsuite or similar to schedule tweets for the middle of the night so you catch people in other time zones.

Look into platforms like Pinterest and Stumbleupon - too much to explain here but both can be good sources of traffic.

Post more often but maybe make the posts half as long (ie more shorter posts) so there is fresher material coming through regularly.

Competitions are a shortcut way to get a traffic boost but they don't necessarily lead to regular readers.

Leave comments on as many other blogs as possible. Look out for blogs that have the CommentLuv commenting system because that will give you a nice back link to your own blog.

This is me BTW www.joannemallon.typepad.com - I've been blogging for 6 years so happy to help if I can. I also blog here with my daughter www.eljae.com

[peekyboo]

Joanne, I admire the way your blog looks so attractive without needing to use something like Blogger's dynamic views! This is where I could do with being more artistic (I almost said attractive...that too...).
Have you experimented with different formatting and layout over the years? Sorry if this is hijacking the thread, but it's all part of getting more readers, isn't it?

[JoanneMallon]

aw thank you PB. To be honest that is a readymade template from Typepad which I've done very little with. The best advice I've heard about design was that the less you know about blog design, the simpler you need to keep it. I run another site called KidsBlogClub www.kidsblogclub.com which looks nice but is also from a readymade template. Choose the right template and you're sorted.

I've only changed templates once in 6 years, I don't do change very well! But I have made an effort with my images - the collages on the front page at the moment were made using www.Picmonkey.com which is very simple to use. Also I think the LinkWithin widget (AKA 'You Might Also Like' boxes) is worth adding as it can keep visitors on your site by offering them more to read.

[Craftsonsea]

Hi Jess, yours is a good blog, don't panic. It takes time and umm... lots of self doubt on the way. I'd say you need to add the buttons to your blog to follow you on facebook and twitter as I couldn't see these? Also agree with Joanne about tweeting your posts three times or so, don't forget most people follow 100's of people on twitter so are unlikely to see yours if you only pimp it once. Also, go follow some more people on twitter yourself! Look through the followers of blogs you like and if anyone says mum and/or blogger in their description then they'll probably follow you back. I did this lots when I first started and yeah, it did feel a bit dirty but on the other hand I actually found lots of blogs I wouldn't have otherwise seen and they had the chance to see mine, win/win as far as I can see! Oh, and my blog is over here if you fancy a gander ;o)

[JessHelicopter]

OMG I am soooo chuffed at all this advice! Thanks HEAPS everyone! And anyone who posts a link to their blog...I DO read and look and equally will follow on Twitter too. (@jesshelicopter) I am going to make some notes (!!! How nerdy!) and get back to you all! THANKS AGAIN! ooops there I go again with the caps and !!!!

[JessHelicopter]

Rightio, I'll respond in order!

ThePig: Thank you for your frankness. It's exactly what I was looking for. Yes I think it would mainly interest friends and family because they know me and care about what I am going thru. But as for wanting to reach a wider audience, well the main reason is to help people. That might sound arrogant but I mean to show other people who maybe in a similar situation to me that it's ok to feel scared or negative or exasperated or excited or whatever. A couple of years ago when my first son was just becoming a toddler I discovered this blog: reciperifle.blogspot.co.uk/

I loved it because it showed me that someone else found having a toddler a struggle and boring and things. My blog (which i started last year) was initially a tool to help me lose weight and not really about being a mum. And it helped me stay focused. I changed it when i became pregnant because my first pregnancy was awful and i remember thinking at the time that i would have loved to have known that someone else was experiencing all these horrible things that i'd never previously heard of....SPD/Cholestasis/Pregnancy Asthma/random nosebleeds and/or permanently blocked nose etc etc. Plus being a bigger lady I had problems finding things like maternity tights and stuff that fit me so i thought other people might like to read about my trials and tribulations.

Of course there's the other reason for wanting more readers, which I think is motivation for some if not most bloggers, and that's some kind of recognition...whether it's for your lifestyle choices/your writing style whatever. It's flattering to hear people say they like your blog and I can't deny that that appeals to my narcissitic side!

Back to your advice tho, too many caps and !!!!....well funny you should say that, my husband hates it when i type like that. In fact i've just had to delete and re-write half of this reply because i automatically write like that! I'm quite an over the top person (which i think probably comes across) and i think that the caps and !!!! represent that. But I can understand that they are annoying to some people so I will try and reign it in.

Tighter theme, hmmm am not sure about this. My general theme at the moment is just the pregnancy, I'm quite happy with just trying to reach an audience interested in that really. But I'll will put some thought into it.

Thanks so much for taking the time to write.

[JessHelicopter]

Oh and ThePig I also meant to say that i am aware that my style won't be to everyone's taste. I'm very upfront about my opinions and a bit sweary and childish sometimes.

[JessHelicopter]

Ok Amanda Thank you for the compliment! I mainly take the mick out of being a chubba because I think it's funny but also I want people to see that i don't take myself too seriously. I think I definitely write in my own style...I've been told I write like I talk which is probably fair. I could probably write more formally but you're right, it would be hard to maintain and not true to myself. I guess I hope that part of the attraction to my blog is my childish style of writing! To some people at least!

[JessHelicopter]

Jane Thanks too for your lovely words. I also had a nosy at your blog and Amanda is right, it does look dead posh! I'll have a proper read when I get the chance. I will definitely take a look at scheduling tweets, i do have a friend who does this for the company we both work for so i'll get her to talk me thru it if needs be. I do have twitter friends in Oz and USA so that's a good plan. There's just a little part of me that thinks, won't they get annoyed with me flogging my blog to death at them?! But it's true as Kate/CraftsatSea says, people's newsfeeds are usually filled with so many tweets that they could get lost. And yes I am trying to follow, read and comment on other people's blogs as you both suggest....not just to whore myself but also out of genuine interest. I am really very nosy and i love having a good look around at other people's lives and if that includes starting a chat in the comment section then all the better! [grin Thanks again both. I have a handwritten list that i now need to tackle to get myself OUT THERE!!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXX