How do I get people to notice/read my blog?

[littlecloud]

Just want to add i've name changed because I don't want to be linked to some old posts of a personal nature. But have been on mums net for about 5 years.

I've been blogging for about a month now and I have less than a handfull of followers. I get a fair few daily page views (but expect this is mostly my family stalking me! lol)

I was just wondering how you get people to find your blog/follow because I just don't want to be wittering to myself on a daily basis. Although it is nice having an online dairy of sorts and I am taking lots more pictures I ever did. Think I once went 6 months with-out taking one single picture of my boys!
My camera was broken at the time but still.

Any advice would be great! Also if anyone wants to point me in the direction of their blogs that would be great too!

TIA

Maybe this should have been titled how do I get people to notice me on mumsnet (although i'm sure that's been done to death!)..........

I'm happy wittering to myself on my blog :o I have only a handful of followers and I have had it since last January :)

Starting a thread asking to exchange blog links maybe, or apply to the MN bloggers network?

What's your blog about soup dragon? Can I see please? I don't mind too much wittering to myself but it would make it even better if someone was like ooooh I find your wittering interesting or looking at your pictures passes a small part of my day in a good way.

I don't want to be seen as touting my blog, because I want people to follow because they want to IYSWIM. I have just joined the MN bloggers network.
I usually find blogs I like through other blogs. Or through Folksy or Etsy.

You can link to it here, we asked you to

If you link to other nice blogs, they may link to yours, then you all get to share lots of lovely followers/readers.

I don't read many properly, but Attic24 always has lovely pictures and lots of links that I know I will like to have a mooch at, Yarn Harlot for knitting chatter, and I get email updates for Dillytante and soresourceful - I see them on my phone and have a look on the PC when I am intrigued to find out what the pics were - I certainly look at the MN crafters blogs when I remember

my blog I like attic 24 too and often mooch at the pictures and wish I could make something anything out of wool and needles. I just drop stitches and get frustrated.

I'm going to have a mooch at the others you've mentioned.

Had a look. Yep I still wish I could damn stitch.

Something for when the ds2 starts pre-school me thinks. Need to drag the sewing machine out and make friends again first.

Soooo..... feedback, people don't follow cos my life is only infact interesting to myself and my family stalkers? Who only infact read it to make sure the children are being fed and washed on a daily basis?

Ok, have had a look now. I like it.

I think your pictures are great, really good, and your boys are gorgeous

It is all just a bit dark on the screen, very dark background along the sides, not sure it fits with the lively writing. I liked the writing too, few extra exclamation marks than it needs maybe but not boring, has seen far worse. You have another follower - keep plugging away.

Few ideas for you:

• link your blog to your facebook/twitter accounts so that when you publish a post, it automatically sends a link to your post
• read and comment lots of other blogs with friendly, relevant comments
• interesting titles to catch people's eyes
• tag your blog with relevant keywords so it comes up in searches
• make sure in the blog content that you use key words that are likely to come up in Google searches

Hope that helps!

Lovely, lovely pictures by the way!

Moaning Minnie I've gone back and edited out lots of the exclamition marks will read back and do more, I actually have a problem when it comes to them, I sometimes read a text back and i've put 5 in one message after every sentence, and reads like i'm just soooooper excited about EVERYTHING.... or just a bit loopy.

I get the dark thing I wanted the side bit to be of a honey comb but don't actually know how to do that yet or if it's even possible? I chose the black for the writing backdrop because I think it helps the pictures pop which is great when I actually have nothing much to say.

thank you for following!

TheRetroOwl- I wanted to link my blog to my facebook but will everyone start getting really annoyed with me because I try and post pretty much everyday if I have the time.

I will read more blogs, I do comment now, will comment more (never used to was much more of a lurker)

The tagging one is a great tip I haven't tagged any of my posts yet so will go through and do that tomorrow.

Will work on titles too.

Great tips.

My kids thought I had gone a little nuts when I started taking loads of pictures especialy when it was of random object, they think it's normal now and don't even notice anymore. Glad you like them.

should of had one of these at the end.

Make a new facebook page just for your blog? So fans/likers of your blog's FB get updates but great uncle Tom doesn't ? You can be the owner of it, on your personal FB page. I think!

OOh I have one of those already don't know why I didn't think of sending the updates to that and not my personal one. It's all quite new to me. Not really a computer person, bar browsing the web. Now I have to undestand codes, make logos, banners, resize, upload, link and well.... it's such a learning curve.

You are all really helping. thank you.

You're welcome. I have been surfing all night instead of knitting though, whoops. Accidentally bought more yarn today as well, it happens to me all the time

I think I may have to call on you when I learn to knit. My dream is to knit a rabbit, like this one or this and this I my boys have a yarn miracle rabbit and a MJT one but I want knit one myself. How likely is it that this will ever be possible? How long do you have to knit for before your actually good. my tension is all over the place. I have such an eye for detail so it drives me bonkers. But I will neeed to get over this to learn because nobody is great to start with, right?

Don't worry about annoying people on Facebook, those who don't want to read them can always hide the updates anyway. A page to promote your blog is a good idea from MoaningMinnie. You can also name your pictures with relevant key words as well. Many of my referrals come from people doing Google searches then clicking on the pictures and reading the blog post accompanying it.

Your site is beautiful in my opinion - the pictures really make it. I'm appalling at taking pictures unfortunately! I think that in itself will keep people coming back to yours.

Thank you so much RetroOwl, [Smile]
I wish I had a better camera though mines just a cheap nikon compact.
Do you blog (I'm guessing you do)?

MoaningMinnie I have worked out how to changed the side bar colour to a teal blue instead of the black do you think that is better, less dark?

Well you're doing extremely well with a cheap camera! I do blog, but it's not child related - mostly about my love for retro and vintage stuff.

I like vintage and retro stuff. Can you post me a link or PM me?

I have only been knitting for about 18 months, still a novice really, but I enjoyed being able to help with the MN blankets. I love those Little Cotton Rabbits too.

I taught myself from books, mainly the Debbie Bliss How to Knit and Purls of Wisdom

My tension at first was very very tight, I knitted a plain baby cardi that would have nearly fitted a sindy doll, could barely get the needles into my stitches, but it has evened out to fairly normal after more practice. Now I am a total yarn whore there is so much lovely stuff - I try to buy posh wool when it is cheap rather than cheap wool now. To start, all you would need is Youtube, some 4mm needles and some DK yarn, and have a bash. I want to learn crochet but it is not working for me yet. Join Ravelry too - it is marvellous.

Cute book of knitted teddies here, I have the book but not knitted any of them yet.

I like the adjusted colour scheme

I love the pic where you have looked up and there is the sky, trees and the beautiful pattern! Not so keen on the bit about trains tbh but your pictures are brilliant!

Do you mind if I pinch some tips for making my blog more popular too? I'm an artist and it's such a tough world out there, I've had it a while and have 6 followers and I know most of them!

Lovemygirls. The train post is more of a boy mum thing I think. My life is pretty much trains, cars and dirt when it comes to the boys not a dolly or tea set in sight sadly.

Although I am very much a girly girl, probably much less so now having boys. My favourite colour is in no way pink, I do like it in small doses. But I would love to have a little girl one day so maybe that would change. What's your blog about?

Moaning minnie great links. I like the idea of buying posh wool when it's cheap. My favourite yarn is actually cotton rather than wool. I'm going to do it, i'm going to learn to knit properly. I will join Ralvery for sure. I've had a look a few times and there are some great patterns. I'm going to order the first book you linked too. My Granny taught me to knit when I was about 7 and i've made a fair few pretty shoddy scarves over the years and that's as far as it's gone on the knitting front. So in theory I know how it's done it's just the practice. Different stitches and following patterns frightens me. But once you get it I suppose that's it and you can only get better.

Love the teddies book.

My blog is about my art really, KJcreations Please be honest if you get chance to have a look.

I'm a mum of two girls but I do childmind so I know a little bit about trains, cars and dirt I'm not having any more children now though, I'd like to concentrate on my art as my girls get older