GUEST BLOGGER: Rewind: Today’s post comes from @michaeldperkins who blogs at Untitled.com. Michael Perkins is a dad, a husband, a good friend, and a master side burn grower.
I’m not a professional blogger. And I don’t pretend to be. So when Chad asked me to write a post about how developing a community on a blog, I was blown away. To be honest I kind of panicked because I felt unqualified. I mean, I wrote my blog for nearly six months before I received my first comment.
In no way shape or form is this the only way to develop community. These are just a few of the things that I do because they work for me.
Others: Blogging is about others. It’s about creating a place in which people feel valued and like they matter. You could write the best post ever, but if people think you are a narcissistic jerk that doesn’t care about anyone, they won’t engage in the conversation. In fact, they’ll probably tune you out.
Pay Attention: Many comments are very honest and transparent. Take the time to read each one. And don’t hesitate to to send someone an email or even a DM over Twitter to check on them. Again, it’s about letting people know that they are important. If people feel like they matter they will return.
Ask One Question: I try to ask one specific question at the end of each post. I do this because I want everyone talking about the same the same thing. When the conversation is focused, people are more likely to engage with each other and not just me..
Be Brief: I try to keep my posts short because I want to keep the reader’s attention. I figure that if they have to spend longer than three minutes on my blog, they’ve lost interest. And if they’ve lost interest they’re probably not going to engage in the conversation.
Post In The Evening: I have experimented with different times to schedule a post. But I believe the best time is to post in the evening. I know this is contradictory to what is popular, but it gives people a chance to join in the conversation early and then check back the next morning.
Be Yourself: They’re is only one Michael Hyatt, Jon Acuff, Chad Missildine, Pete Wilson, and Scott Williams. And there is only one of you. Parody is a common thing in blogging, but people appreciate uniqueness. And if you are unique they will return and engage in the conversation.
So there you go. These are the things that I try to do to build community and encourage engagement on my blog.
What do you do to build community on your blog?
