A few months back (read: October 2008), I asked one of my favorite writers/bloggers for advice about blogging. I was wondering how I could go about garnering more readers while keeping, if not improving my style of writing. Back when I started blogging, I wanted to have one of those infamous blogs where I could end up with 100 comments from the posting of a YouTube clip or have thought provoking blogs.
A Writer’s Make: In jest, I talked about wanting to have a blog that could possibly rival my big sis’ blog. After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that although I started blogging to voice my opinions on various matters, my intention had changed to that of a blogger that simply wanted hits and comments, and not of a blogger that wanted to post things of mental, personal and/or emotional value.
I Watch The Watchmen: ‘I want flash, I want to be able to host my own site on WordPress.org, I want color. I want to be able to showcase my photography and have interesting content. I want an original design from one of the best designers in the world. I want stuff to flip, spin and twist.’ And then I remembered that I’m a broke college student! When a site is user friendly, it is, in a way, inviting to readers. Also, it goes hand in hand with content; because, if you have content that’s easily accessible and enjoyable, then you’ll begin to gain a following. Sometimes, something of simplicity is of more value than something of vast complexity.
A Call to Inter-Action! (Google Reader): Well before I started blogging, I was a reader and an infrequent commenter on LH’s ‘The Breaking Point’ and Monica Mingo’s ‘Rantings of a Creole Princess’. Although I may not comment on Monnie and LH’s blogs nearly as much as I used to, those are my two first stops when I log into my Google Reader account; and believe it or not, I found their blogs through Google when I was researching a topic. In order to gain a following, you have to network! If you become a regular commenter on a blog and you constantly bring fresh, new, or even controversial opinions to the table, people will start to come to your spot to see what you have to say about other things. In addition to doing that, starting an account on Twitter, Technorati, Digg and/or etc., is another way to garner a following. Many people use those sites for promotional purposes and get massive hits off of things that people deem relevant, comical or down right spiteful.
At the end of the day, if you want to have the best Celebrity Gossip Site (as if there aren’t 50 Zillion of those already) or even if you want to get 2 to 3 more comments on your personal blog, you have to make blogging work for you and what you intend on using it for. Keeping it simple, networking and coming with quality content are surefire ways to gain comments and a following.
Random Thought of the Moment:
“Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it’s just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it.”
-David Sedaris
The Song of the Moment: “Flamenco Sketches” by Miles Davis
