Every successful blogger knows that the key to having a great blog is having great readers. Your blog readers are so incredibly important because they determine whether a blog will grow and become popular, or fail to gain any traction. Luckily, there are many ways you can attract great readers to drive blog engagement! Here are 4 key steps you can take to increase engagement and get more interactions, and the best part is that they can all be done right now!
1. Reply to comments on your blog
Increasing engagement on your blog starts with the readers you’ve already acquired. There’s no point in trying to find new readers if they’re not going to return to your blog after the first visit. Engaging with your readers can often be as simple as responding to their comments on your posts. But to make the comments effective, there are a few things to keep in mind. People like to feel appreciated, so engaging with the comments of users sends the message that you acknowledge their contribution and welcome their interactions.
Reply comments can be as simple as thanking them for their input, asking follow up questions, or starting a relevant discussion. The goal is to make sure your readers know their interactions do not go unnoticed. Another way you can show your appreciation is by interacting with the blog posts of returning users. This will, once again, show readers that you appreciate their interactions and you want to maintain their readership. All of these quick items will really drive up your blog engagement.
2. Leave comments on other blogs in your niche
Leaving comments on other blogs can be very impactful when it comes to building readership and increasing engagement. Blogs in your niche likely attract lots of the same readers that you hope to attract, so posting comments on similar blogs will place your blog in front of the right audience. The key to making this step effective is posting only interesting and meaningful comments. Readers are much more likely to click on the profile of an account that posts something they find fascinating and significant than an account that posts comments with no relevance.
3. Feature more popular bloggers on your blog
In a similar fashion to the previous point, take advantage of the readership that other bloggers have already amassed. If readers enjoy reading blogs in a particular niche, it benefits both you and them to get them onto your page. A way to do this is by featuring more popular bloggers from your niche on your blog. The features don’t have to be too long or overwhelming, but getting their name and link on your page can serve the simple function of getting more relevant readers to your page. We also recommend aiming to get your blog featured, which will put you in front of more viewers!
4. Ask your readers what they think
The final step, and possibly the most important, is asking your readers for feedback. Asking them what they think about your blog and what they want to see more of can provide you with a strong understanding of what you can do to increase interactions and build blog engagement. Remember, the ultimate goal is to make your readers WANT to engage with your blog! Ask your readers what types of content they’re enjoying on your blog, and what types they’re not big fans of. This will give your readers the sense that they are just as much involved in the blog as you are and that their feedback is appreciated.
Driving up blog engagement
Engaging with your readers is such an important step in the process of increasing interactions with your blog. Taking these 4 steps will bring you one step closer to achieving your goal of increasing blog engagement!
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