Linking Your Blog to Other Social Networks

Related to building a following, I have found it helpful to have my blog linked to other social networks. Every time I post on my blog, both Twitter and Facebook automatically announce my new post. Many, many more people are hanging out on Facebook and Twitter than are going around reading blogs, so that garners more readers for me than if I just depended on my blog followers alone.

My first recommendation is to sign up for Networked Blogs and have it linked to your Facebook account. You can then set it up to feed to your blog's Facebook page (if you have one) or your personal Facebook page. It usually posts title, the first picture, and the first few lines of text from your post. I have found that often people will leave a comment on Facebook instead of my blog, so be sure to follow up on those comments, too.

You can also set up a TwitterFeed account to have your blog posts automatically feed to your Twitter account. This posts the title of your blog post and a link. Use catchy titles. I've noticed in my Feedjit box that Twitter does bring in readers.

Building a Blog Following

The key to having a successful social media presence is to build a following. You can have the most professional blog layout and the best content in the world, but if no one is reading it then it's not doing you a whole lot of good.

Be sure and add a Followers gadget to your sidebar to make it easy for readers to follow you.

I also recommend Networked Blogs. This is a great tool for connecting with other bloggers, and also for having your blog posts feed to your Facebook page. You can put a gadget for this on your sidebar as well. The gadget shows how many followers you have and makes it easy for others to follow you.

The only way to build a blog following is to be involved in the blogging community. And yes, it does take a commitment of time.

• Read other homeschool blogs. Leave comments.
• Read other non-homeschool blogs that interest you. Leave comments.
• "Follow" any blogs that you know you'll enjoy keeping up with. (Note: For social networking purposes, I "follow" way more blogs than I have time to keep up with regularly.) 
• Follow up on comments left by others on your blog. Return the visit. Leave comments.
• Link to your blog on other social networking sites.
• Advertise your blog at conventions. 
• Mention your blog in your workshops.
• Mention your blog in SCC Connect mailings.
• List your blog address in your email signature.