How to Promote Your Blog, Or: Give Me Some Digg Luv
“I will kiss your feet for some luv on this (provided that you like it).”
The email included the blogger’s name, the post title, and a link to its page on Digg. The article was hilarious and very well written, so of course I immediately dugg it, and I wasn’t the only one: it got hundreds of diggs and landed on Digg’s coveted front page.
I used to think that it was all about creating an engaging, fun, intelligent content. Then I came across Skelliewag, ProBlogger and others, and began to realize that in many cases, quality content is just the starting point (Skelliewag thinks it’s good ideas, not good writing, that count). If you want your blog to have more readers than mom, dad and your best friend, you need to get yourself onto the social media scene, participate in blog carnivals, exchange guest posts, make comments on other blogs and link to them, and in short - network, network, network.
I’m not sure why this came as a surprise. All my past “real jobs” involved heavily networking. It’s never just about talent or skills. Why would it be different for blogging?
Back to the kiss-your-feet email. I am thoroughly impressed with the notion that it is OK for a blogger, who feels she wrote a good article, to directly promote herself within her readership. I love the assertiveness of asking one’s social media friends to expose one’s writing to a larger audience on Digg, instead of passively waiting for the blog gods to maybe, hopefully, someday, notice her.
I’m still unsure how far I am willing to go to promote this blog. As my real job becomes more demanding, MomGrind will probably continue to be no more than a fun hobby, a place to share my thoughts and connect with people. Not everyone wants to, needs to, or should become a pro blogger.
But just in case, I am saving this email as a template.
Related reading:
Skelliewag totally thinks you should “call in a favor from social media friends and ask them to vote if they like what you’ve created.”
Naomi Dunford believes that it’s all pointless anyway, because We Killed Social Media.
Clay Collins dishes out some valuable blog-growing advice.
Amy thinks that “if you really want to grow your blog.. you must put forth some effort other than just writing amazing posts.”
LifeHack.org offers ten ways to pimp your blog
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David | beplayful responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 am →
Thanks for the tips and the links, I’d really like to build up my blog to have a wide readership.
Ashleigh responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 7:42 am →
Well, I’m not a blogger, but frankly I’m surprised that there’s so much politics involved.
Tim Brownson responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 7:59 am →
Personally I think that self promotion is anathema to all that is good in life and I’m sad to see so many people embrace it.
As I said in my brilliant and critically acclaimed book ‘Don’t As Stupid Questions - There Are No Stupid Questions’ now available in hardback from either Amazon or http://www.adaringadventure.com (also available as an e-book), humility is key to life.
Actually I didn’t say that, but I thought it and I may have mentioned it in my equally stunning free E-book ‘Know Yourself - Change Yourself’ a stupendous collection of ways to make lasting and effective change in your life. That book sprung out of my hilarious cutting egde AllTop listed blog that continues to light up peoples lives and set the standard in the Blogosphere for life coaching blogs.
Don’t go down the road of self promotion people, it’s a slippery one covered in ice, oil and baby lotion and I think we all know what happens when you mix those 3 things together and it aint good.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 8:55 am →
@ David: good luck! I think this post is more about how the blogworld works than about tips… but maybe it’s the same.
@ Ashleigh: there’s definitely politics involved. Can you guess I dislike that aspect?
@ Tim: OMG, you’re funny. And absolutely brilliant at subtle self-promotion.
Chris responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 am →
Vered–
Great job on the linking part…LMAO
I’ve read all of these things before, my problem is that I have a fulltime job and I’m too lazy to network…Maybe if I hire someone to network my blog I’ll be ok. Hey that’s a great idea; a company that will network your blog…Hmmmm….
Any takers?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 2nd, 2008 at 3:22 pm →
@ Chris: not a bad idea, but would you actually PAY for it?
Ha. I thought so.
Shilpan | successsoul.com responds:
Posted: May 3rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm →
Vered,
As much I love blogging and writing from my heart, it seems that making money with blog is a pipe dream. I’d like to make lots of friends and network with bloggers of similar thinking than to grow my blog just the sake of showing xxxx readers. Just 2 cents from a newbie blogger.
Shilpan
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 pm →
@ Shilpan: Completely agree that the most important thing, even if it’s “just” the starting point, is decent content.
Ann responds:
Posted: May 5th, 2008 at 8:02 am →
As a new blogger, it’s always a thrill to see even one comment on my blog! I had no idea when I started what a complicated world blogging is, and I see now that for a blog to be “profitable” - however you define that - takes a lot of work, just like anything else. Even in cyberspace, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, right?
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 5th, 2008 at 10:13 am →
@ Ann: since it is already so saturated, I think it might take even more work than other ventures would take. Good luck.
Jenny responds:
Posted: May 6th, 2008 at 7:27 am →
Thanks for your visit to my site! I don’t know that I’d ever directly ask people to digg my posts - but the result is undeniably profitable for those who are willing to take that leap.
Hunter Nuttall responds:
Posted: May 6th, 2008 at 10:14 am →
Oh! Oh! I know who wrote that email! It was a fabulous post too, so I dugg it right away.
I’m not sure how I feel about asking for Digg luv. I don’t mind being asked for help, and I’m sure it’s effective, but I also don’t want to bug people who aren’t that into Digg, or bug the same people too often. I haven’t done much asking for diggs yet, but I figure that the more often someone asks me for help, the more often I can ask them for help.
MomGrind responds:
Posted: May 6th, 2008 at 10:53 am →
@ Jenny: I know what you mean. This is something that I still need to think about.
@ Hunter Nuttall: I could have written your comment! I completely agree. I don’t mind being asked (provided it’s not too often), but I’m not sure I would feel comfortable asking.