Six@Six: Tips for Building a Loyal Blog Following

Today, every blogger seems to be after that one post that goes viral and exponentially expands future readership. But, more often than not, viral traffic dissipates as quickly as it is developed. When seeking improved blog analytics, it’s almost always better to emulate the tortoise; provide a steady stream of quality content – targeted at those most likely to engage it – and you’ll likely build the following needed to reach your organizational goals.

The trick is to grab the attention of those high frequency, “quality” readers – and there’s more to maintaining that kind of strong social media relationship than merely generating infrequent spikes in interest. As such, this week’s Six@Six offers tips for expanding a blog audience that keeps coming back for more. Do you have other suggestions? Share them with me @vasuki1204.

1. Leverage existing relationships.

Your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and even offline connections represent an important source of readership – especially for newly launched blogs. It’s an audience that is friendly, receptive, and presumably interested enough in what you have to say to consistently engage the conversation. Make sure they know what’s new on your blog with social media posts, email blasts, and RSS feeds that link to the content you’re sharing.

2. Don’t bait and switch.

Some blogs employ catchy, but misleading headlines to increase traffic. It’s not a good idea. This approach destroys credibility and diminishes the chances of attracting the repeat readers you’re looking for. “Headlines should be descriptive and tell readers what to expect,” says Chris Spagnuolo, founder and publisher of Guyism.com, an independent men’s lifestyle blog with more than 3.5 million monthly unique visitors. That’s not to say you shouldn’t be creative; just don’t go further than your content truly justifies.

3. Create niche interest.

While you always want to cast as wide a net as possible, quality readers return for the niche content they are passionate about and can’t find anywhere else. Right now, mainstream sites are losing readers while carefully targeted media sites continue to grow. Quality readers don’t turn to blogs for the same stories they’d hear from the traditional media. They are looking for the stories don’t always get a lot of attention and the analysis that only you can provide.

4. Forge relationships with guest bloggers.

Forging relationships with guest bloggers and inviting them to write for you will not only increase the fresh content on your blog (without a lot of effort on your part); it will also provide exposure to an audience that may not be familiar with your blog. Guest bloggers often point their followers to posts they’ve written. Likewise, high-authority bloggers posting on your own content on related blogs can also help you attract new audiences.

5. Be both relevant and consistent.

Write about what is on your readers’ minds. Giving people posts that are “breaking” in your niche will increase traffic and also boost your SEO rankings. Also, remain consistent with your posts. If your readers expect you to post at least once a day, publishing on a consistent schedule will help build loyalty. As your audience grows, increase your content frequency to give readers something to expect and work into their daily routine.

6. Don’t just distribute; engage.

Leverage social media to distribute your content, but don’t stop there. Make sure you are actively engaging with your readership across all channels. Chiming in a conversation or answering a question will build the relationship to convert the one-time reader to a loyal follower.