7 Tips For A Better Blog

January 28, 2013 | By Adrienne Smith

Are we ever really satisfied with our blogs? Is your blog having the success you had hoped? Do you feel like there is still some missing pieces of this blogging puzzle you haven’t quite figured out yet?

People love blogging tips, especially those who want to continue to improve their blogs, the traffic and the interaction that may or may not be taking place.

I know I was a learning machine a few years ago still trying to figure this all out even though I had been blogging for almost two years. See, it’s never too late to learn.

What You Need In Place

There are way more then 7 tips I could share with you but for now I thought I’d just hit some really important highlights I think are really important.

Now I’m going to assume (and we all know what happens when we do that) that you have a blog, it’s self hosted, you have a paid theme, it’s pleasing to the eyes, you don’t have it loaded up with ads and you are building your list.

I’m not going to cover in detail all of these so if you don’t have any of this in place then I suggest you get that lined up immediately.

Okay, so you have all of that in place so let’s continue.

1. You write in your own voice:

Yep, you’ve now heard this hundreds of times so you know what this means. Heck I’ve written about it as well as my recent guest blogger, Carol, has written about it so no more excuses.

Are you writing in your own voice like you’re talking to a good friend? Are you being personable? Are you sharing your own experiences?

Remember, people relate to people and that’s exactly what you’re aiming for.

2. Make it easy for people to share your content:

I’ve harped on this point for years now. Google use to love backlinks… Use to, past tense. What do they want now? Content that people are talking about, content that is being shared, content that people are showing up and commenting on.

Why do you think they created Google+? Oh yeah, they are totally going the social route now so make it easy for them to share your posts. Put the social share buttons either to the side of your content or below your posts and don’t forget to set up your Twitter ID because if you don’t know who is sharing your content then how can you thank them. Man, I’ve harped on that point till I’m blue in the face.

3. Ask Questions:

Be sure to ask questions in your posts. As you’ll notice I sometimes will ask them throughout the post but I definitely will do that in my closing paragraphs. Why?

To get your readers to join in on the conversation. Now when I first started reading blogs I never commented because no one asked me to. So by asking questions and asking your readers to comment, some people need to hear that. For new bloggers who have yet to learn all of this they may not contribute for that one reason. I didn’t and I wouldn’t consider myself a dummy.

Ask your readers questions, ask them to leave their thoughts in the comments below and ask them to share this post with their friends. Don’t make it sound like you’re being robotic about that, be friendly. Remember, you’re talking to a good friend here so what would you tell them?

4. Ask for a phone number:

When you have created a unique gift to entice people to opt-in to your blog, ask for their phone number.

Now don’t give me the excuse that you don’t know what to say or you’re afraid to talk to people. Obviously you’re not interested in building a sustainable business if you’re afraid to talk to people.

Not too many people are doing this but here is the tip. Just call your new lead and introduce yourself. Tell them thank you for opting in and ask them if they need any assistance with anything. You’d love to help. If they say no then thank them again and let them know you’re there for them.

Most people are shocked that 1) you called them and 2) you’re willing to help them. Do not sell anything but yourself. Be that person they can count on and trust me, they’ll keep coming back for more.

Now I know you’re studying personal development so because of that you will not be attracting the clingy people so don’t even have the mindset that people will take advantage of you. If you are in that place then you need to go back to work.

5. Visit your readers blogs and comment and share:

Yep, every single person that comes to your blog go and visit theirs. Now not everyone is going to have content you can relate to or even understand but at least make that initial first visit.

For over a year I would visit every single persons blog that visited mine and I would comment on their posts whether I found it interesting or not.

The more comments I get the less time I have so for those few blogs that share something I either can’t relate to or am just not interested in, I’ll no longer visit them. Luckily for me, the majority of my readers have content I enjoy.

This will help you stand out because they’ll appreciate you stopping by. Let them know you wanted to come by and show your support and that will help you stand out as well.

6. Always share other people’s content:

When you visit their blogs, be sure to share their content. Now you don’t have to share it on all the sites you’re a part of because hopefully you know what your friends and followers would like to see.

For instance if you are posting everyone’s content to your Facebook profile then the majority of them probably aren’t even seeing them. Twitter is the same way so be sure you know when your followers are online so at least you’ll have a much better chance of them actually eyeballing it instead of it being ignored.

Share it because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. If that’s the case then you are visiting the right blogs so make those connections with the people you admire, want to build relationships with and want to share their awesome content.

7. Be consistent:

Okay, I put this one last but it’s really the most important. Most people aren’t having success because they aren’t being consistent.

Follow a regular posting schedule, visit so many blogs and comment each day, share their content and be consistent in your actions. If you take the right steps every single day you will get results. It takes time because nothing happens overnight and it won’t happen next week.

The reason most people quit so soon is because they aren’t getting the results they “think” they should. It took me four months before I started seeing steady comments coming in. Four months! Had I given up before that I would still be at the same place I was when I started. No interaction, no traffic and no results.

Don’t be that person, stick with it. Trust me, you will start seeing some results if you start following these 7 tips to have a better blog.

I Want To Hear From You

See, here I go asking you those questions.

Are you following what I’ve shared and if so will you be so kind to share your results in the comment section? People want to know that this works and I know for several of my readers they are getting the results from doing just what I mentioned.

If you aren’t yet getting the results, which of these areas are you not doing? Maybe we can all help you in your efforts to make this your best blogging year yet.

I’m anxious to hear from you so don’t be bashful. And don’t forget to share this post with your friends. They’ll thank you for it later!

Rock on my wonderful friends.

Business Developer
Skype: missadriennesmith
Email: Adrienne@AdrienneSmith.net

{ 171 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Chrysta Bairre Twitter: livelovework January 28, 2013 at 8:12 AM

As always, great tips, Adrienne!

I’m following most of these- at least as much as I can with my current schedule. I have seen results from these tips, though I must say that post-surgery I was posting regularly but not doing much else for a while and my readership continued to grow. When I ask myself why my blog continued to grow when I wasn’t giving it my all I think the answer lies in the content.

I’m not spending hours upon hours writing because I just don’t have the time, but I write about topics I’m personally passionate about and that comes through in the writing even if I don’t have a lot of time for writing. This goes along with writing in your voice but it’s a step further- I care about what I write about and I like to think that is clear to my readers. So I’d say, write with passion, is another tip.

Have a grateful day!

Chrysta
Chrysta Bairre recently posted..6 Things Not To Say In The Workplace

2 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:20 AM

Good morning Chrysta,

Thank you and as we both know, there are many many more.

I know that before your surgery things were going well. You do write great content Chrysta but you’ve also built up some great friendships too. I have a feeling that once you were out of pocket they kept coming back by because they appreciate you and what you share. I agree though that when you put more of you into your posts people can relate to them so much better too and they are just more enjoyable to read in my opinion.

I have to agree with you on that one. When you enjoy the topics you want to share with others then the words seem to flow so much better. Like in my instance, I’m not necessarily passionate about everything I write about but when my enjoyment stems is knowing I’m helping someone. So I feel the topics I write about are important to people which is what makes them so enjoyable.

So glad you are doing well Chrysta and thank you so much for sharing this with me. I really appreciate that.

Have a great week.

~Adrienne

3 Dhruv Twitter: dhruvbhagat2 January 29, 2013 at 5:07 AM

Hi Adrienne Smith,

Yeah, promoting other people blog post is really effective.. One can also build relationship with some bloggers by taking interviews. This is a great way done by many bloggers to gain high traffic and these things go viral every single time..

Thanks!
Dhruv recently posted..5 Things To Know While Writing A Killer Blog Post

4 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:35 AM: Hi Dhruv,

There are a lot of ways to build relationships with other bloggers. Interviews are a great way to provide good content in a post so that’s never a bad thing. I wouldn’t say that interviews go viral, it depends on the person, the content and how many people enjoy it.

Appreciate your comment, enjoy your day.

~Adrienne

Reply

5 Lisa Twitter: lisapatb January 28, 2013 at 8:16 AM

Adrienne, I never would have thought to ask for a phone number for my blog. I’ve experienced people providing bogus emails on their retail orders and some leaving phone numbers blank.Do you have many that do give their number? You always have something different to offer Adrienne. I’m still amazed at blogs that do not have their button with Twitter set up, drives me nuts Sounds like you had a nice weekend, love to see a photo!
Lisa recently posted..How Do Blog Comments Help Your Blog’s SEO?

6 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:26 AM: Hey Lisa,

Asking for a phone number is that personal touch. Does everyone leave one? Absolutely not.. Do the ones that do leave the correct number? Not always but I get about 50/50 on leaving the phone number. I’ll tell you this though, the ones that pick up the phone when I call are pleasantly surprised and shocked that all I’m doing is introducing myself and offering them my assistance. They come around and will call again or email me with questions and things and I’ve got some awesome friends from this too Lisa.

When people are building a business online for some reason the personal touch has gone out the window. With the thought that they don’t actually have to talk to anyone is bull. Sure, it’s possible to build up that relationship with your readers, prospects and customers behind the scenes but how far do you think it would go if you reached out to them in that way? Oh yeah, it works.

I did have a very nice weekend and the photos turned out great. I haven’t decided whether or not I want to post them online which is the only reason I haven’t shared them yet. But, I’ll share them some way so stay tuned.

Thanks Lisa and enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

7 Steve Borek Twitter: steveborek January 28, 2013 at 8:16 AM

Adrienne, the day you contacted me I was blown away.

You’ve go to do something that everyone else is not doing…It’s a Blue Ocean strategy. Read the book to learn more.

Differentiate and you’ll create a loyal fan base.
Steve Borek recently posted..How Do I Create Loyal Customers?

8 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:52 AM

Hey Steve!

See, and I didn’t want anything but to introduce myself and chat. No one is doing that and I know that for a lot of people they’re just scared that they won’t know what to say or that they can’t help them if they need it. You can always let them know that you’ll find the answer to their question and call them back. They’ll love you for it.

Absolutely Steve and not too many people are doing this. The ones that area are just selling which is why they aren’t having any luck at all.

Thank you for sharing this, I appreciate that.

Enjoy your day now.

~Adrienne

9 James M. January 29, 2013 at 9:13 PM

Oh my God, she does indeed ask numbers and really call? First time I’ve heard of such a thing. And I’m glad a subscriber who actually received a call commented here. Otherwise, I’d never have believed that this can be actually done. Here’s one (Adrienne) who actually talks the talk, and walks the walk.

I devoured this post as I really feel like a newbie having just started out again after a 2-year hiatus from blogging. I’d naturally be applying these tips though there’d be some that would take time. Thanks Adrienne.

P.S. Just can’t help it, I’ve got to say ‘you’re one of a kind’.
James M. recently posted..WP Dashboard Crawling So Slow – Solved

10 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 9:44 AM: Oh yeah James, I definitely pick up the phone and call. Like Steve said, he was very surprised and my subscribers email me with questions or call me when they need me. Why? Because I meant it when I said I’m here to help them.

Everything takes time to see results James but they do work. The magic ingredient is being consistent in your actions. You can’t just do these things a couple times or a couple of weeks and expect fabulous results. It takes time but just think that if it took you four months to get good results and they kept getting better and better from that moment on because you were consistent, isn’t that worth it?

Welcome back to blogging and I hope you stick with it this time. It’s an awesome community.

Thank you James, I appreciate that and your comment. Yep, I am definitely one of a kind.

~Adrienne

Reply

11 sapna Twitter: h4hitech January 28, 2013 at 8:23 AM

HI Adrienne,

You have shared the gems of blogging with everyone today and I think I need to consistent with all you have said. I was not doing the #6 on regular basis, I think at times I overlook that but I’m starting that with your post now and it will surely going to remain in memory for years to come now.

As of now I have not started working on list so #4 I have noted for my future reference. You have been a true source of inspiration for everyone around.

Thanks for sharing these gems.

Have a nice week.

Sapna
sapna recently posted..Naive Blogger Meets a Minister to help Blogging Community – An Infographic

12 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:14 AM: Hi Sapna,

None of your efforts will pay off if you aren’t consistent. That is one of the biggest lessons I learned while here online. You can’t just write a post, visit a few people a few time a week and expect to get great results. Even if you just do a little each day, just be consistent in your actions and it will make a big difference.

I know that you living in a different country may cramp #4 at times but as I had mentioned to Pauline, perhaps you can ask for a Skype address and let them know you’d like to connect with them. You’re available to help.

My pleasure Sapna and I hope you’re doing well. Have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

13 Pauline Twitter: PaulineBennett2 January 28, 2013 at 8:23 AM

Hi Adrienne
I am following all of your tips except for #4, I had not even thought to ask for a phone number or that they would give it, I may have a problem with that, as you know I live in Greece and many of my readers are from the US like yourself, so the time difference would make it difficult to call any one. I can see the reason you included this in your tips and I could make it work with others in the UK or the rest of Europe so it is something to think about
I know I still need to work on my writing and make my posts more personal with my “voice” but I am getting there lol
Since I have started visiting more and more blogs and leaving comments I have seen a nice increase of traffic and I am connecting with some great people!
Thanks for another great post, have a wonderful week Adrienne.
Pauline
Pauline recently posted..Why You Need An Autoresponder To Help Build A List

14 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:40 AM

Hi Pauline,

I know you live in Greece so maybe you could ask for a Skype ID or in your opening email to them ask if you two could connect via Skype and you’ll answer any question that they may have. You want to assist them in any way you can. There are some ways around that why you live in a different country and perhaps don’t have international calling.

Your posts are getting better and better Pauline. I can see a big difference since when you first started. You use to write just like me.

See, some people say that blog commenting is a waste of time but you’ve made some great connections and it’s increased your traffic. It’s a win/win for everyone when done for the right reasons.

You are most welcome and you have an awesome week too! Make it a great one!

~Adrienne

15 Pauline Twitter: PaulineBennett2 January 28, 2013 at 9:12 AM

Hi Adrienne
Thanks for reminding me that I could ask for a Skype ID, I do have a problem with International calls there is no cheap deals here, I use Skype all the time for friends back in the UK instead of calling so why not for business too.
Great idea, once again you think of everything
Thanks for you kind words regarding my posts, I appreciate it and yes I love blog commenting and it IS a win/win situation…
Pauline
Pauline recently posted..Why You Need An Autoresponder To Help Build A List

16 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:32 AM: Hey Pauline,

Since we all connect online most of the time anyway I don’t see why you can’t ask them for that. Or maybe in your follow up email ask them for their Skype ID and tell them you’d love to connect with them. You can always do a video chat which is really better then talking on the phone because you can see each other.

You are very welcome and you are doing such a great job with your posts. I love blogging too!

Reply

17 RobG Twitter: robgoss January 28, 2013 at 8:25 AM

Hello Ardienne great post, there’s so much to learn it’s always good to have great tips such as these.
I think most of us start out not really understanding what we need to do to advance our selfs.

But if you really understand what your reader are hoping to find in your content you well then be able to provide them with important information such as this.

As always your post are so helpful.
RobG recently posted..Increase Blog Comments, Gain More Traffic, Use The CommentLuv Plug-in

18 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:42 AM: Hey Rob,

Thank you and I do love to share some great tips that I think will be helpful.

You are right Rob and I would hope that everyone has not only found their own voice but is able to help their readers from the content that they share. Tips are always helpful.

Thank you again and you have a wonderful week.

~Adrienne

Reply

19 Timo Kiander Twitter: productivesd January 28, 2013 at 8:29 AM

Hi Adrienne!

I think that these are solid strategies – especially the tip #4.

Than you for sharing them – I have some homework to do

Cheers,
Timo
Timo Kiander recently posted..PSD Podcast [PSDP 001]: “25 Tips for Productivity” with Augusto Pinaud

20 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:43 AM: Good morning Timo!

Thank you and glad you found them helpful, especially tip #4.

You have an awesome week and have fun.

~Adrienne

Reply

21 Sylviane Nuccio Twitter: SylvianeNuccio January 28, 2013 at 8:36 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Well, even though such tips should be common sense for anyone calling himself or herself a blogger, we know that still too many people need to be reminded of this, don’t we?

You and me have belonged to Google+ hangout groups where the very purpose was to syndicate each other’s blog posts and more than half of those people were not even sharing it at all. What’s wrong we you people? Thank you for letting me vent this one out here, Adrienne

I love that you’re talking about phone number. Now, I know tons of affiliate marketers that would NEVER give their phone number. I even know a very popular affiliate marketer woman who refuses to give any type of direct connection such as a phone number even when asked. I know that for A FACT! It’s like I want to help you as long as you benefit me in some way, but don’t you bug me trying to call me.

Thank you for those great reminders, Adrienne.
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..How Much Impact Do Your Words Have On Your Children?

22 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:18 AM: Hey Sylviane, good morning!

I would agree with you but #1, there are a lot of people that have no common sense and #2, there are so many new bloggers that aren’t getting the proper support.

I hear you on that one Sylviane because it confuses me to no end why people would sign up for a group for the sole purpose of sharing their content and others only to not do anything at all. If you don’t have time for it then don’t expect to get anywhere.

I know why a lot of people are leery to give out their phone numbers because most people take advantage of them. Shame on them in the first place for using underhanded methods in this way. But as I mentioned in my post Sylviane, if you have the right mindset then you’ll be attracting the right people so what’s the problem!

You are most welcome and you have a fabulous day and week.

~Adrienne

Reply

23 Denise Twitter: denisedesigns January 28, 2013 at 8:39 AM

Simple and practical suggestions. Consistency has been my challenge, but I’ve gotten better. I had been publishing regularly but not on a certain day, I think I will start choosing a certain day now.

The phone number suggestion is unique and I like it. What better way to be sincere about your efforts on building relationships than reaching out with a phone call?

Great advice as always, Adrienne
Denise recently posted..Interview With Graphic Designer – Aaron Wood

24 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:21 AM: Yes they are Denise, simple and practical suggestions.

Consistency seems to be everyone’s weakness but it will definitely be your downfall. You can’t do things halfway and still expect to get good results. If it worked that way everyone would be doing it. I’ve got faith in you girl.

Absolutely Denise and although not everyone will give it to you, you’ll be amazed at the number of people who will. Especially if they’re come across you online as caring, sincere and genuine. It’s a no brainer.

Thank you Denise, I appreciate that and I appreciate your comment.

Have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

25 Dee Ann Rice Twitter: deeannrice January 28, 2013 at 8:40 AM

Adrienne,

Great list of tips to follow for blogging.

I really think the most important one though is your last on. You can do everything else and if you are not consistent then the rest is not going to work.

I think that is where I fall down most of the time. I need to be more consistent.

I always say to my self if my life would just start behaving itself then it might be easier. We all have a life though and we just have to learn to work around it. Being consistent means we have to make the list of what we are going to do each day fit with our life. That way we can do it and be consistent.

Thanks for a great post.

Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted..Ways To Stay On Track For The New Year

26 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:24 AM: Hi Dee Ann,

Thank you and I know you’re aware of them all.

You are right, you can’t do anything halfway and expect great results. I know in your case you’re ready for life to behave itself so you can get back to the swing of things. Life will get in the way at time, it can’t be helped.

Thank you for sharing this with us Dee Ann and I hope you have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

27 Annie André Twitter: annieandrehacks January 28, 2013 at 9:11 AM

Adrienne,
These are all great rule to better blogging. The pone number thing has me stumped. I’m asking myself would people actually fill in their phone number or would they avoid signing up because of the phone number field. Hmmm..

For me the one that i still struggle with is talking in your own voice. I’m constantly working on this but with practice it becomes easier and easier. There is just so much to learn and do as a blogger and online business person.
Annie André recently posted..How To Travel Indefinitely: The Barnes Family Quest To Travel With 3 Kids

28 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:30 AM: Hi Annie,

They don’t have to put their phone number Annie unless you put that on the form. I get about 50/50 that give it to me and that’s okay. I just send them a personal message letting them know I’d love to connect on Skype. It’s not a requirement.

You are doing a wonderful job and I know for those that came from a corporate background it’s harder to do. I love the things you share in your posts and I can hear you talking to me too! See, that’s what I love.

Thanks for sharing this Annie and have yourself a fabulous week.

~Adrienne

Reply

29 Carol Lynn Twitter: carollynnrivera January 28, 2013 at 9:21 AM

Perfect tips as usual, Adrienne! There must be a lot of new bloggers out there because I’m surprised by how many people completely miss the most basic stuff. One thing I see a lot of, even from seasoned bloggers, is that they don’t add their Twitter handle to their share buttons. So when I go to tweet their post, it doesn’t mention them. To me that’s just silly – why would you not want to have your name in there? Then if I’m really motivated I try to find out what their Twitter handle is so I can add it, but that’s a pain so a lot of times I don’t bother.

Sharing other people’s content is another biggie because you get to know people that way, they appreciate that you share and they are more likely to reciprocate. Plus it helps you share more content and not be so self-promotional all the time. In fact, I rarely share my own content. Once per day I send out a tweet or a LinkedIn update for new posts but that’s it. I leave that up to everyone else.

So far so good! I want every blogger everywhere to glue these tips to their foreheads
Carol Lynn recently posted..Improve Your Website SEO With Social Media

30 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:37 AM: Why thank you Miss Carol!

People are coming online every single day still Carol! There are so many new people but then again, I know some people who have been online for years now but either haven’t created a blog yet or they have but haven’t done much with it. They never took the time to learn these things.

That surprises me too Carol and is a big pet peeve of mine. Especially for those bloggers like you said who are seasoned. I can’t believe that they let that one slide. I use to go and hunt their Twitter ID’s down but no more. I won’t tweet their posts if their ID isn’t there. Who has time for that!

I do the same, with a new post I’ll share it once and that’s it. Since I only post twice a week it’s not overwhelming. You definitely want others to share your stuff anyway but they’ll only do that if they notice you’re sharing theirs. Girl, it’s a win/win situation.

Thanks Carol and if we could only get them to do that. Awesome!

~Adrienne

Reply

31 Koundeenya Twitter: Koundeenya January 28, 2013 at 9:25 AM

Hello Adrienne,

I do believe in the #1 point- Writing in an own, unique style always attracts readers and makes them come back often. And, moreover, what I’ve learned after starting reading your blog is, when we comment and read our readers’ blogs, it soon creates a bond between us.

A relationship always helps us in creating a network, which is so important for a successful blog. Thanks for sharing such awesome content every time.

Regards
Koundeenya recently posted..10 Effective Tips For Productive Writing I clicked the google button when I commented

32 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:39 AM: Hey Koundeenya,

I’m so happy that you are creating awesome content and sharing your own experiences as you go along. You’re right, learning from these bloggers and making those connections is the way you can continue to move up in this industry. They’ll share your great stuff and you’ll share theirs.

Relationships are the key Koundeenya and we get to meet some really awesome people don’t we!

Thank you for sharing this and you have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

33 Claude Nougat Twitter: claudenougat January 28, 2013 at 9:34 AM

Great advice as always, Google+ and tweeted it! I would never have thought of the telephone bit living in Italy as I do (and most of my readers are in America). Skype is of course an answer, as a Google call too (they’re free) but there is one hurdle: time zone differences! I assure you that’s not simple to overcome because our daily routines just don’t overlap…

Still, I take your point, it’s worth a try…
Claude Nougat recently posted..Boomer Lit is Live on Facebook!

34 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:58 AM: Hi Claude,

Thank you for sharing it and I responded to your tweet!

I know that the time zones can be a bit of an issue. I have several friends that live in different countries and a lot of subscribers too. I do let them know we can chat via Skype so it’s scheduling a time that’s convenient for both but it can be done. It’s not a total lost cause.

Thank you Claude for sharing that, I appreciate it.

~Adrienne

Reply

35 Carolyn Twitter: wonderoftech January 28, 2013 at 9:40 AM

Hi Adrienne, This is a great primer for bloggers to follow. I agree with you on all of them, especially including your Twitter ID on your social sharing plugin. I arrive at blogs ready to share but without the Twitter ID, then my Twitter followers won’t know where the content comes from and the author won’t know I shared their article.

Lose/lose.

Thanks for these helpful blogging tips, Adrienne!
Carolyn recently posted..How to Use iBooks to Enrich Your Ebook Library

36 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 9:50 AM

Hi Carolyn,

You know that is a huge pet peeve of mine Carolyn and I wish everyone would double check that when installing their social sharing buttons because for the reason you shared, it’s a lose/lose.

I appreciate your comment and you have a wonderful week.

~Adrienne

37 Carolyn Twitter: wonderoftech January 28, 2013 at 10:51 AM

Thanks, Adrienne. I just left here and visited a blog of a very experienced blogger who was committing that “sin”. I swear, some people act as if they have to pay for the privilege of adding their Twitter ID to their sharing buttons!

I just don’t get it.

I’m so glad you’re preaching this until you’re blue in the face. Keep up the great work, Adrienne!
Carolyn recently posted..Cool Currency Apps for the Blind and Visually Impaired

38 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:56 AM: What are they thinking Carolyn! I even let them know in my comments that it’s not connected but they still don’t do anything about it. Their loss though because I just won’t share their content.

You know me, I’ll continue preaching on this one until everyone finally understands it’s importance.

Thanks for sharing that.

~Adrienne

Reply

39 Atish Twitter: techtricksworld January 28, 2013 at 9:53 AM

Consistency plays an important role everywhere not only in blogging alone. It works everywhere in our life. Great points Adrienne as usual .

Asking questions and sharing fellow bloggers’ content with your circle always helps you build good relationships. Haven’t tried about asking phone number. This one seems a little new to me. Thanks Adrienne.
Atish recently posted..Can the Cloud Be As Secure As Traditional Storage Solutions?

40 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:01 AM: You are absolutely right Atish, consistency needs to be applied to pretty much everything. I know you know the point I was trying to make there though with blogging. I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of people not have a lot of success due to this one thing.

Ah, we do love building those relationships don’t we! Just think how it would be if you could chat with all your blogging friends either on the phone or through a service like Skype. It sure would bring you closer/

Thank you Atish for sharing this. Hope you enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

41 Enstine Muki Twitter: enstinemuki January 28, 2013 at 10:02 AM

These are solid points Adrienne. I have been keeping to these points (except point 4) and I tell you this helps build relationships and fast. I do always visit my commentators’ blogs and leave comments (Where relevant). This is powerful in hooking you up with others. That’s what I noticed with you when I started reading your blog and I said to myself surely this lady has a secret

Thanks for also providing actionable tips
Enstine Muki recently posted..What is your blog? I want to visit it, comment and share your articles!

42 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:10 AM

Thank you Enstine and I’ve watched your blog come to life my friend! Don’t you love it! The relationships you’re building with your readers is priceless.

Making that personal connection to me is an important one although most people aren’t doing this. As long as we learn and continue to grow then that’s all we can ask for.

Ah, I don’t keep secrets Enstine. I share them all!

Thank you and enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

43 Enstine Muki Twitter: enstinemuki January 28, 2013 at 10:29 AM

“…I don’t keep secrets Enstine…”
That’s what I found out on this blog. You share everything with your readers
Enstine Muki recently posted..Giveaway! $75 Paypal Hot Cash! Enter To Win!

44 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:33 AM: Most definitely my friend, I’m an open book. Just ask and you shall receive!

Reply

45 Atish Twitter: techtricksworld January 28, 2013 at 10:03 AM

Yes right. I would like to talk to u on skype someday when you are free or on weekends. you are one of my favorite blogger.
Atish recently posted..Can the Cloud Be As Secure As Traditional Storage Solutions?

46 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:13 AM: We’ll definitely have to connect Atish! Love to chat with you.

Reply

47 Mayura Twitter: MayuraDeSilva January 28, 2013 at 10:37 AM

Hi Adrienne,

You know when I through your list I feel how far we have come in this blogging journey Gladly I’m in the safe zone when I consider your tips right now. Mmm… Telephone numbers? Never given a thought on that though as I’ve not started with a list on my blog either dear.

I’ve seen the Twitter mystery on some blogs lately too and though I appended their usernames at first, now I don’t do it and share as it is.

When it comes to sharing now I know on what platforms people much prefer to get updates on certain topics. So I’m sharing different posts on different platforms and Twitter is the all rounder for me. Well, we don’t wanna flood with updates either, right Adrienne?

I was batteling with the consistency throughout this month as I was having most of my time offline and wrote my posts in advance in last year. Ha… I’m glad I did and that’s really important fact to remember and follow always Adrienne.

Hope more blogging buddies will take these tips and improve their blogging experience

Cheers…
Mayura recently posted..Do You Call Yourself a "Blogger"?

48 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:47 AM: Hi Mayura,

As you’re aware, my blogging tips mainly do veer toward those who are building a business online. For those people all of the things I mentioned should be in place first including building a list. Although I do have people such as yourself who visit my blog and aren’t building a business, you can see why that was included.

The Twitter ID continues to remain a mystery for me too! Obviously those people don’t quite fully understand the importance of having all of that in place. I use to add their ID too but who has the time to go hunt that down. It surprises me that a lot of people don’t even have their Twitter ID easily available on their blog for us to even find it. Yikes!!!

I know you’ve got all of this down as well Mayura. Thank you for sharing this and I only wish I could write my posts that far in advance. I do write some but not nearly enough.

Thank you and have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

49 Barry Overstreet Twitter: b_overstreet32 January 28, 2013 at 10:37 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Great post! I love the tips that you gave. I especially like #7. I actually just wrote a blog post this morning on this very same topic. It must be that whole great minds thing….

I also found motivation in the fact that it took you four months or so to really start seeing some results from your new process. Four months doesn’t seem like very long in a lot of circles, but it can be an eternity online when you’re not “seeing” the results you want.

But, another important thing that people really miss the mark on is the concept of that which is built quickly can be destroyed quickly. That which is built slowly (using the right principles) will take much longer to topple.

Going back to my comments on your last post and how your web problems probably didn’t have much affect at all on your readership. You built this up slowly, consistently, and the right way. From there you’ve kept building and reinforcing that foundation to the point that now, it would take a major catastrophe or total disappearance for an extended time before your business would really suffer.

I think the biggest reason why people give up and quit so early is because we’ve developed a culture of instant gratification. Everybody wants their results yesterday. I get caught up in this, too, and I have to fight my reaction to say something isn’t working because it’s really only not working fast enough for me.

We hear so many stories online about how people “exploded” their income and we think they’ve found some “magic bullet” to make them an instant success. What people don’t realize is that behind that “magic bullet” is a ton of time invested in learning and growing their skills in order to be in a position to capitalize on the moment when they found that “magic bullet”.

We can’t replace the time and learning process no matter how hard we try. If we do, regardless of how successful we become, we’ve built a house on a straw foundation because we haven’t developed the necessary skills to keep our business rolling or even to generate new business if it starts to fall off.

Whew! That was a small novel.

Anyways, I hope you have an outstanding week!

~Barry
Barry Overstreet recently posted..Consistency Is Important To Build Momentum

50 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 10:54 AM: Hey Barry,

Glad you enjoyed these tips and I’m also glad you wrote a post around this. You are right, it deserves that kind of attention.

I know what you mean but I knew that it would work if I was consistent in my efforts but I’ve remained consistent in my efforts long after that time was up which is why I still have all this interaction going on.

You are right about that Barry because I had so many people contacting me letting me know I had issues with my blog. They were so concerned because that was out of the norm. Because I’ve taken that time to slowly build up this following I think it would take a lot to bring it all down. Let’s hope that never happens.

We do live in an instant gratification society I’m afraid Barry and because of a lot of the misrepresentation we’ve received online leads people to believe they can have overnight results. Unless you learn what’s involved and have the patience to watch it grow you might as well go find something else to do. You’ll only be wasting your time.

I hate those marketing ploys of exploding their business. Oh sure, their time finally came and perhaps everything that was leading up to that time only took minutes to get fabulous results. You’re right, they somehow forget to share with them that it took years to get to that point before their income generating techniques finally kicked into gear.

I appreciate your small novel here Barry. Thank you for sharing that and I’ll be by later to check out your post. I have no doubt it’s a good one. Worth sharing I know!

Thank you and enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

51 Jennifer Kennedy Twitter: TheVideoMojo January 28, 2013 at 11:39 AM

I haven’t been consistent with visiting blogs of my commenters. When I do, I’ll make a quick comment about the content and if not the content about something that struck me from their about me page. In that way, I am trying to establish a connection.

I need to get back into the habit of doing this though.

I’m at a point right now where I’m trying to be consistent with my posting. I had fallen off that wagon at the end of last year. I felt like I was doing too much. So, I’m trying to begin slowly first with building a routine and then incorporating strategies such as sharing and posting.
Jennifer Kennedy recently posted..Why You Need Video + 3 Steps to Getting Started

52 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 11:47 AM: Consistency is the key here Jennifer. Let them know you appreciate them coming by. Visit their blogs and give them the support they’ve given you. Make sure you take the time to read the post and don’t leave short comments. People can see right through those that you don’t have a lot to share.

You definitely need to schedule a routine of what action steps need to be taken every single day. If you can only post once a week then do that. Don’t beat yourself up and wear yourself out either. You’ll get back in a routine of doing things. I have all the faith in the world in you girl.

Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate that.

~Adrienne

Reply

53 Sue Neal Twitter: write_clever January 28, 2013 at 12:30 PM

Hi Adrienne,

Fantastic advice – and I can testify to the effectiveness of your tips – I’m convinced that posting regularly, commenting on other people’s blogs and sharing their content are all making a huge difference to my own blog – it’s all about give and take and building relationships.

I’m especially grateful to you for your tip about asking for a phone number or Skype address – that would never have occurred to me, but it’s a great idea. I’ll certainly bear it in mind when I finally start building my list. I must admit, I’m behind with that (still creating my give-away) partly because of the amount of time it’s taking me to keep up with all the other stuff, but I’ll get there in the end.

Thanks, Adrienne – really helpful stuff,

Sue
Sue Neal recently posted..Writing Tips: 10 Ways to Avoid Editing as You Write

54 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Hey Sue,

See, it does work and I appreciate you sharing that because I want others to know that it doesn’t just work for me.

I know that building a list is important but if you rush into it without giving it the attention it deserves then you’re really defeating the purpose. I can’t tell you how many lists I created only to ignore them and then lose those people altogether. You’re doing the smart thing. Taking your time to create your opt-in and then you can give them the attention they deserve.

You are most welcome and thank you for sharing this with us.

~Adrienne

55 Sue Neal Twitter: write_clever January 28, 2013 at 4:01 PM

Can’t tell you how grateful I am for that reply, Adrienne, because I’ve felt under pressure from some people to get my list started and, having made a real mess of it once before, I want to do it right this time.

I’m so pressed for time at the moment, while I’m still working, that it’s really tough keeping all the balls in the air. I have to keep telling myself I’m not in a race, so your comment’s really encouraging – thank you so much!

Sue
Sue Neal recently posted..Writing Tips: How to Turn Your Draft into a Masterpiece

56 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 5:06 PM: I know that building a list is important but if you’re going to be rushed about it then why bother. Take your time and get it right the first time because those people who visit you often will want what you have to share.

Hang in there Sue and don’t let anyone pressure you!

Reply

57 Colleen Kelly Twitter: ColleenFKelly January 28, 2013 at 12:35 PM

Hey Adrienne!
I like your tips because everyone is true. After I read your post I went back and went over what I AM doing and what I’m lagging in. I need to be better at 3, 4 and 5. Actually I think we can be better at everything!!. haha I don’t like to put limitations on myself for anything. I am writing these down, (printer is lagging lol) (broke) and I am going over them again. I want to have them in front of me as I blog.
Thanks!.
I think you Rock Adrienne! You are always trying to help everyone!.
Just thought I would say that C’ya

58 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 12:47 PM: Hey Colleen,

I see you created another blog so are you letting the other one go? I also know you aren’t here for business building purposes so some of what I shared won’t particularly pertain to you. But if you’re eager to give your blog the attention it deserves then the rest you should definitely learn to do on a consistent basis. It will definitely help you overall and as I’ve told you many times before, you have your own personal experiences that I believe could help a lot of people.

Thank you Colleen and you rock too girl!

~Adrienne

Reply

59 Mary Stephenson Twitter: maryjstephenson January 28, 2013 at 12:40 PM

Hi Adrienne

Absolutely correct. I am getting visitors and really appreciate what you have taught us. I think your audience have taken the time to learn what it takes. Not so on other places I have attempted to get noticed.

Consistence is definitely key to any success. I am concentrating on where the impact is and because of this my ranking is dropping down in numbers, much to my delight.

Content…well I have stepped that up and putting down some serious tracks on the education level. It is taking time and will probably take me over a year but with it, I feel I have so much more to offer. Where it will eventually take me, I am not sure. But if I just only talk about it, nothing will ever transpire. For 3 months once I found out what I wanted to learn, all I did was ponder the idea. On 12/31/2012 I started to actually do something about it. So far so good and so much I have learned.

Thanks for all the on going information and the “putting a little fire” under us to help us step up to the plate and take action.

Mary
Mary Stephenson recently posted..Why Are We So Complicated?

60 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 12:53 PM: Hey Mary,

I have seen the comments on your posts Mary and I’m so glad people are showing up. I love the stories you share, the experiences you’ve shared with us.

Consistency is key and you’re right, you need to check to see what’s working for you and from which sites you’re getting the most traffic. Hone in on those the most and keep building those relationships so you’ll continue to get more traffic.

I’m glad you got the fire under you and you started learning and then jumping in and applying what you learned. The doing part is what will get you there faster, not the learning. I use to think I had to know everything before I actually too action but then I realized I learn so much better just doing it.

Thanks for sharing this with us Mary.

~Adrienne

Reply

61 Sonia Twitter: LogAllot January 28, 2013 at 12:51 PM

Right on girl! I think the best lesson I have learned with making my blog better is just being genuine. I can’t be anyone else but me. Sure, I have been vacant as of late from my blog for personal reasons, but I am back with a better focus and determination to stay consistent now that much of it has passed. Will you have good and bad days? Sure, but when you write, think about your audience, how your content can help them and ask them for feedback afterwards. People love it when they can participate in the conversation and I am surprised that some people don’t even ask. When you leave comments, ask questions that provoke even more conversation and don’t be afraid to ask offline questions. I am always an email away and I love when people reach out. That’s my 2 cents…great post Adrienne!
Sonia recently posted..Are There Benefits of Failure?

62 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 12:58 PM: Hey Sonia,

You’re right girl, who better to be you then you. I think a lot of us coming from a corporate background are uneasy with this because since we’re really building a business we want to come off as more professional. The bad thing is though that this is a people business so it’s really the opposite. We’ll have much better luck if we’re just being ourselves.

I’m glad that the busy time is behind you and you are back with a vengeance. Yay!!!

I’m surprised myself that people don’t ask questions in their posts to get the conversation started. I think that’s just part of the learning process and since we’ve been blogging for awhile now it’s second nature to us. So let the learning begin.

Thanks Sonia, I appreciate your two cents worth! Now, enjoy your week girl.

~Adrienne

Reply

63 Jens P. Berget Twitter: berget January 28, 2013 at 3:09 PM

Your tips are great Adrienne. It took me a while to find my own “unique” voice, but that was one of the most important things I discovered as a new blogger. I am still not asking people for their phone numbers, but that’s mostly because I am not that comfortable talking to people on the phone, unless I know them very well. But, as a solo entrepreneur I am doing things I am not comfortable with on a daily basis, so I am getting there

I am still hustling to get my business going, and it takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. And that’s exactly what blogging is. It’s a lot of fun, but we need to keep working hard every single day to be successful.

Have a wonderful day Adrienne.
Jens P. Berget recently posted..What is search engine marketing

64 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 3:27 PM

Thank you Jens and I’m so glad you found your own unique voice because you are a fabulous story teller. I so enjoy reading your posts and I’ve been a faithful visitor for quite awhile now. I do think it takes practice and time, something we all have if we’re willing to do the work.

It still amazes me that you’re shy! I mean you work at the university and are building your own business so you’re around people all the time. I mean how do you build new friendships unless you have those conversations and sometimes you have to be the instigator. I would think you were a natural.

Blogging is fun and so is building a business so I’m glad you’re doing so well in both of those areas.

Thank you Jens for sharing that and you have a wonderful week.

~Adrienne

65 Jens P. Berget Twitter: berget January 29, 2013 at 3:43 AM

I am not sure why I am shy. Because it’s like you said, I have talked to a lot of people at the University, and I am still talking to “strangers” every single day. But, it might be something to do with a phone call from someone I don’t know… on the other hand, I don’t think that it will be a problem for much longer
Jens P. Berget recently posted..How to turn Triberr into the best commenting system for WordPress

66 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:27 AM: I’m surprised by that too Jens because I know you’ve greeted new people visiting the University so I would think you would have opened up more. Just look at it like you’re just meeting new friends. Some you’ll like and some you won’t so just don’t waste time on the ones you don’t connect with well. I think you’ll be breaking out of your shell soon.

~Adrienne

Reply

67 marquita herald Twitter: martyinmaui January 28, 2013 at 3:57 PM

Great tips Adrienne – couple I would like to comment on in particular. Writing in your own voice – yea, everyone says it and of course I agree. But I think a lot of new bloggers get confused trying to figure out what it actually means. The bottom line is to develop the confidence to be your own unique self rather than copying someone else – more importantly perhaps, it’s about getting really clear about your target audience and what you want to say to them. The other thing is asking for a phone number – have to say I heartily disagree with this – as a general policy for bloggers. There are of course types of businesses where it makes perfect sense. For example direct sales and MLM are examples, I suppose some types of coaching as well. On the other hand, it’s been proven that the more hoops someone has to jump through to join a subscriber list, the more resistant they become. In fact many “experts” these days don’t even ask for a last name on their opt in forms. My point is only that if someone’s going to ask for a phone number, it had better be for a very good, very specific reason.
marquita herald recently posted..Are You Handling Your Emotions, Or Are They Handling You?

68 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 5:01 PM: Hey Marty,

The writing in your own voice is one that most people don’t explain which is why I wrote a post on that subject as well as my guest blogger last week. That’s an area most people don’t explain fully and most people can walk away very confused, I was.

I’m glad you shared your opinion on the phone number but here is where we can agree to disagree. Sure, if you want to put a lot of information in your opt-in form and they “have” to include it in order to opt in then you could be hurting yourself in the long run. That’s not the case here because if they don’t want to leave it they just don’t and a good bit of them don’t. I think that whatever you are doing online it’s about connecting with people and when you go out of your way to be different and connect with them on a more personal level then you’ll reach your destination a heck of a lot quicker then the next guy. This has just been my personal experience with this and I’m not supporting MLM. I also disagree with the expert’s opinions on this subject because let’s face it. A lot of these so called experts teach people the wrong way to build a business in stead of the right way.

I appreciate your comment Marty and hope you have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

69 Joy Twitter: MineralTherapy January 28, 2013 at 4:01 PM

Hi Adrienne,

I found your site via http://angelamccall.com and have been reading your posts with great interest.

I know I still have a lot to learn, but hopefully dogged determination will get me there!

Asking for a phone number is a great tip I can apply on one of my business websites.

Thanks for the idea, Joy
Joy recently posted..Holiday over

70 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 5:04 PM: Hi Joy,

Well welcome to my blog and I’m so glad you stopped by for a visit. I was so touched that Angela shared her latest post around one that I did last year. I think we all have a lot in common when it comes to first starting out.

I have a lot of information to share here about blogging so if you ever have any questions, don’t be bashful. That’s how we learn and grow.

I think so too and it’s worked wonders for me. Just making those personal connections will take you far.

Thanks for your comment Joy and you enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

71 Tonya Stephens Twitter: gulfcoastbeauty January 28, 2013 at 5:15 PM

Hi Adrienne,
Yep you’ve hit those nails on the head. These are all great tips to remind ourselves of and to use often on our blogs.
Glad to hear you took the weekend off away from the computer…that’s always a good idea.
I am still in the learning machine phase so off I go to dig for more nuggets!!!!
Tonya ( :
Tonya Stephens recently posted..10 Ways To Reach Your Goals

72 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 5:29 PM: Hey Tonya,

Thank you for your comment and yeah, I almost took the entire weekend off. Sometimes I just can’t help myself, I need a break.

Happy learning!

~Adrienne

Reply

73 Julie Barrett Twitter: aclear sign January 28, 2013 at 5:22 PM

Hi Adrienne, Well you know I always have learned so much from you! It would be cool to get a phone call from you. Many people are actually scared to talk to me, which I find very funny. They figure I am going to tell them something “important” (and let’s face it, if I get called to say something, I will, usually – so they may be right!).

The ones I love the best are when I volunteer to help someone who’s not in my field and unexpectedly they turn out to know more than I do about some aspect of intuition. I could tell some great stories. By and large I think people would fall off their chairs to get a call from me – that might be reason enough to do it Great idea.
Julie Barrett recently posted..Psychic Hygiene How To Ground, Cleanse Your Chakras and Protect Yourself

74 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 5:31 PM: Hey Julie,

Not me! I’m all game and it would be a fun conversation. Are you kidding, I’m a learning machine and never afraid to learn something new either about myself or how I can do better. Of course I can always turn it off if I don’t want to do it right!

Yeah, surprise the heck out of them and give them a short mini reading. They’ll fall in love with you instantly and want more. Hook, line and sinker without even really trying. I love it Julie!

~Adrienne

Reply

75 Dan Sumner Twitter: danielsumner January 28, 2013 at 6:03 PM

Hey Adrienne, thanks for the great tips and sharing some cool info with the world one more. The phone number tip stands out for me, it’s so nice to call your readers for a simple “how are you” chat to introduce our self and find out exactly where they are in their own business. Genius Adrienne.

Well done on another great post.
Dan Sumner recently posted..5 Focus Writers to Help You Write Like a Pro

76 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:11 PM: Hey Dan,

Thanks Dan and for me the phone number tip has really helped me. Not everyone will leave it but those that do are very surprised when I call and say Hi! We have the best chat and they feel like they know me even more. It’s been a great way to break the ice ya know!

Thanks Dan and enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

77 Donna Merrill Twitter: donna_tribe January 28, 2013 at 7:42 PM

Adrienne,

These are the “golden rules” of having a successful blog and business. When you advise us to go to other people’s blogs and leave a good comment, you are right on target. I cannot tell you how many readers I get just from leaving a good comment on someone’s blog!

I am so glad you put in “ask for a phone number” because there is controversy in the marketplace about that. I ask and it is optional. Some marketers have told me that it is not god to do. Phewy! I do it anyway and surprisingly, many people do give me their number and ask me to call.

I can write a book here, but I will cut it short! All I can say is that YOU have been at this business for a long time and have shared what works with your readers. I thank you for that.

-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..8 Simple Strategies to Nurture Your Online Brand

78 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 28, 2013 at 8:15 PM: Hey Donna,

I’m with you, I can’t tell you how many people have visited my blog because of some comment I left on one they had stopped by.

I hear ya about the phone number and I just let them know that I just agree to disagree. Expert status or not, if you’re building relationships with people then I say go for it. It’s not imperative that they leave it, that’s their option. I’ll normally have people not leave it and then when they read my report and get my personal email from me they are either calling me or giving me their number. Funny how that works for some people while not for others. Huh! lol…

Thank you Donna and I definitely don’t mind sharing what works. That’s right, I’m living proof so there!

Enjoy your week young lady!

~Adrienne

Reply

79 Theodore Nwangene Twitter: NwangeneTheodor January 28, 2013 at 11:23 PM

Happy new week Adrienne,
Hope you enjoyed the weekend. One thing i love that you quoted here is that google use to like backlinks, but not any more.

However, I’m happy that I’m already doing most of the things you mentioned here. The only one i haven’t done is to ask for phone numbers but i will give it a trial later.

Thanks for sharing Adrienne.

BTW: How is your nephew? Has he gone back? Kind regards.
Theodore Nwangene recently posted..Six evergreen tips to increase traffic to your blog

80 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:17 AM: Happy new week to you as well Theodore! Hope it’s started out great.

The backlinking strategy doesn’t work like it use to, they love the unique content and how much it’s being shared. I think that’s what most bloggers should concentrate on now.

I know that not everyone will chose to go with the phone number route but that’s okay. It’s definitely something to consider.

My nephew is great and won’t be going back until early March. He’ll be going to London next month for a couple of weeks so we have him for a short while.

Thanks Theodore and enjoy the rest of your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

81 Susan Cooper Twitter: SusanPCooper January 29, 2013 at 12:22 AM

I really enjoyed your post and I couldn’t agree with you more. Sharing the love helps everyone and it’s such a gift to all the newbies (me included) who are trying so hard to make a go of it.
Susan Cooper recently posted..Fritz Winery Pinot Noir 2002: Wine

82 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:20 AM: Thank you Susan, glad you enjoyed this post and I do love helping people. Especially the newbies but I would hate for them to do it wrong like I did for so long.

Appreciate your comment and enjoy your day!

~Adrienne

Reply

83 Sue Price Twitter: suejprice January 29, 2013 at 2:26 AM

Hi Adrienne

I think I am getting better at all your tips here except for the last one which as you say is probably the most important. I have found it difficult to stay consistent in the way that you do when I have had my family illness etc to deal with. I admire that you seem to have blog posts no matter what. I am thinking I need to have a few written for times like that.

You know Adrienne when I started blogging I never saw myself for a long time as a “blogger”. I was told if I wanted to build a network marketing business online I needed a blog. So I got my blog then forgot about my network marketing business LOL

Thanks for great tips as always Adrienne.

Sue
Sue Price recently posted..Nature an Unstoppable Force

84 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:23 AM: Hey Sue,

Family emergencies happen and luckily I haven’t had one yet to have to deal with myself. I don’t even have posts written way ahead of time but it’s something to consider just in case something arises and knocks us off our feet.

I can see where that can happen. I’ve spoke to numerous people on the phone and they are just confused on which direction to go with their blogs because they are here to build their business. I continue to remind them why do you think network marketers come to your blog? To learn from you so build those relationships with them and you’ll soon learn that the majority of them are still struggling in their current company. You just never know Sue…

Thank you for sharing that and glad you are safe after that horrible weather.

~Adrienne

Reply

85 lokesh Twitter: techbappa January 29, 2013 at 3:43 AM

Adrienne, I liked all your points. Good point mentioned in point no 5, i have seen very few blog owners visiting back and commenting & you are one of them, few days back commented in your article and was very happy to see your comment in my blog that makes the relationship better.

Maintaining consistency is very most important if there is no regular posting we might loose our loyal readers and getting recognized takes time so one should have patience and should never quit.
lokesh recently posted..What is Page Rank and How to get Page Rank?

86 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:25 AM: Hi Lokesh,

You are right and I know a lot of the blogs that I visit stop by mine so if people started making a habit of them they may find they have some new loyal readers who are supporting each other.

Posting is one of those you have to be consistent with but you also have to comment and share as well to get yourself out in front of enough people. This needs to be done on a regular basis. It definitely works.

Thank you Lokesh for sharing that and I do hope you have a fabulous week.

~Adrienne

Reply

87 Liza Twitter: prettysweetly January 29, 2013 at 4:11 AM

Backlinks are still good, and they still help. I try to encourage them, because sometimes people will write and post a response to one of my posts (or do one of my memes), and when it’s linked to the exact page, my blog is pinged with a trackback. Not a lot of people do them now, but people don’t realize that that is the only for-sure way of me knowing they linked to my blog on their site. Plus, it shows up in the comments section, which means potential hits for them.

I don’t find the phone number absolutely necessary, heh. :p You’re literally the only person I’ve come across who I’ve found that says giving out your phone number/asking for others’ phone numbers and calling them is important. p: I think it’s an opinion, as well as something based on what works for the person themselves and is comfortable for them.

I think the key to blogging and getting your blog out there is COMMUNICATION. Communication is key to success in most situations, and EVERYTHING is communication. If you do not return a blog comment, you’re communicating with that person that you are not interested (or any other set of number of things). If you do return a blog comment, you’re communication with that person that you’re interested in starting a relationship with them (but that doesn’t require a romantic relationship). A lot of people don’t feel as though they need to comment other blogs, so they simply share their URL. Then they wonder why they lack traffic/new people/etc. aren’t coming and visiting them.

I’ve been blogging off and on since about 2004 or 2005. I really got into blogging during 2006. The only thing that seems to have stayed the same is the need to communicate with other bloggers via commenting on their blog as well. Thus, I’m just going to assume that it’s “the oldest trick in the book”, and it still works.

…However, if any new blogger is reading this, make sure you actually read the post rather than reading a few comments and assuming what the post is about, scanning the text and/or reading only a few sentences. :p Too many new bloggers have commented my blogs in the past about something in a comment from one person — which is bad, because nowhere in the post about farm life did I mention about eating out at a new restaurant!
Liza recently posted..20 Things About Me

88 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:33 AM: Hey Liza,

You’re right, backlinks still work just not like they use to. The search engines prefer unique content that’s getting shared a lot. If you have a lot of interaction on those posts then they’ll get shared by more people.

You’re right, not everyone agrees with the phone number but let me ask you this Liza. Why are you blogging? Do you want to build relationships with your readers? Do you want to provide good content that they’ll want to come back for more? Then why not add that personal touch and speak to them on the phone? Hey, it’s a thought and trust me it works. Not for everyone I get that but it works.

I’ll agree with you on the point that blog commenting is communicating with your fellow blogger. That’s the way you can get this whole ball rolling.

Blog commenting works and it’s how every star blogger got started. It’s building those relationships with their readers and then being able to keep them coming back for more. Yep, the oldest trick in the book indeed.

A lot of people will scan the post because they want to visit more. I just have a feeling that they’ll hopefully realize it’s in their best interest to read it all the way through. I hope they do at least.

Thanks Liza for your comment and you enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

89 Viola Tam Twitter: ViolaMLMTam January 29, 2013 at 6:15 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Awesome tips, as always!! I must admit that I was lucky to have a blog that I can ‘use’ to share ideas and insights. I have not thought of adding the phone number in the opt-in box. What a great idea! Just curious, if the reader does not put in the phone number, will he or she still be able to get the ‘instant download’?

You are exceptionally good at asking questions and engage others in comments. No wonder you are dubbed ‘Queen of Engagement’. Love your brand, “Engagement Superstar”. Very appropriately chosen

I appreciate your value-packed sharing, Adrienne.

Viola The Business Mum
Viola Tam recently posted..What’s Inside Navigating the Network Marketing Maze

90 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:38 AM: Hi Viola,

Thank you and yes, it’s great to have a platform where you can share ideas and insights. I just love it and I know you do too.

It depends on your settings and of course that’s up to the blog owner. If people don’t want to leave their phone number they can still get on my list. It’s not a requirement and I get a lot of people who don’t leave it. But, I also get a lot of people who will either call me after reading my report or email me their number.

Thank you Viola but anyone can do this. I was extremely surprised with that little acknowledgement a few years back. Heck, I’m just getting to know people and having a great time. Just glad others nominated me.

Thank you Viola for your comment and I’ll get with you today. I apologize for being late in responding.

~Adrienne

Reply

91 Harleena Singh Twitter: harleenas January 29, 2013 at 7:54 AM

Couldn’t agree more with your tips Adrienne!

Each one of them is something that I am doing, so am glad for that,except for the phone call because I am not into sales or marketing, though that’s a great option if I need to call anyone.

Oh yes…I make sure to visit those bloggers blogs who come to mine, especially when they are new to make that first connection that’s so-so important. However, I’ve seen people often don’t do this either because the blog isn’t of their niche or it doesn’t rank that well, which I find very strange. Either ways, I am happy and glad that I do, and I make sure to share their content because sharing is caring and it’s a way of appreciation, which again some people don’t. I guess we just need to do what we feel is right, without bothering about whether they share our work or not – isn’t it?

I agree about being consistent, which I’ve started doing now and fixed days for the posts too. However, I wish I were more in line like you and have a proper time fixed too – something which I am working on now. Ah…I wish people would put in those Twitter handles so that sharing their posts becomes easier for us ( I know you have mentioned this and keep reminding everyone about it), but still some people just don’t take care. Presently, I do take out that extra time to open their Twitter profile and fill in their handle just for once and then email to tell them of this issue. Hope they take care.

Thanks for sharing and reminding us of all these important tips. Have a wonderful week ahead
Harleena Singh recently posted..Will You Stop Overeating

92 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 9:45 AM: Hi Harleena,

I know you are one of those not here building a business so of course most of this won’t pertain to you.

I think that you’ll stand out more if you visit the blog of the person who visited yours. Now is their blog one you’ll want to continue visiting? That’s when you make that decision. I’ve visited so many where I’ll tell them in the comment that I either don’t understand clearly what they’re sharing or for once my comments might not be very long. I don’t feel guilty when I don’t return to their blog because I prefer reading content that I like.

Now with the CommentLuv Premium plug-in, you have the option of making their link a nofollow link and you can even remove it from the comment if you think that it could hurt your blog. That’s totally up to each individual. I just think it’s common courtesy to at least visit once.

Everyone needs to come up with their own schedules. For the longest time I posted three days a week here but lacked off when I started getting busier. One of my blogs I only posted every Friday. I think you have to decide what works best for you and your readers.

That is nice of you to notify the blogger to let them know their Twitter ID isn’t set up right. I do that too so if they ignore it and don’t put that in place I won’t go in search of it and I won’t tweet their posts. I use to include it for them but I just don’t have the time anymore and they really should know better.

Thank you Harleena for sharing this with me and great to see you again. You enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

93 Neamat Tawadrous Twitter: nkeriakos January 29, 2013 at 10:09 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Great Tips as always. I follow most of these tips with my blog and for sure I see good results although I am only 2 months old blogger. I read these tips before in your blogs and I follow most of them now and I can really see the progress. It does work. The phone number idea is a great one and new to me but sounds like an effective one. Where do you ask for the phone number in your blog Adrienne?

Thanks Adrienne for sharing those great tips. You are always an inspiration and a role model to follow.

Be Blessed,

Neamat
Neamat Tawadrous recently posted..5 Strategies On How To Effectively Advertise Your MLM Business?

94 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 10:39 AM: Hi Neamat,

Thank you and it’s hard for me to believe that you’ve only been blogging for two months. You share awesome content.

For a network marketer you definitely should be asking for phone numbers. It’s located in my opt-in box for those who sign up for my list. I call them if they left me a number and if not, I send them a personal email after the initial one with my free report.

You are so welcome and thank you for stopping by. Always lovely to see you.

~Adrienne

Reply

95 Praveen Rajarao Twitter: techivy January 29, 2013 at 3:53 PM

Adrienne – Agreed with all the 7 tips above. They are all that takes to make it among the top bloggers here. They seem to be so easy , but putting them into practice requires a lot of patience and hardwork, which all of us can agree am sure.

This is the 2nd post on blogging that I am reading today, another one at Mayura’s was something to do with considering what we post and question ourselves if we can be called as “bloggers”.

Loved both the articles. Keep them coming.
Praveen Rajarao recently posted..Samsung Galaxy S3 – A Review

96 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 4:35 PM: Hey Praveen,

Thanks for stopping by and I had read Mayura’s post too. I think it can be pretty safe to call ourselves bloggers and you can definitely have success by following these steps. Hey, it’s a win/win.

Good to see you and you have a great rest of your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

97 babanature January 29, 2013 at 4:10 PM

Hello Adrienne,
You just killed me with this hot tips and i must say that i am truly impressed. i haven’t thought of the phone conversation and truly, let me ask you just one thing; how effective is the telephone conversation?
babanature recently posted..Using Social Media To Drive Traffic To Your Photography Site

98 Adrienne January 29, 2013 at 4:40 PM: Hey Babanature,

I hope that was in a good way!

The phone conversation just helps your new subscribers connect with you on a more personal level. By letting them know you are here for them and are not trying to entice them into buying anything from you, they will know they have someone they can turn to. We all just want to know that someone cares so be that person. It’s been great for me although not everyone will leave their number but that’s okay. The ones that do will be surprised to get a call and glad that you did.

~Adrienne

Reply

99 Louise Twitter: louisesteiner January 29, 2013 at 5:13 PM

Hi Adrienne
These are some great tips for bloggers and I’m pleased to say I am following most of these, albeit I need to work on the consistency a little more. But I do what I can in the time I have available. The only point I really don’t like is following up with a phone call. If I received a phone call every time I opt into a list, that would drive me insane. And I am now very cautious about ever giving out my phone number after being woken by a number of calls in the middle of the night. Having said that, I can certainly see the merit in building that personal relationship with other bloggers, especially for full time bloggers.
Louise
Louise recently posted..How To Use Twitter For Business – The Science Of Twitter – 10 Tips

100 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 5:27 PM: Hi Louise,

The consistency is huge Louise.. You’ll see a major shift once you get on a better schedule.

I don’t think people have to worry about everyone asking for a phone number and being bombarded by those. Most people are too afraid to pick up the phone and make that connection. I’ve only had one instance when someone called me at around 6:00 am on a weekend at that and of course, I’m not getting up at that hour to answer the phone.

I don’t give our my home or my cell. You can create a number using Google Voice so if someone were to look it up online they would not get any information about you. That’s the number I don’t mind giving out because you have the option to go online and block people from ever calling you if it gets out of hand. Either way, it’s a great option for building those relationships but I’m aware not everyone will take that step.

Thanks for sharing that with me.

~Adrienne

Reply

101 babanature January 29, 2013 at 5:15 PM

that’s a lovely answer. we are bloggers and as a blogger it is good trying new things out. amma give the phone conversation a trial and see how it goes. Thanks…
babanature recently posted..Using Social Media To Drive Traffic To Your Photography Site

102 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 5:27 PM: I’ll wish you the best of luck with that Babanature! Do let me know how it goes.

Reply

103 Stacy Twitter: growwithstacy January 29, 2013 at 5:26 PM

Hi Adrienne,

This is why you’re so awesome! Not only do you share such great advice, but we all know that you put it into practice. Your tips definitely call me higher. I thought I was doing pretty well until I got to the last three. Ouch.

Talking on the phone is a big one for me. My friends know that they’re better off emailing me or texting me than calling. It’s one of those things that I’m working on. I did a skype interview with a podcaster at the beginning of the month and that was a big step for me.

Stacy
Stacy recently posted..I’m Not Usually One to Toot My Own Horn, But…

104 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 5:30 PM: Hey Stacy,

Why thank you Stacy, that’s very sweet of you but I also had to laugh. Ouch! Sorry about that.

I know a lot of people are bashful and I’ve always been a people person so it’s never been an issue for me. But, I was afraid myself that they would ask me questions that I couldn’t answer. Then I realized that if I don’t know the answer I’ll find it for them and let them know. Just having that support will definitely put you at the top of that list because NO one else is doing it. Just call, introduce yourself and let them know you’re a real person. That you’re there if they have any questions and that’s it. I have no doubt you can handle that! Heck, it will help you get prepared for when you have to get up and speak because you are being recognized as the awesome popular author that you’ve become. ♥

~Adrienne

Reply

105 Jude Banks Twitter: JudeSBanks January 29, 2013 at 6:27 PM

Adrienne, I have been following your blog for about a month now and have learned heaps! Thanks for all the valuable information you provide.

Although I have been online for several years, I only started using social media, Twitter, G+ and Facebook, about 3 months ago – and my head is spinning! Maybe I should have mastered one at a time.

When you refer to the Twitter ID, I assume you mean just our user name, the one I inserted into the Twitter field on your blog. Or is there some other ID we need to share Twitter on our blogs? Excuse this most basic question.

I notice that my Facebook link only works if someone is logged in to their Facebook account, is that right? I don’t have a Facebook page yet, just my personal account. The link checker on my blog is constantly telling me that my Facebook link is broken, but it’s not. Would this change if I created a public FB page instead of a personal page? This does not seem to happen with Google +.

Again, thanks for your useful and entertaining posts. I’ll be back.

Regards,
Jude
Jude Banks recently posted..Are You Making Money, Creating Income, or Creating Wealth

106 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 29, 2013 at 7:11 PM

Hi Jude,

I’m so happy to hear that and I’m glad you’ve been learning some things from me. I love hearing that.

I know what you mean Jude, it can be a little overwhelming.

Yes, your Twitter ID is your @name that you used when you signed up with them, the same one you included when you commented. Don’t you worry about the basic questions, we all have to learn at some point in time.

That’s also correct. If people don’t have a Facebook account then they won’t be able to see your information. I’m not sure why the link checker is showing your link broken unless earlier in some posts perhaps you had the old # link instead of your name. Remember when that’s how they were shown a few years ago? Now if you create a business page then you would just start using that link instead if you’d prefer people finding you there.

It probably isn’t having an issue with Google+ page because those links you can search either way. The long number or your name.

My pleasure and thank you for your comment. Anytime!

~Adrienne

107 Jude Banks Twitter: JudeSBanks January 30, 2013 at 1:47 AM

Adrienne, thanks for answering my questions about Twitter and Facebook links. I’ve only been using Facebook for 3 months, so I don’t think that is the issue, unless someone had my exact same username back then. I will check my links again.

I may be at the same or similar stage as you are with the Partnership Program. How is your product creation project going? I find it challenging, a bit overwhelming, though exciting. I would like to create a product that can turn a 24 hour day into a 48 hour day but where we don’t get any older while that happens. Do you think that is possible…LOL.

Until next time…
Jude
Jude Banks recently posted..Are You Making Money, Creating Income, or Creating Wealth

108 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 10:03 AM: My pleasure Jude. Okay, only three months then that’s not the issue. Huh, not sure why you’re getting those messages then.

The product creation process is still going through the learning stages. I’ve taken this long so I’m not rushing into anything.

Now that sounds interesting but why would you want something that can take 24 hours to do to make that even longer? Now the not getting older part is awesome so all I can say is good luck with that! Wouldn’t that be something.

Thanks Jude!

Reply

109 Corina Ramos Twitter: wfhconcepts January 29, 2013 at 8:58 PM

Hey Adrienne,

I’ve applied all of these methods but one and I’ve had a tremendous jump on my traffic and more than 50% are repeat visit.

The fourth one is new to me. I had to read it again to make sure I read it right. and after reading the comment by Steve who was “blown away” when you called him, I’m certainly willing to give it a try.

And you’re right, I think it will work out so long as you don’t call trying to sell them something. The phone call is about making a personal connection. Great ideas Lady! Hope all is going well.
Corina Ramos recently posted..How To Keep A Job Search Routine Organized

110 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 9:40 AM: Hi Cori,

I am SO happy to hear that and sounds like things are just getting better and better.

I know the adding the phone number for your opt-ins isn’t for everyone. They may all have different views on this but blogging is about making those connections. When you reach out and add that personal touch, only to introduce yourself and say Hi, your new subscriber will be pleased. Okay, I did have 1 lady that was pissed but guess what! I don’t want that type of person on my blog, my list or anywhere near me. I mean seriously! I’m reaching out to help you and you’re pissed! It takes all kinds to make this world go round.

I do hope you’ll give it a try and don’t be surprised when a lot of people won’t leave it. It’s a personal choice, that’s all.

Thanks Cori and enjoy this weather.

~Adrienne

Reply

111 Craig McBreen Twitter: craigmcbreen January 29, 2013 at 9:46 PM

Adrienne,

Agree on all points. The follow up call is a nice one too (man, the things you come up with) I’m just wondering how many give you their phone number. I imagine you charm them when you call though

But seriously, this is a nice little pearl of wisdom (asking for the number), and surprising someone with a follow up call, even better. Great, great idea.

Also, yes to authenticity, and maybe even writing with a little bit of vulnerability. That helps as long as you provide value, something you obviously do, in spades.

But #7 is the big one, really. So many are not consistent or they get discouraged. It’s a crap-ton of work, but like Steven Pressfield says, the pro’s train never stops. That’s you, Adrienne, you just keep on a chugging’ along.

Thanks
Craig McBreen recently posted..How to Increase Productivity by Simplifying Your Goals

112 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 9:50 AM: Hey Craig,

I get about 50/50 on leaving the number. I do get some voice mails but I guess roughly 15% of them I actually speak with. Just like Steve mentioned here, he was pleasantly surprised and of course my laugh puts them at ease immediately.

It’s just to add that personal touch, to let them know I’m a real person, that I’m here if they need me and do that have a question at that time I may be able to help them with. It lightens the mood and I’m not here to sell them on anything but me. It works like a charm Craig, you’d be surprised. People want to know you care about them…

I agree, let your hair down and let your readers see who you are. We’ve all stumbled and fallen, we sometimes still do. But guess what! We pick ourselves back up and keep going and because of that we’re now able to share with our readers what we have learned.

#7 is absolutely by far the most important one. Very very true Craig because if you aren’t consistent you aren’t going to get these kinds of results. The way I look at this is you have to get up every morning right! So why not do the work that you KNOW will get the results eventually. Rome wasn’t built in a day nor is your online business. But that day will come so make sure you’re taking the right steps in order to see the end result. Bingo!

Thanks Craig, I appreciate your comment. Now go and make this an awesome day!

~Adrienne

Reply

113 Ray January 29, 2013 at 11:22 PM

I know some people thank all the people that share or tweet one of their posts. I try to do this, but sometimes it’s difficult to keep track of whether I did or didn’t thank people.

I do visit commenters sites. Sometimes I can relate to their content and leave them a comment, but many times their content is not something that I would be into or that I can relate to. When that happens to be the case I usually don’t leave a comment for them on their site because I don’t want to leave a lame comment or say something dumb that wouldn’t make much sense.
Ray recently posted..How to Manually Install WordPress Step by Step

114 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 9:55 AM: If they are sharing your posts and you are connected with them on any of the social media sites then it’s pretty easy to keep up with actually. I think it’s just nice to let them know you appreciate that they shared your content because they definitely don’t have to. Wouldn’t you much rather help someone who is helping you then someone who isn’t?

I understand what you mean and I use to feel bad about that. But if I can’t connect to it I just can’t. Nothing against what they’re sharing at all. That’s nice of you to do that Ray!

I appreciate your comment and you have an awesome day.

~Adrienne

Reply

115 Mukesh Dutta Twitter: geniuskick January 30, 2013 at 1:05 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Whenever I jump into your blog you inspire me. There is something in your writing that always tells me “never give up”.

I’m sorry I don’t know what to add more to add value to this post like the other commenters did. I’m not a grown up blogger yet. All I can say is “thanks a lot” again and again! I’ll keep in mind all your advice!
Mukesh Dutta recently posted..Stop Wasting Time & Money On Fake Online Business Offers

116 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 9:57 AM: Hi Mukesh,

Oh, I’m so happy to hear that Mukesh and please don’t ever give up. We all make mistakes but we’re all failing forward my friend.

You just say whatever you feel. If you can connect to a certain something I shared then tell me about it. If not then that’s okay too. I just appreciate you stopping by and I’m so happy that you continue to enjoy what I share.

Keep up the excellent work my friend.

~Adrienne

Reply

117 David Merrill 101 January 30, 2013 at 1:27 AM

Interesting suggestions, Adrienne.

I especially like the first and last points.

I find people have a really difficult time developing their own voice. I think it’s often a matter of time and confidence. As you continue to blog often and continuously, the assumed voice you begin with starts to take shape… especially as you gain confidence in your leadership and authority within your niche.

And consistency is really an offshoot of that process.

You only develop your voice and your confidence when you are consistently engaging your readers, and consistently preparing relevant and valuable content for them.
David Merrill 101 recently posted..Keeping Pace With Online Communications

118 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 10:00 AM: Hey there David, great to see you. Thanks for stopping by!

Finding your own voice is a biggie. It was for me because a lot of us come from a corporate background so we are steered toward perfection. Making it sound so professional that it’s hard to just be you and let it all hang out! You’re right though, the more you blog and learn to write like you’re having a conversation the more they’ll get use to writing like that.

Consistency is the key ingredient. Without it you’ll end up going nowhere fast.

Thank you for sharing that David and again, great to see you. You enjoy your day and glad you’re feeling better.

~Adrienne

Reply

119 Tim Bonner Twitter: timbo1973 January 30, 2013 at 4:58 AM

Hey Adrienne

I pretty much learnt everything I know about blogging from you so I always try and follow most of the things you’ve mentioned here.

There are a couple of things I’ve struggled with lately which is being consistent with posting schedules and having the time to visit, comment and share other people’s posts.

I’m going to stick to one post a week for now and post on a Monday. There, that’s decided. I’ve got 2 posts in draft which is a miracle for me so that’s a great start.

With reading and commenting, I always have my favourite places to go and I won’t ever stop going there but I struggle sometimes to visit everyone who comments, although I’d really like to. I even got behind on thanking people for RTs and shares until today.

The only one I haven’t ever done is ask for a phone number. Something for the future maybe.
Tim Bonner recently posted..Positive Change Is Just A Moment Away

120 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 10:07 AM: Hey Tim,

Well I’m very happy to hear that Time, thank you for sharing that.

I know that for people with families and they are taking care of them full time that can be challenging. I know what you’ll hear many people say, “find the time”. I also know this isn’t your only livelihood so it’s not a necessity that you get busy with this 24/7. For those who it’s a do or die situation, they definitely need to find the time.

I think that’s a great idea. One of my other blogs I only posted every Friday and it was still a huge success as well. That will give you more time to promote that one post.

I think it’s great to reach out to new readers and show your appreciation. That’s the way you’ll find them coming back to you time after time so try to put some time aside to visit at least a few of them. Maybe with just posting once a week will help with that. We don’t care if you’re late with the thank yous. You’ll do it when you have time.

Thanks for sharing this with me Tim and I hope you’re having a great week. See you soon.

~Adrienne

Reply

121 Aditya Twitter: being_chirpy January 30, 2013 at 6:17 AM

I follow almost all these tips except the phone number one.

I’m actually conducting surveys for research data for my ebook and I’ve asked a few personal questions in there and I thought an e-mail would be sufficient to get in touch (probably ask for their phone number via e-mail).

While my book focuses on negativity in life and how to tackle it, getting their phone numbers would probably make it more personal but I’m scared that would also be a turn-off for many as they could be hesitant in giving their phone numbers and may turn themselves away from the whole survey.

Maybe I should put up a message that I wouldn’t sell their numbers and make it optional for them. Seems very interesting!

The others tips, I follow pretty well and they’ve worked brilliantly!

Thanks Adrienne and Have a great day!

Aditya
Aditya recently posted..What Exactly is ‘Being a Man’?

122 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 10:11 AM: Hi Aditya,

The phone number option isn’t for everyone. Some people think it’s only important if you’re in network marketing but blogging is about building those relationships so when you’re able to get with them on a more personal level that will help you stand out from the rest. When you ask for it in a follow up email or something you won’t have as many results but there is no harm in asking. Perhaps tell them you’d like to connect with them on Skype and just say Hi!

Make it optional, they don’t have to leave it if they don’t want to. When you are of the right mindset Aditya you’ll find that you have a much better success rate with this one.

I’m sure you’ll make the best decision for yourself and good luck with that survey.

~Adrienne

Reply

123 Thomas Twitter: techwork_dk January 30, 2013 at 12:18 PM

Hi Adrienne
It looks like you are very good using your own tips. 123 comments including mine, your post are only 2 days old and I don’t see a lot of spam comments among them. You are really good reaching out and connecting with people and I guess that is why we all love to visit your blog
Good work Adrienne.
Thomas recently posted..Interview with Carolyn Mohr from WonderOfTech

124 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 12:48 PM: Hey Thomas,

I’m walking the talk Thomas which is why I know this works. I can’t help but want to share this with others so that they can see exactly what they need to be doing in order to get consistent results.

I love my commenters and trust me, the ones that leave me the one liners don’t get approved so I usually have more then this. It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the connections.

Thank you Thomas for stopping by, great to see you.

~Adrienne

Reply

125 Suzanne Twitter: prosperouscoach January 30, 2013 at 4:00 PM

Hi Adrienne, another excellent post with tons of value that really makes sense. I have been adopting some of these behaviors and I’m doing a better job of being consistent. One question for you: what do you do if your ideal client does not tend to blog. There are very few financial advisors with blogs so I have a hard time going to their sites to comment as a result. I’ve found quite a few personal finance sites, but they generally are not advisors. Thanks for your excellent thought leadership!
Suzanne recently posted..The Best Financial Advisor Weekly Schedule

126 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 4:17 PM: Hi Suzanne,

I’m so happy to hear that you’re being more consistent.

Ah, your ideal client doesn’t blog! Ouch… Well, if that’s the case then you’ll have to locate them in other ways and perhaps contact them directly. So you don’t think that personal finance blogs would need your type of service? You can tell I’m not that privy to the financial world!

~Adrienne

Reply

127 Sandy Halliday Twitter: SandyHalliday January 30, 2013 at 4:27 PM

Wow! You do get a lot of comments Adrienne. The year of visiting the blogs of the people who commented on yours obviously worked but you have to get them commenting in the first place. Blog hopping especially on CommentLuv enabled blogs works well

I do most of what you list but realize that although I ask questions on my IM blog I don’t on my Detox blog. Will rectify this straight away.

I must say I have never thought of asking for a phone number to follow up with a phone call. I am surprised that people actually give them. I have to admit that I sometimes make up my telephone number because I don’t want people calling me.

I would never expect someone to call me to see if I wanted help. My experience is that the people who ask for a telephone number want to sell you something. What a surprise to have someone call you to see if you need any help. Where can I leave my phone number? Lol

Sandy
Sandy Halliday recently posted..How To Hide An Affiliate Link With A PHP Redirect Script

128 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 30, 2013 at 5:23 PM: Hey Sandy,

I most definitely do get a lot of comments but it all started with me visiting them and then over time they can’t help but get curious because they’ll start seeing you everywhere they go. That’s when they start showing up. It’s easy to find blogs to comment on with CommentLuv, I definitely agree there.

Well you need to rectify that one Sandy. I’m sure that people would need a lot of assistance on your detox blog.

I know, most people expect to be pestered into buying something so shock them and help them instead. I’ve had a few people argue this point with me but obviously they have either not tried it or have not had good results. Now not everyone will leave their number and I’ve gotten plenty of wrong numbers too. What I do is follow up with a personal email letting them know I’m here to help and 9 times out of 10 they’ll ask me a question, even if it’s via email. They are shocked when I actually help them.

I think it’s time to turn this around Sandy and it starts with us.

Thank you for your comment and hope you’re enjoying your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

129 Jen :) Twitter: JenSheaVA January 30, 2013 at 11:49 PM

Hi Adrienne,

Happy Thursday (it’s 12:40 am here).

Thank you for these terrific tips. I am happy to report that I have been consistent with my bog posts… but I don’t have any followers yet. What I hadn’t realized either though, is that I should post to Google+ as well. Once I post my blog, I post it to Facebook and then get comments there. I do hope to start collecting followers soon.

I notice when other post comments, below their comments it says, for example: Jen Shea recently posted.. (their latest blog post title)

How do I add that? Perhaps it might entice others to check out my posts

Again, as always, thank you for sharing your expertise with us.

Jen

130 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 8:41 AM: Oh wow, what are you doing up young lady? I was in bed just drifting off to sleep around 12:40. Happy Thursday to you now that the day is finally here.

Yay, I’m so proud of you. That’s great news. Once you start making the rounds and checking out other people’s post then you’ll start getting people visiting yours. One word of warning though Jen. When you visit blogs, you have to leave your blog link! People can’t connect with you on that level if you leave your business page. I know your business is important to you but blogs are about connecting to people so if you put your business page then that connection can’t be made. So, start leaving your blog link instead.

Yes, that’s my CommentLuv Premium plug-in doing it’s thing. It will pull the last 10 posts of that person’s blog and they can chose which one they want to leave for that particular comment/post they are commenting on. They also have a choice of connecting to one of their pages as well, you get a choice of five you set up. Now you can go with their free version but premium is definitely the way to go.

My pleasure and you enjoy your day. Let me know if you need any help.

~Adrienne

Reply

131 Ashvini Twitter: blogaks January 31, 2013 at 1:06 AM

Hi Adrienne,

This is a like a refresher course to me. Since all these tips are from you and knowing you I can say all are made of gold. A must read for new and seasoned bloggers alike. I have been able to keep consistency on my blog. I would like to comment on many blogs like you do ( which is amazing), lack of time sometimes hamper it. But I try my best .

Hope you are having a great time.
Ashvini recently posted..Your level of engagement decides quality of your group or tribe

132 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 8:43 AM: Hi Ashvini,

You don’t need a refresher course! You the man!!!

I know that time is a huge factor for many but look at it like this. Visit at least two a day, five if you have the time. Don’t visit the same ones everyday. You can spare 10 to 15 minutes right! Just be consistent with it and that will help greatly.

Thank you Ashvini and you have a great ending to your week. ♥

~Adrienne

Reply

133 Angela McCall Twitter: angeld0ve January 31, 2013 at 2:05 AM

You know the #4 I havent done yet but I’m gonna. I think the “calling each your new lead” is a wonderful UNIQUE way of relating to your new follower. I have to try this sometime!

And #5 Visit your reader’s blog and comment…I know this is gonna take some time. When I was in livejournal (this is when Facebook became popular) I wasn’t really surfing the Internet but I was always in livejournal. It was like livejournal dominated most of my life I was always there checking, reading new posts, corresponding with my comments. And I tell ya, there are only rare cases when I’d post a loooooong one and I didn’t wanna do that coz I know it would bore my friends. So often times, I’d post 500-2000 words. Some of my friends would post 3-5x a day and it was quite a lot of work to keep up with them. But the ones who posted the longest post were my longest friends for a loooooong time til now. So I am with you on this. Read their blog and make comments. But like you said, it’s not gonna happen overnight. It may take months, even a year, before every single one of them will follow you faithfully in the end.
Angela McCall recently posted..How did I start blogging?

134 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 8:48 AM: Hi Angela,

I once was told that if you don’t call them then someone else will. It’s all about making that initial connection Angela. You don’t have to sell them on anything but knowing that you want to build a relationship with them enough to pick up the phone and call them, you’ll definitely stand out from the rest and that’s what you’re here to accomplish.

I remember livejournal but I never posted to that site. It will take time before people will start showing up on your blog but they will. Not everyone that you connect with will be interested in what you have to share but that’s okay. You don’t have to spend all day doing this but I would definitely put aside an hour to blog hop and comment. It definitely works.

Thanks Angela, great to see you again. Enjoy your day.

~Adrienne

Reply

135 George Fourie Twitter: thatMLMbeat January 31, 2013 at 4:47 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Wow you are on fire! I think I heard Terry Petrovick mention you sometime in 2012, but this is my first (and definitely NOT the last) visit to your blog.

Great tips and well done for rocking the blogosphere

136 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 8:50 AM: Hi George,

Well welcome to my home, nice having you.

Ah Terry, great guy for sure and he was very surprised at all the attention my blog received. He even interviewed me twice and I’m still going strong. Please do stop on by any time and if you ever have any questions, just ask.

Have a great day and thanks again.

~Adrienne

Reply

137 Dean Thompson Twitter: DTMarketing_com January 31, 2013 at 3:18 PM

Hi Adrienne,

I don’t think your tips are worth taking note of. Let’s face it at the time of me writing this you’d only had 136 comments!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t ban me – I’m obviously joking

I suggest that anybody new to your blog looks at how many comments you receive per post, they’d then realise you know what you’re talking about.

Although there are many important factors when trying to improve your blog, I think one of the best bits of advice I received is what you mention in your first tip; You write in your own voice.

Whenever I write I always write as if I’m talking to someone sat opposite me. If you write as yourself, and in your own style, then you will maintain a consistency that will run throughout your blog.

Some may not connect with you, but I think it’s fair to say that the majority of people will connect with you.

I’ll ensure I follow your tips to try and push my blog to the top of the tree

Thanks Adrienne.

Regards,
Dean.
Dean Thompson recently posted..Plans and Goals for 2013

138 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 3:29 PM: Hi Dean,

Yeah, I’m all talk and no action right! lol…

I agree Dean and I didn’t follow that advice when I first started which is why my blog didn’t have much success until I turned things around. Most people will share with you that when they started just being themselves and relaxing, people took more of an interest. You’re also proof of that.

There are more things involved to get people to show up but you’re right, it starts with your content so if you can nail that and then get yourself out there more then the rest will come.

Thank you for sharing that Dean, I appreciate that.

~Adrienne

Reply

139 Gary Watson Twitter: gtwatson January 31, 2013 at 4:02 PM

Hi Adrienne.

I could have done with your post before the start of January. I now completed a full month of posting various things, in various styles, and individual posts to a series of posts over days. I have also intermingled personal with the blog topic of internet and more.

My comments have increased dramatically by this approach so consistency is the key.
Regular posting is essential but does not have to be everyday like I have been doing. In fact I am now rolling back to concentrate on other factors as time does not allow me to maintain the schedule at present. I need to do some housework too as I live alone with no assistance!!

The only tip that I had not considered was the phone tip – sounds great that one and will bear that one in mind for the future.

Another tip I do when blog hopping is to click on the commentators blog links or name to take me to their blogs. I have found some real gems by doing so.

Take care, kind regards

Gary
Gary Watson recently posted..Why Do I Need A Mentor?

140 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 4:34 PM: Hey Gary,

I think you’ve done rather well with your posting for 30 days straight. As you said, you’ve written in various ways so you probably can tell which ones get more attention then the others. You definitely want people connecting with you so the more personal you are I think the better.

Consistency is the key and it surprises people for some reason. Not sure but people want to know you’re going to be around. For those that comment and then vanish well no one wants to keep dropping by when they never know when they’ll be posting.

Clicking on blog links is definitely the way to find more content to read. That has not been a problem for me for a long time but it helps when I have a new visitor to my blog so I can check out their content.

Thank you Gary and have a great weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

141 Garen Twitter: blogsetupguide January 31, 2013 at 5:17 PM

Hey Adrienne, yeah Google loves content not just lots of links. People consume so much of their energy on SEO that they forget about making their blog epic. Hmm the phone number idea is really good. That is an awesome way to make it personal. Do you know if Skype will allow you call people internationally? I am probably one of the few experienced SEO/Internet marketers that hasn’t use Skype.

Everything in life has to being consistent. Think about it do you get in NFL, Major Leagues, and yes blogging without being consistent?
Garen recently posted..Giveaways – Part 2 Interview With Justin Germino

142 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 January 31, 2013 at 6:14 PM: Hi Garen,

I know and I often times wonder why because their content reads like an instruction manual and trust me, it’s not going to rank well.

If you are talking Skype to Skype it doesn’t cost anything and I don’t care where you’re located. If you call phone to Skype or Skype to phone then there is a charge, I’m not sure how much. You can always ask for a Skype ID, it’s a great service really. Just had a Skype chat with a friend in Australia.

You are so right Garen. Reaching any pivotal point doesn’t get you there by sitting back and doing things half way. Be consistent, do the work and you’ll get the results. If you don’t, you won’t. It’s really that easy.

Thanks for stopping by, good to see you again.

~Adrienne

Reply

143 Darlene Twitter: DarleneToday February 1, 2013 at 2:04 PM

Well, not only do I agree with your 7 Tips (and yes, we could say 77+ Tips) but #7 is key,key,key!

I’ll go on the record here as saying “consistency” is the difference between success and failure.

It’s the bloggers who treat their blog like a business.. who actually HAVE a biz from their blogs.

And the bloggers who are still haphazardly posting at whim, do not and will not turn a profit.

Now some people say “I just want to have fun; I don’t care if I make money”.” I say to you, why NOT make money? If you’re doing the work, why not also make the money? If you truly do not want the money, then how wonderful would it be to donate it to a worthy cause?

darlene

144 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 1, 2013 at 3:05 PM: I love hearing that, thank you Darlene and yes… #7 is the most important one. Without it none of the rest of it really matters right!

I often times will hear some bloggers say they’ll only blog when they are in the mood. Great, terrific and glad that works for you but don’t come whining when you aren’t getting any consistent traffic. Oh, and if you’re not making any income then maybe they need to look at their schedule once again.

I hear what you’re saying and I hope others do too. As for me, I’m movin right along girl.

Thanks for your comment and enjoy your weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

145 Adam February 1, 2013 at 4:01 PM

Hi Adrienne,

Nice tips! Add this one too,

Ask for email ids of the users to build a great email marketing campaigns. Just install any “pop up plugins” or any tool bars such as “viper-chill toolbar” to attract visitors to sign up for the newsletter so the news or any giveaways you publish in your blog will reach the audience easier and faster.

Thanks,
Adam.

146 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 1, 2013 at 4:41 PM: Hi Adam,

Thank you for your comment and for stopping by today.

Although I appreciate your share, I hate pop-ups. Most of my readers do too so I’m sure that wouldn’t be a very popular tip. At least not coming from me. I’m told they work though so it’s definitely a valid tip.

Hope you’ve had a great week and looking forward to the weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

147 Melanie Legaspi Twitter: melanielegaspi February 1, 2013 at 4:11 PM

Hi Adrienne!

These tips are always important. The one I like the most is the first one mainly because when I first got started I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to write. But overtime with blogging I understood how things worked. Its nice to read these types of posts because its a constant reminder.

Thanks for sharing!
Melanie Legaspi recently posted..Vitamin Powder or Vitamin Pills?

148 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 1, 2013 at 4:43 PM: Hi Melanie,

Good to see you again.

Thanks and I think these types of tips are great reminders. Sometimes we have to hear things several times before they sink in so perhaps these will be just what someone else needed to hear today.

I appreciate your comment and thank you for stopping by. Have a good weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

149 sherman smith Twitter: sks_success75 February 1, 2013 at 6:29 PM

I think the biggest problem with most people, including myself, is consistency. As much material there is to give you ideas on what to write in your blog, we tend to think we run out of things to say, so we put it off.

There is so much valuable information out there that we can use to put in our blogs that we have no excuse. Consistency is the key and if you want the success that you and other bloggers have then setting up a routine schedule to put out content is a must. Thanks for sharing!

150 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 2, 2013 at 11:59 AM: Consistency is a huge problem for many Sherman and I understand what you mean. People should just write about things they’ve learned and I know that as each new day goes by there is so much information we’ve learned that they probably have yet to share.

You HAVE to set a schedule for this and stick with it because then people will continue to struggle and wonder why they aren’t getting consistent results. Bingo!

Thank you for your comment and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

151 Chery Schmidt Twitter: cheryschmidt February 2, 2013 at 4:42 PM

Great Post Adrienne. I love all 7 tips and have been trying to implement them all one by one. If I had to pick one that I struggle with the most it would be #1 Write in your own voice:
I guess I have a problem writing like I’m talking to a good friend! I need to get more personable and do need to start sharing my own experiences when I write. I guess this does have to do with “Writing in my own voice” HUH? I will keep this in mind when I sit down tonight to write my draft. Awesome stuff Girl I am learning so much from visiting here.. Thanks Chery
Chery Schmidt recently posted..Simple CraigsList Training For Online Entrepreneurs Finale

152 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 3, 2013 at 10:49 AM: Thank you Chery,

That is an area we all have had difficulty with Chery so you’re not alone. One reader suggested taping yourself talking on the topic you want to write about and then go back and just type that out. It will help you start being able to write like you talk because if you’re like me, I use to correct it as I went along. I came from a professional background and never ever considered myself a writer. But as I learned as I went along, people relate to people so when you’re able to just relax and be yourself you’re going to have much more success.

I’m glad you’re learning from me Chery and I have so much stuff to share. Let me know if you need help in one particular area and I’ll be glad to see what I can’t do.

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend. I sure am.

~Adrienne

Reply

153 Larry Rivera Twitter: larryrivera February 2, 2013 at 6:26 PM

Hi Adrienne,

I love your list.. I think writing in your voice is the most important. I think it has taken me hundreds of blog post to really refine my writing style and how I talk to my readers.
Something I noticed in my own blogging efforts is you simply can’t make everyone happy.

…You need a clear picture of what you are trying to accomplish

For example…

For a time I was focused on getting as many comments as I could. In my case more comments didn’t actually = more money.

I know some people simply blog for the love of blogging and making money isn’t their motive and that’s awesome. I blog on a couple of blogs simply for the love it.

On my money blogs though I usually have a call to action and I noticed on those post people don’t want to comment on.

I can understand why but it was a trade off.. More money or more comments..

I haven’t quite figured out the secret decoder ring secret to get both yet
I love the list thanks for sharing

- Larry
Larry Rivera recently posted..Are You Being Truthful With Yourself?

154 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 3, 2013 at 10:44 AM: Hi Larry,

Thank you, I love hearing that. I think for the most part it takes all of us some time to find our voice. I think it’s pretty safe to say that none of us ever considered ourselves writers so we didn’t understand that whole “finding your voice” stuff. It takes time to get into the grove so to speak.

You are definitely right because so many people are determined to get a ton of comments on their blog but that doesn’t necessarily mean more money. It means more attention but are you able to turn those into people who buy from you.

Maybe the secret decoder ring is making more of those personal connections. Once they “speak” with you and see what a stand up guy you are then they’ll be more interested in hearing how you can truly help them. And Larry, I know you can!

Thank you for adding value to this conversation Larry. Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

~Adrienne

Reply

155 Sherryl Perry Twitter: keepupweb February 3, 2013 at 12:49 PM

Nice list of tips Adrienne. One of my favorite tips is to ask your readers a question. That’s key to engaging your readers. I’ve found that lots of my readers really would like to become part of the conversation but they may not always know what to say. By ending our posts with a question (or two), we’re subtly providing them with an idea that they can respond too. It also communicates to them that you value their opinions and are interested in their questions and in helping them.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Tips for Bloggers | Before You Press that Publish Button

156 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 4, 2013 at 8:27 AM: Hey Sherryl,

Thank you and you are absolutely right. Get those conversations going. Asking questions and then asking them to comment will make them feel like they are part of this. I know I never commented in the past because no one asked me. Oh, and no one asked questions either. Glad that people have evolved and this is definitely the way to get them talking.

Thank you for sharing that and great to see you again.

Have a fabulous week.

~Adrienne

Reply

157 Linda Twitter: IMarketerLinda February 3, 2013 at 8:26 PM

Hi Adrienne!

You’ve got some great tips here, but I don’t like the phone number one and I will tell ya why. Several years ago I was working for someone and I had to call everyone that signed up on the website – I hated that job, but it was something. The problem was that people were leaving FAKE phone numbers, so when I called, the person would get extremely mad at me saying that they never heard of the site and they never visited the site, the don’t use the Internet, etc. This is not something that should be done on a blog, either – it should only be done in a business…this is my personal opinion. If you’ve had success at it, that’s great, but I wouldn’t suggest it as a way to have a better blog

I think the other tips are great and I understand about not being able to get to everyone’s blog – can you imagine how long that would take..lol!! I am not on a schedule with my old blog anymore, but I do post twice a week on my new one. I am really trying hard to keep up with my #1 goal this year

Linda
Linda recently posted..Want a Free Worldwide Listing in My New eBook?

158 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 4, 2013 at 8:36 AM: Hi Linda,

Glad you enjoyed the tips but the phone number one. So let me tell you what was wrong with that scenario.

First off, it was a website probably trying to sell you something. Blogging is much different in my opinion plus I call them the same day they give me their number. Not one time have I had anyone be ugly to me or tell me they didn’t sign up. Blogging is about connecting with people so your particular experience is a totally different situation. Hey, that’s just my take on it because I’ve had nothing but success.

Glad to hear you’re going strong with one of your blogs and eager to reach that goal. I’ll definitely wish you the best of luck with that.

Thanks for dropping by Linda, always good to see you.

~Adrienne

Reply

159 Vivek Twitter: blogvkp February 5, 2013 at 2:16 AM

Thanks for this great post.

You are very correct about offering readers with social sharing options. But what I think is its placement. I mean adding the sliding social share bar is good than the social buttons above the post.
Vivek recently posted..WordPress SEO Tips To Boost Search Traffic In 2013

160 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 5, 2013 at 9:58 AM: You are most welcome Vivek!

I don’t personally like the sliding sidebar Vivek and I’ll tell you why. What most people don’t take into consideration is the screen resolution for others. They set that sliding bar up so that it’s in the right place for their eyes, but our screen resolution isn’t set the same so for most of the sites I visit, it’s off the page and I have to reduce my screen view just to see it. I find that to be more trouble then it’s worth.

~Adrienne

Reply

161 Manickam Vijayabanu Twitter: mediacrayon February 6, 2013 at 11:38 PM

Adrienne,
Very nice post and valid key points.

I could loudly say the points are very true..but following at real time is the very hard part unless if you profession only belongs blogging. The Best example would be my blog. When I started 2011 I did try to post at least 2 post a week and then it went to weekly one.

We everyone should agree that blogging is not just about writing and need lot of patience, followups, comments and also need to take care our professional and personal life.Time all does matter to me.

Indeed, Past 15 days I am trying to visit my other friends and your blog to read and pass comments but couldn’t make it due to official schedule. . Other way, time management is very crucial to hold our passion :0

Thanks for the nice post Adrienne.
Manickam Vijayabanu recently posted..Amazon Announces New Currency For Kindle Developers

162 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 7, 2013 at 8:29 AM: Hi Manickam,

Blogging isn’t easy I agree especially if you’re holding down a full time job, you have family to take care of and other things that need your attention. Personally, I don’t know how people do it because I live alone and I use to be beat when I got home. It’s hard getting motivated but had I known about this back then I would have been so excited to get home and get online.

You’re right though, it’s time consuming and it’s not just about writing content. All you can do is put some time aside every single day and make the most of it. It will pay off eventually, if you remain consistent.

Thank you for sharing that Manickam and you enjoy what’s left of this week okay.

~Adrienne

Reply

163 Hossain Twitter: creasysolve February 9, 2013 at 2:51 PM

I don’t know others, but I really don’t shear others post. You are write, I think it’s time to shear and comment others blog. Have to give something to get something.

164 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 11, 2013 at 8:23 AM: Hi Hossain,

You don’t comment on other blogs nor share other’s content? Well once you start doing that you’re going to get a lot more traffic to your site and a lot more interaction. I do hope we’ll be seeing you around more.

You’re right, you have to give before you’ll get!

Enjoy your week and thank you for your comment.

~Adrienne

Reply

165 Samuel Jeffery February 11, 2013 at 1:54 AM

Adrienne,

These are all wonderful tips. In fact, I’ve used many of these to help my travel blog achieve success in a relatively shot period of time. I’ve always found that if you’re generous with others you’ll have it come back to you in spades. That’s true in life and it’s also very true in the blogosphere.

166 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 11, 2013 at 9:18 AM: Hi Samuel,

Welcome to my blog, nice to have you stop by today.

I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been applying these tips to your travel blog with much success. That’s what I love to hear so thank you for sharing that. I’ll have to stop by your blog and check it out.

You definitely have to give in order to receive, so very true.

Thank you again and enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

Reply

167 prabhat Twitter: prabhatrayal February 18, 2013 at 11:14 PM

hey adrienne,
some nice tips, yes our voice is our own style and visiting our readers blog and leaving comments can create a bond or relationship, which can give you lots of visitors as well as traffic and conversions. we need an audience to sell our products and build a better blog. thanks for the tips

168 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 February 19, 2013 at 8:50 AM

Hi Prabhat,

Thank you, glad you enjoyed what I had to share.

I definitely agree but build those relationships with your readers and they will support you from this day forward my friend.

I appreciate your comment, thank you so much. Enjoy your week.

~Adrienne

169 prabhat Twitter: prabhatrayal February 21, 2013 at 3:35 AM: that is exactly what i want to say adrienne…engagement will help you in getting more and more from your blog
prabhat recently posted..Download Hike Messenger Free for Android, iPhone, Symbian, & Windows| Whatsapp Alternative

Reply

170 Philip Twitter: philipalex08 March 18, 2013 at 3:23 AM

Hi Adrienne,

Yeah asking my readers to share and comment worked for me. I always ask a question or 2 at the end of my posts encouraging people to interact and state their own opinion on the topic I’m writing about. After all a blog is supposed to be a place where people interact with each other.

And sharing other blogger’s content is important too. It’s your job to point your social followers to awesome resources which you know will help them.

Great tips Adrienne.Best wishes.

~Philip
Philip recently posted..Mastering the Art of Keyword Optimization and On-Page SEO

171 Adrienne Twitter: adriennesmith40 March 18, 2013 at 7:13 AM: Hi Philip,

I agree but when I first started blogging people didn’t do that so I didn’t comment. I know, silly right! There are a lot of people though just starting out that have no idea that you’re suppose to comment. Ask and you shall receive, it works!

Thank you for your comment Philip, I appreciate that you agree with what I’ve shared.

Have a great week.

~Adrienne

Reply

New to AdrienneSmith.net?

Top Commentluvvers

Most Popular Posts

Check This Out!

I’m Over Here Too!

7 Tips For A Better Blog

What You Need In Place

I Want To Hear From You

Related Posts:

New to AdrienneSmith.net?

Top Commentluvvers

Most Popular Posts

Check This Out!

I’m Over Here Too!