Congratulations
on your brand new blog! As veteran bloggers
we know how exciting this time is for you.
Jumping headlong into the blogosphere makes
you one of the hippest people on the planet
right now. Welcome to our world.
Undoubtedly you
have decided to blog well and to some extent
become quite successful at it. Although we
know success can be measured in a variety of
ways, there is an easy recipe for gaining
readers and becoming an influential mom
blogger. Here are a few tips that we know
really work.
1. Be
Enthusiastic
Stop blogging right now if you only started
a blog to become a part of the “in crowd”.
If you do not have a real desire to be a
blogger then you will burn out and fade away
real fast; we promise.
Blogging takes a
lot of work, creativity and dedication. Be
sure to consider these factors before you
write another post. Over the years, we have
found that with a great attitude and an open
mind you can accomplish pretty much anything
you want on your blog. If you want to blog
for a big time media site, then set that
goal and work towards it. If you want a
throng of people reading your blog each day,
then make sure you work towards that end.
Remember to approach your blog with a great
attitude and a willingness to be open to
endless possibilities because there are a
ton out there. Overall, have fun with your
blog, but don’t let it rule your life.
2. Stat Counters
Be Damned
Some new bloggers – and we’re speaking from
experience here --- tend to get caught up in
the never-ending nightmare of “blog
stat purgatory”. Believe us when we say –
It’s not a fun place to be!
We believe every
blogger needs statistics-grabbers on their
blogs, but we absolutely believe that you
should not obsess over the numbers,
otherwise you will go batty if you think
your numbers are not high enough, or if you
notice a sudden drop in your readership. We
are not saying don’t keep up with your
stats, we’re simply saying don’t obsess over
them. And, do not allow your stats to
dictate your mood. Again, have fun with
blogging, don’t let it toy with your
emotions.
That said, we do
recommend that you put stat technology on
your blog.
StatCounter and
SiteMeter
are great because they are efficient and
free.
3.
Comment Like a Mad Woman
If there is a blog, or blogs, out there that
you really enjoy reading, be sure to comment
profusely. Blogs are not stand-alone
entities. They do not properly function with
writers and readers with little to no
discourse. Bloggers love comments, so do not
be afraid to jump in on conversations or
offer your opinions, advice or suggestions
about certain blog posts or topics. If you
do not converse with other bloggers, they
will have no idea you even exist. So, go
read a few blogs and comment. Go on. Yeah,
right now. We’ll be here when you get back.
4. Consistency
Counts Have
you ever happened upon a blog where the most recent post is
about six months old? Not cool! You don’t want to be that
person. Make sure you set a schedule for your blogging and
stick to it. People like to read bloggers who they know aren’t going to disappear without a trace
or vanish
like a puff a smoke. Even if you blog only a few days per week, make sure you keep it up and make sure your posts
are excellent so casual readers or your regulars will
continue to come back.
There are a lot
of differing opinions out there about how often you should
blog. We recommend you post a new blog entry at least three
times per week, otherwise you probably will not retain
your readers’ loyalty. If you can blog more than three times per
week – great! By all means, do so.
5.
Pick an Angle, Stick With It The
best blogs out there are dedicated to a certain niche and
tightly stick to the script. Political blogs will never
venture out to give a review about a gourmet restaurant. And
education blogs won’t delve into blogging about new car
models.
Mom blogs are
unique because most moms throw in a hodgepodge of
information such as daily happenings, personal thoughts and
feelings about certain subjects, shopping, tech stuff, their
children, politics and social awareness and the list could
go on. By all means, you can definitely blog under the wide
genre of "mommy blogging". Simply make sure that your voice
and tactic are consistent and that your own personality
shines through your writing.
6. Get Involved It is
important to get your name out in the blog community as much
as possible. You can do this through commenting on others’
blogs, but you can also do this by getting involved on
social networks (HINT: the
Mom Bloggers Club), posting on
message boards, and joining blog carnivals.
All of these
tips will, over time, make you a better blogger. The more
you blog, the better you will become at implementing these
tips into your every day routine. Be sure to let us know if
these tips help you.
