As busy writers, it’s easy to forget the value of blog posts as a tool to raise awareness. This blog, for example, averages over 10,000 visitors a month, as well as countless shares across social media. It doesn't cost anything, except time, so here are my top tips, based on my experience of blogging over the past ten years:
Keep it simple
Develop a format and stick to it. As well as saving time, regular
visitors know what to expect. For example,
I like to start with a book cover with purchase links and end with a short, third-person
bio with website and social media links.
Invite other authors
Be selective and invite authors who are broadly within your
target readership to guest post. Remember they are busy, particularly if they
have a new book to launch, so make it as easy as you can for them.
Develop good ‘interview’ questions
I’ve ‘evolved’ a set of questions that work well – and authors
seem comfortable with answering. In the past I’ve been asked all sorts of odd
things in blog ‘interviews’. Sometimes the quirky questions can reveal
something of the writer, but it’s best to keep them relevant.
Share your posts on Goodreads via RSS
There are over eighty million readers on Goodreads – who manage
and amazing four hundred and thirty million monthly
pageviews, so it’s well worth taking the time to set up a feed to
automatically post there.
Learn from others
Make the time to visit other blogs and leave comments. Invariably you'll learn something new - and what works well today could change next month, so it's a great way to keep up with new and emerging ideas and developments.
Happy blogging!
Tony
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Do you have some great tips on blogging you would like to share?
Please feel free to comment below
Please feel free to comment below
The #AuthorToolboxBlogHop is a monthly event on the topic of resources and learning for authors. Feel free to hop around to the various blogs and see what you learn! The rules and sign-up form are below the list of hop participants. All authors at all stages of their careers are welcome to join in
Great post! I'm, as always, super envious of your monthly hits. Goodreads is on my list. If you have time, you might want to add toolbox or something similar to the title of this post (at least temporarily) so that the other hoppers know which post to click into. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't see visit other blogs or leave comments. With 10,000 visits/month I guess you don't have to network. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Good point - these are only the top five but you are right, so I've updated the post
DeleteI can say from experience that these all work, Tony. Great ideas.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to do all those things. I would also add to post consistently.
ReplyDeleteSusan Says
Useful list, thank you. I've thought about asking for guest posts occasionally but, to be honest, most of the people I'd ask have a better readership than me anyways, so I keep wondering where the incentive for them is.
ReplyDeleteI was the same when I began - but it is a compliment to be invited, and if you can find the time to keep asking, the audience will grow
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