I noticed today and over the last week that my Active Rain posts are capping out at about 100 views before the views start to trickle in. Further, I'm ranging anywhere from 40 - 50 click through's to each post I write and roughly 4 - 5 comments on average per post.
So how does one break through the glass ceiling and succeed at getting 500 views and 100 - 200 clicks to each post? Many people will want to say, "Quality & Catchy" content but I must say that some of my posts have taken a great deal of time and in some cases creativity so I am thinking that for the most part I have covered quality and occasionally catchy.
The answer comes in many different ways and several combinations of these methods. Here are just a few ideas to jump start your views, clicks and comments. I cannot possibly cover all potential ways to promote your AR blog but I'm sure that others will be able to provide other creative ways.
- Add a very visible link to your blog on your websites main navigation. Many major companies that have blogs make sure to announce the fact that they have a blog and so should we.
- With every e-mail you send out, be sure to add your blog URL to the signature line. This is what you should already be doing to promote your website so why not your blog?
- Take the time to submit your blogs RSS feed to feed based directories. About a week ago I wrote about 45 sites that you can submit your RSS feed tofor free. After I wrote that article and submitted some of my own RSS feeds to these directories I did see my numbers jump a little and stay fairly stable at the new range.
- Promote other posts you've written within new posts. If something you wrote in the past is relevant to what you are writing about now then be sure to provide a link to it. One perfect example is the link I included in item #3 on this list and in #5 below.
- Get in the habit of ending all of your posts with something like a "Previous Post: The Professionals I know"
- Take the time once a week to write a post titled something like, "End of the Week Round Up" where you briefly recap on the posts you've written during the week and maybe even some other posts you've commented on.
- Take #6 as the basic principle and apply it to a monthly post titled something like, "Monthly Conclusion"
- Get active on Twitter or Plurk and join hundreds if not thousands of other Realtors and even locals in your area. When you write a new blog post simply announce the post if you think those following your profile would appreciate the information you have to provide.
- Write posts that others might want to Reblog about. A link back to the original post is provided each time a post is reblogged which means you'll get some foot traffic that way.
- Ask other AR members that subscribe to your blog to ReBlog, Tweet, Plurk or otherwise pass on the post to others if they enjoyed the article.
- Building consistency in the style of your writing and with the posts you write to keep people returning to see whats new. (Contributed by Ron Moore; a Florence South Carolina Realtor)
- Reciprocation and participation in others blogs via commenting directly and even referencing can build up an interest base directly to your own blog but make sure your reciprocation is genuine and your contributions helpful. (Contributed by Ron Moore; a Florence Realtor)
- Promote your blog via your print media such as business cards. (Contributed by Diane Aurit; a Lake Norman Realtor)
What other ways can you think of that will help promote your posts and help you reach your next level with your AR blog? Share your strategies below with everyone so that we can each test different concepts out.
By the way, if you ReBlog I'd appreciate a Reblog of this article. If you are on Twitter I'd appreciate if you would share this with your other Realtor connections that might be on AR but don't catch this article and of course if you have any other strategy to promote blogs I'd appreciate your help in helping me get to my next level.
Good ideas and suggestions, John. I might add, building consistency in content and style will build an audience. Also, reciprocation is a good word to learn and habit to get into.
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the contributions. I've added them to the list of strategies in the post. I figure it'd be great to continue the list so that it is all in one place and not through out multiple comments for this post.
John,
I appreciate your helpful tips and have subscribed to your blog. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts. Have a great night.
Mary
All good ideas, John. I haven't checked out Twitter or Plurk, etc. yet.
After reading your post, I can see I have a lot of homework to do. Just when I think I've got it all figured out, something new comes along. Thanks for a great post.
Hi John, being new to blogging I appreciate all the tips I can get and these are really helpful to me.
Thanks!
Thank you for this post. It's very helpful for someone (as in me) who is new to the world of blogs. I have already implemented a couple of the ideas and will be following the comments here to add to my list of strategies.
John,
Great tips. Thanks for helping us all build our businesses
"Add a very visible link to your blog on your websites main navigation. "
Do you think that it would be a good idea to place a no-follow on that link to block the flow of PR to your blog from your site, or should it flow out, and flow back to your site from your linked blog posts?
All great suggestions! This would make a great checklist for anyone, and especially the many new bloggers on AR.
Thanks for the great tips. I've been spending today trying to get my blog out to outside blogs, etc, so these tips are very timely. I've been on Facebook and LinkedIn, now to try Twitter and Plurk.
John - a great list! So much to work on. So far, the e-mail signature works the best for me. I love your suggestions on reciprocity!
Great list! I would add that I put my blog in ALL of my advertising...especially my business card where it is on the front and back. And, I write about local restaurants and businesses with enough success that they now even call me sometimes asking to be written about. That kind of community networking is exciting! But, mostly it is having a target market and staying focused on that market with all content.
Excellent post!Some of them were so "no brainer"...but I didn't even think of them!
Thank you for enlightening me/ us.
Great advice and points that I know, but that I am not implamenting, well said.
John.. Great post and great ideas here.. keep up the great job
Thanks. Those are some great ideas. Also appreciate the link to the list of free RSS feeds. I'm also looking into promoting my blog offline via business cards and shirts with my blog logo. There are lots of ways to market your blog.
Hi John,
I love the "End of the Week Round Up" and "Monthly Conclusion" !
One thing I do is I swipe across my entire post and then copy it and then I create an email and paste the entire post in an email to people who I think will benefit from that post. It's comes out the exact same way you see it on the screen. This works well since people you send it to do not have to open a Link. The information, the photo's, the post is right there on the computer screen. All the links are there as well.
John, you are such a teaser and you get me every time, any idea where i can find the list of 45 Rss feed. . . .
Anne
Thnks John...I just spent my 30 minutes or so submitting my blog to the 45 feed sites....A great tip!
John, Looks liek this one is going to make those numbers skyrocket. I bookmarked this one. Great list.
John,
Thanks for the advice, this will definitely be helpful. Now the hard part implementing it.
Great information. I am going to start reblogging myself. Margaret Woda also wrote a great blog last week similiar to yours How to Blog for Leads on ActiveRain .Great post.
John,
What does the RSS stand for and what exactly does it do? Thanks for this valuable post.
Thanks for the suggestion. I have found that reciprocation and commenting on others posts seems to have made a difference.
I appreciate your tips, John! I have not made the jump to Twitter yet. JB Brookman
I like the idea of a recap of the posts we wrote, that would make a good Friday or Sunday recap for readers. My posts do a direct feed to twitter from both blogs, as other places. I also feed directly to facebook through several apps there.
I have so much to learn but I'm getting there. I sometimes feel like I'm on the short bus but thanks for folks like you explaining in simple terms I am making progress! Now to find the time!
Love these ideas. I hadn't thought of the weekly or monthly recap. Lots of great information to use. Thanks!
HI JOHN!
Man, this is AWESOME information! I am going through it & implementing your suggestions. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ooooooo, good ideas. Thanks! I'm focusing more time on blogging and AR in general, and appreciate the tips.
Just a quick note; my Internet at home has been down since Monday. I have every intention to respond to comments just as soon as I am able. I'll post comments here but also send a quick e-mail too.
JJ
James Rivers,
I see no reason to add a no-follow to the link going from your website to your blog. If your providing quality and unique content on your blog and not duplicating it on your website then why not allow search engines to pass juice? Either way you are in a win win situation.
Diane Aurit,
I've added your suggestion of adding your blog URL to print media material. Thanks for the added contribution!
Thanks for the tips!
great tips... I will remember to use..
Aloha John,
Thanks for the post, especially about using Twitter to announce your blogs. Great idea.
Peace,
Great ideas. I really need to get more info on RSS feeds. Any sources you could point me to?
It looks as though you have put these practices to good use. I must be about the 40th comment on this blog. Very well written, and I will use as much of this as I can to help increase traffic to my blog. Thanks.
Thank Heaven for the Internet! After three days without it at home, it sure feels good to have it back.
Anne Hensel,
The list of 45 rss feed sites can be found at: http://www.jasonbartholme.com/45-working-sites-to-quickly-submit-your-rss-feeds/
Michael Hamby,
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. I liked the definition and example provided at this link. Your blogs have their own rss feeds that you could promote. For your primary blog this address is the link to your rss feed. Try playing with some of the blog readers suggested at the 'at this link' URL above. Of course be sure to add a link to my feed to your reader.
Troy Erickson,
So far I've had 39 comments, 526 views and 361 clicks. Not to mention that I think 20 people subscribed to my blog which is awfully flattering and tells me that I'm going to have to be committed from now on.
What I've learned from this post more than anything is the value of writing exceptional posts. I've done Internet Marketing for six or so years now and I've always stressed the importance of quality content for websites and blogs and this post and the statistics on this post have really shown me exactly what I've meant all this time.
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Am I missing anyone I need to respond to?
Thanks Jason
the site did not come up "could not be displayed" anyway now it dies
thanks Anne
Anne,
I'll send you an e-mail when I get into the office today. The link should be working for you without a problem.
JJ
John, thank you but I can pull it up now.
Anne
John, I appreciate very much your suggestions, it is clear that no matter what you write, if you don't have a readership you are not finishing the job. Your post here is an important part of the thinking process, and it got us all thinking... Thank you
Antonio
Thank you for the help. We all appreciate learning new ways to promote our business.
Shri
i wish i could do everything you say right now! thanks for the outline.