So you want readers?

There have been several posts lately, most recently at MBS, suggesting ways to bring readers to your blog. I do think that has to be problem for new blogs. I wanted to add a couple more suggestions. Certainly the best way is to be listed on Bonnie’s site as a new blog. With Bonnie’s traffic people will find out about you and drop by.

But there are a couple more things that could help. When you read other blogs be sure to leave a comment. Whenever anyone new leaves me a comment I always follow the link back to their place to check out their site. I have found many friends this way and found some great blogs.

But the most important piece of advice would have to be when someone leaves you a comment – answer it! I got this advice directly from Bonnie nearly 3 years ago and I have to say it works.

I see it this way. If you move into a new neighborhood and spend a great deal of time working on your yard, nice landscaping, beautiful flowers – it’s obviously time consuming, but it’s something you care about. Now suppose I walk by and in an effort to get acquainted I stop to compliment your lovely yard and your hard work. I’m complimenting your yard but mostly I want to begin a neighborly conversation. If you never even turn around and wave, then after a couple of tries I will assume you don’t want to talk and I’ll stop trying. I might still come by and enjoy the beauty of your yard but I probably won’t be speaking.

This is the way I feel about answering comments. If someone takes the time to read what I’ve written and takes the time to comment then I think it’s only polite to answer that comment. If I read a blog and leave a few comments and never get a response I may go back and read but I usually stop commenting.

Now I know no one is going to have the time to answer every comment! We have lives, children, careers, we want to have time to write posts and this is not supposed to be a job but an enjoyment. I don’t mean to knock people who just don’t have the time. But this is to be advice on how to get people coming back to your site and I think starting a back and forth conversation is always going to be your best bet!