How to Build an Awesome Community For Your Blog

I remember when I first started my blog, writing a post, publishing it, only to get about 30 or so views.  In those early days there was hardly any interaction and I am not sure if anyone ever shared any of my posts.  I had a few people following me on social media, but there was a definite tumbleweed about my accounts.  That was o.k, as I started my blog for my family, as a record of our lives and I didn’t really think people I didn’t know would ever read my blog.

Fast forward almost 2 years (a couple of weeks short!) and I have a social media following of almost 20k, I am ranked #42 in Tots100, #2 in the Teads Lifestyle rankings, have a retweet reach on average of over 1 million and I am lucky enough to be the beneficiary of lots of lovely comments on my posts; posts which are shared a lot by quite a few people.  Bragging?  No, just giving you some background into how the landscape of my blog has changed during this time.

So how did I grow the community around my blog?  What worked for me to encourage people to return to my blog and support me?  Here are my tips.

  •  Just Be You

I think the most important advice I can give is to just be yourself.  People will identify with you, if you show your real self, so show it.  Last week I wrote about finding your blogging voice so this post might help you in this area.  No-one wants to feel like they are reading a textbook, so let your personality shine through!

  • Content

How do you stand out among the sea of blogs?  Do you take wonderful pictures?  Offer useful tutorials or simply share your family life in a beautiful way that captures your reader’s imagination and draws them in?  Find your thing, your USP.

  • Consistency

How often do you post?  Consistently is so important.  Whether you post daily or weekly, regularity is key.  Disappearing for weeks on end with no updates will make it difficult to build a relationship with your readers.

  • Run a linky

Hosting a linky gives you a wonderful opportunity to create a community around the linky, but also around your blog.  I run four linkys and each has its own community with lovely groups of regulars, some of which have spilled over into being regulars on my own blog outside the linky.

  • Include a question at the end of your posts

Asking a question at the end of the post, gives readers an ideal opportunity to contribute and add their thoughts or experiences.  This communication is vital for developing your community.

  • Shout about others

Have you read a post recently that you loved?  Discovered a wonderful new blog?  Then share them.  Share them on social media and maybeeven mention them in a new post. Be genuine and share them because you want to, not for any strategic reasons.  These people will appreciate it and they deserve it.  Full stop.  This is how relationships are made.  Tag them though so they know you loved the post or their blog.

  • Respond to comments

If someone takes the time to respond to your post and leave a comment, I feel it is only good manners to respond to them.  In reality responding to every comment, especially if you are simply saying thank you, is not always possible or particularly beneficial to anyone.  Striking a balance is important.  If someone asks you a question or leaves a thoughtful comment then respond to them.  No-one wants to feel as if no-one’s listening to them.  Responding to comments is very important in building your blog community.

  • Make sure it is easy for people to leave comments

If it is too difficult and people have to log in to various systems, then you may find that they just don’t bother.

  • Social Media

This one can take a lot of time, but it is so important to hang up regularly on social media.  Start conversations, respond to questions, share the work of others.  Just get involved.  Yes it is time-consuming, but it is worth it.  You don’t have to be super active on all platforms, just use your favourite ones to have interactions on.  I use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook actively.  The other platforms are much more in the background.

  • Write sharable posts

Your post should have a good headline that sums up the post.  Is it something that will be useful to others or that they will identify with?  Also make sure you have some easy means of social sharing set up on your blog.  I use Shareaholic, which is a WP plugin.

  • Connect others

Help people out. If someone has a problem and you know someone who could help, then fix them up, send a tweet and introduce them.  They will both remember it AND it is a nice thing to do.  Good karma should never be underestimated.

  • Be creative

Think of ways to get your readers involved.  Set up a challenge, an Instagram #, a regular feature showcasing others.  Whatever you feel passionate about, do it and your community will grow.

  • Guest post

Posting on someone else’s blog can be a great way to bring new people into your own blog’s community.

  • Attend a blogging event

Going to a blogging event is a great way to make new blogging friendships and strengthen existing ones.  I met one of my best friends, Em, at a blogging conference.

  • Give yourself time

These things don’t happen overnight.  Allow yourself time to grow your blog, become more confident in your style and the community will follow.

Do you feel as if your blog has a community?  What factors were most important in this development for you?

I remember when I first started my blog, writing a post, publishing it, only to get about 30 or so views.  In those early days there was hardly any interaction and I am not sure if anyone ever shared any of my posts.  I had a few people following me on social media, but there was a definite tumbleweed about my accounts.  That was o.k, as I started my blog for my family, as a record of our lives and I didn't really think people I didn't know would ever read my blog.

Comments 75

  1. Yet another really useful blog post from you – thank you!! I hadn’t considered going to a blogging event but maybe I should? Any recommendations on one to go to? I am near London….

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  2. Very informative and good tips here! I’m still a newbie to blogging so this one is definitely a worthwhile read for me… Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Yes! This is such a great post Aby. Really helpful for me too. Thanks you so much for sharing. There is always so much to learn about blogging and so many skills to develop I love it. Sometimes it all gets on top of me but I think that is only normal and it is best to keep going. Of course for me I keep going for enjoyment because I truly love blogging for what it is and all the extras are just a bonus which of course I am very grateful for. I hope that my blog is authentic I try and make sure I am one hundred percent myself but I think that possibly this shows through a growing following in one way or another. All in all I think it just a great community bursting with truly wonderful people. Thank you you for all your knowledge lovely xx

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  4. Fab post,just the right time for me as I’ve been feeling a bit “what’s the point” when I post and 2 people have a quick look but then I remember why I started it and think “sod it” x

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  5. What a Great post! I am only 4.5 months into my blog and although someone is generally reading daily i haven’t got a big followings. It’s really lovely to receive likes and comments from some blogs that have really inspired and it’s interesting to think of what I can do to make it better. Thanks x

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  6. Some really great tips here Aby! I recently started my first linky #PositivelyPosted on Friday’s and it has given me the opportunity to meet some new bloggers! Although I’ve been blogging 8 months now, i’m still experimenting to find my voice but I’m always myself as you advice above! Will keep working hard and good things will come!

    Angela from daysinbed.com

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  8. Great post and some really good points in here. One thing of importance though is the time you put into it and the fact the more time you have available to work on your blog the more results you will see. When i have the time to take part in linkies (which means i also read other people’s posts and try and comment on at least 2-3) i see that i receive many more visits and comments. Which is very nice to receive. Also when i have time to do some scheduling of posts through buffer for example again i see an increase in traffic that is very visible. But i don’t always have time to write the posts, share them and do the links and use social media for increasing reach etc. One good thing about blogging is that if you really enjoy it (which i do despite the lack of time) you can make it work as long as you put in the time and energy but it is a very time hungry process 🙂 Isn’t it? Thanks Laura

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  9. Fab advice as always Aby. I need to improve on a few of these, I would love to start a linky but have no idea where to start!
    Becky xx
    #TwinklyTuesday

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  10. This is a great post. I love joining in linkys but I dont feel brave enough to host one yet. #TwinklyTuesday

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  11. Really useful post for me as I try and rediscover my blogging mojo – it kind of got left by the wayside a bit after baby number two arrived last year so I feel like I’m still starting out even though my blog has existed for more than 18 months. Trying to rediscover what it is I want my blog to be and your site is proving especially helpful so thank you! #TwinkleTuesday

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  12. Yet another brilliant post, huni! It’s always nice when others read what you’ve been writing. I’ll be sharing on Pinterest 🙂

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  13. As always a fantastic post to help bloggers like me out! I’m trying so hard to get my blog community up but it takes some dedication too and I need to get myself into the habit of making time to build it up properly while being true to myself at the same time like you say. Xx

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  17. Wow your RT reach is phenomenal – congrats to you and all your hard work Aby. These are great tips and I find as I am working on it and building things patience and as you say consistency is the key. Thank you for sharing 🙂

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  18. Fab tips Aby. I think the ‘Just Be You’ tip is a great one. I hear and see so many bloggers saying they’ve lost their mojo — or are unhappy with their blogs. I think, very often, it’s because they’re trying to be too many things to too many people.

    If a blogger has writer’s block, very often it’s because they’re writing about something they don’t feel enthused or inspired by. The best writers say ‘write about what you know’. I think this really comes across in a lot of blogs I read. The most engaging copy is something that the writer clearly feels passionate about! It comes bouncing off the page! Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday — hope to see you again next week! x

    Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk

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  21. Great tips here Abby. I’ve come across so many blogs recently where the Comment Box is just so difficult to find that I’ve had to give up! I do think a niche is important, I often question whether I’ve found mine but I guess it’s writing about life with teens – there aren’t many blogs out there in this category. Who know?! Thanks for hosting The List.

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  22. I love these posts by you Aby. You always answer questions I’ve been finding the answers to all week. 🙂 Another really great post full of useable tips and advice. I’m so new at blogging (6 months this week!) and your blog clinic posts have been so helpful. They’re my go to! xxx

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  24. Really great post. I tend to find myself running out of time to blog when everyday life gets in the way. Think I need to schedule in the blogging and building a community time.

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  25. Yet again more wonderful tips – that is certainly your USP 🙂 i have been trying to do most of the things on your list but not sure I’ll ever make the Tots 100 #TheList

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  26. These are such important points that I do try to take on board – attending a blogging event is difficult as I am not in the UK but I am planning a series of guest blog posts … once I can find the time to sort it out!

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  28. This is really helpful! Not sure I’ve got my head around twitter yet, but I know I need to stick at it. It feels like I’m nattering to myself and everyone else is going (Big Brother Nikki Graham style) ‘Who IS she. Who IS she?????’. 😀

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  29. Yet another useful post, love all of your blogging tips posts. I just wish I had the time and energy to be able to achieve them but I don’t have time to do anything these days as my baby is so difficult xx #thelist

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  33. Thankyou so much for hosting #thelist. I love this post, so many great ideas and you have proven they clearly work! Thankyou for sharing your knowledge, it is so helpful when you’re just stating out like me! I think my next mission is to try and attend a blog event

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  34. Enjoying reading your blogging advice as always! Can’t believe you’ve only being doing this two years! Wow! Great tips there, I hope I can grow my blog in to something more, I love it so much x

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  37. Another great post with lots of fabulous advice Aby. Having started two new blogs this year it’s interesting – and fun! – going back to basics and building up my community again. But you’re right, it takes time and effort. Hope to see you at Blogfest? x #TheList

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  38. Thanks Abi great tips I am guilty of wanting it all now! lol!! Trying to be patient and keep at it!! 🙂 You have achieved a fantastic amount in 2 years. Thank you for hosting #TheList

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  39. Great advice. It makes me realise I’m doing some things right, and gives me some areas to work on. I’m pretty rubbish at social media stuff and would love to run a linky one day, but I’m only a just over a month in, so I’m going to take your advice and give myself time and hopefully a community will develop! #TheList

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  41. Ahh so true and I love the little community I feel apart of from my blog. It has changed so much for me. Great tips. Thank you for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme

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  43. Wonderful tips and so comprehensive – you’ve done so well in your 2 years of blogging and lovely of you to share some of the reasons why 🙂 Mim x #thelist

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