Did you know that there are things you, a blog reader, can do that can dramatically help or hurt an authors content?
I share this because I regularly reach out to people who think that they are helping my blog but are actually hurting it. (Not properly attributing things, misspelling my name, using my content improperly, stuff like that.) When I talk to them about it I do believe them: They think they are helping.
So this post is an attempt to share things that actually help. Please read this on behalf of all the blogs you read, not just mine.
5 Ways to Help Your Favorite Blogger
In order of importance…
- Leave a comment. Leaving a comment is great for a blog. It tells other readers that people are engaged with the content, gives new readers permission to comment, and it gives the author a chance to interact with readers… and get better. (Plus, the best way to get me to read your blog is to leave a comment with the link as your URL… I always check those out!)
- Share on Facebook or Twitter. My #1 source of traffic is Facebook. My #2 source of traffic is Twitter. When you share links on Facebook or Twitter it really, really helps people find my blog. And when you tag me I get a chance to be a part of the conversation you have with your followers. I love that.
- Submit a link to Reddit. When it comes to authority ranking and drawing attention to a bloggers content, Reddit is king. Instead of creating your own site where you aggregate your favorite blogs create a subreddit for your niche. (I’d love to see someone start and really manage a church bloggers subreddit. I’d subscribe to it in a heartbeat!)
- Create your own content and link back. If you read something and want to respond with your own thoughts, do it. But don’t just grab the whole post… grab an excerpt or snippet then write your thoughts before or after. Here’s an example of how I’ve done that. Also see my post, How to Repost with Style & Grace.
- Add the post to your Digg Reader or Feedly. Those aren’t just RSS readers anymore. Your sharing and reading is dropped into an algorithm which will recommend your favorite bloggers content to others who might like it. While that might not lead to immediate traffic for a blogger, the long tail effect will really help.
- BONUS: Visit their sponsors, buy stuff from their affiliate links, click on ads for things that you like. Those other things help promote the blog but helping them make a little money for their hard work is always appreciated.
But please! For the love off all things internet and holy, don’t just copy/paste an entire post and stick it on your blog. Let’s do better, internets.
Question
What have I missed? What would you add? Leave me a comment to share how you’re helping your favorite blogger.
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