Sep 20
Connect With Your Readers (Part 1)
At the beginning when just developing our site’s look and feel, it’s hard to get a idea of what our readers like and don’t as far as posts go.
Now you could point to a lot of different factors that play into this dilemma but often the problem in those early months is the fact that we don’t have any connection with our readers.
And as bloggers, making connections is EXACTLY what we should be doing.
Why Should I Care About My Readers?
Sure it may sound like a stupid question, but in any event here’s the answer…Readers are what makes the blogosphere go round! If you want a successful site, you need to have a connection with as many as you can. When they feel a connection with you, they’ll keep coming back to your site just to see “how you are” and “what’s new with you”, even outside of caring about whatever topic you’re blogging about. (PLUS, how many of us can say that we have enough friends?)
Outside of the direct benefit for your blog, there are a plethora of other reasons to connect to your readers…It’s hard to say what they can be because they manifest themselves in so many different ways but here are a few great things that have happened to me:
- Blogs We Luv- Not too long ago I was asked to help contribute to this great young blog and it’s just fantastic because I feel like it’s really a unique project and I don’t think I would’ve gotten the invite if I hadn’t taken the time to get to know both Mike and Tish.
- Web Dev Tips - No matter if we’re talkin’ about AdSense, SEO, or any one of the traffic promising widgets in the middle…I’m forever in debt to readers of this site who not only comment on what I have to write, but also take the time to let me know ways I can improve on a bunch of things…From my CTR, to traffic and all the rest. Most of the stuff I’ve learned recently has probably helped me the most, and I got it from the connections I’ve made with people like Opal T and the Baron of Brown, Brown Brown.
- Mas Amigos - And finally, blogging connections have let me make friends with people I would never have had the chance to talk to otherwise. Take Pete for instance - We have a whole freakin’ ocean between us so NO CHANCE I would’ve ever gotten the chance to meet him. But next time I’m over there no doubt that I’m gonna try and drop in!
What’s Next?
Well of course it’s Making the Connections! But you’re gonna have to come back tomorrow to check out that part! (#):D
September 20th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Well said buddy . Readers are the heart and soul of a blog .
September 20th, 2007 at 10:38 am
@Madhur - Glad you feel the same way. And BTW, I don’t know if I ever took the time to say it, but your site is really looking nice these days. *nod*
September 20th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Aha a new series! Heh another future ebook. Looks like it’s going to be another good one too. Thanks for the mention there buddy.
September 20th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Oh no! I left a long comment, and I don’t think it went through. :(
September 20th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Quote from the “book of blog revelation” (episode one) :
- readers-commenters are often and mistakenly confused with the traffic. Two aspects : 1. On a regular website, traffic indicate number of visits but not number of visitors who really were intersted on website subject. 2. On a blog, depending on blogger choice, theme(s) and style, sooner or later number of visitors will cease to be different (or very close values) from the readers-commenters number.
- basically, the value of a blog is determined by the value and number of readers-commenters, not by visitors number. This value is yet very subjective, being influenced by 3 factors : content subject(s), from how long time the blog is active and blogger option to drag his blog on a certain direction
End of quote.
Thanks, Bush, mean the writer of above was right ..
:-)
September 20th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
@Brown - I appreciate the optimism but I think this one is going to be relatively short. (#):) But who knows, maybe once I get into the second part it’ll go longer! *shrugs*
@Tish - For some reason it got caught up in SPAM. I clicked the “Not Spam” checkmark and then I accidentily clicked the “Delete All Spam” button instead of the other one! ARGH!
But, I did get a chance to read the first couple of lines, and it was a very heartfelt message. So thank you very much, and obviously right back atchya!
@Valentin - You’re welcome, and good thoughts. (#):)
September 20th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
The ability to reach out and make friends with people all across the globe via blogging constantly staggers me.
If you write it..they will come!
September 20th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
It doesn’t hurt to be a good schmoozer like Bush either hehehe. What do you mean short? Think of the mountains of ebooks you’ll have after this one lol.
September 21st, 2007 at 1:24 am
Glad you got to see part of my comment, Bush! Did you see the part about your twin in Knoxville? hehe.
September 21st, 2007 at 7:22 am
@Pete - Tis true. (#):)
@Brown - Ha ha. Hopefully before the year is out I’ll get on the good foot with all this stuff and really start to put some stuff together to help the site out and the like. *nod*
@Tish - My twin in Knoxville? I do not know of this person you speak! I will say though that when Matrix came out, people constantly thought I was the actor who played Tank. Seriously. I was on the metro once, and I see these two people on the other side of the rail and one mouths to the other while gesturing at me, “Is that Tank from the Matrix?”
September 21st, 2007 at 8:43 am
I like this post and thanks for the mention. I really didn’t think I helped anyone with adsense. I used to have a love/hate relationship with it now it’s more of a hate/hate relationship. hee hee
Now and again I’ll send some of my commentors a personal email. It makes them seem more “real” to me and they seem to like it based on their response. :-)
I thought Tank was cute in a bad boy geeky way. You’re a lot hotter than Tank but yeah I can see a some resemblance.
September 21st, 2007 at 10:16 am
[...] Connect With Your Readers (Part 1) [...]
September 21st, 2007 at 5:49 pm
What’s up Tank, I am looking for Agent Smith! Seriously, I like this post a lot! very, very good! There is nothing more important!
September 21st, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Excellent post Bush. This series has a strong future. Oh yeah, and It’s been Stumbled! :)
Shine on,
Aaron
September 21st, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Bush, I can see a resemblance with the guy from the Matrix, but I must say that you’re much better looking! :)
September 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 pm
[...] Connect with your readers - Bush has begun a new series aimed at advice on how to connect with your blog readers and figure out what they like. Obviously your blog won’t be very successful if you don’t capture the interest of your readers consistently. [...]
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Wow. Really great tips. I’m trying to redo my blog/site and I am starting up a new one soon. I will definately take your tips into consideration when I get everything back up and running.
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:55 pm
@Opal T - Hate hate huh? Ha ha. AdSense definietely seems to be one of those things that takes a lot of work to um…get it to work.
And thanks for the compliment. (#);)
@Bobby - Hey I’m glad you liked it! Though I don’t think it’s a big surprise to anyone. I mean, I don’t know if ANYONE connects to their readers like you do. *nod*
@Aaron - Thanks a lot. And I mean a lot. I think your Stumble did a lot of good for it.
@Tish - Wow. I’m getting the love from the ladies today! You and Opal sure know how to make a guy feel good! (checks are in the mail…)
@Jenny - Welcome Jenny! And why are you redoing your site? Personally I LOVE your layout and header. It’s just FANtastic!