What is it, exactly, that you hope to accomplish with your blog? Are your goals purely pragmatic, with the ultimate aim being to sell advertising space or improve your page ranking? Or are you interested in something more idealistic, such as promoting causes or ideas that you are passionate about? Whatever your desires, the success of a blog is determined in large part by one decisive factor – the depth of its readership. By working to develop a vibrant “community” of readers, you can inspire your readers to visit your publication on a recurring basis and spread your work to their friends and family.
It’s hard to define exactly what constitutes an online “community.” Unlike physical, Earth-bound communities, online groups do not necessarily share physical living space or resources. Instead, these intangible bonds are often formed around an equally intangible core – an idea. No matter if you’re providing daily updates about fashion preferences or reviewing the latest laptop computer, online readers have come to your publication because they are interested in the ideas you present. Therefore, in order to retain your readership beyond an initial perusal of your blog, you must regularly develop your content. A blog transforms into a community when readers believe that the blog publisher will provide a content “resource” for them which they will enjoy. In this instance, the raw materials are text, images and sound. The more you can develop your content, the more quickly you can expect previously anonymous readers to begin responding to your work, manifested as comments or increasing attendance numbers.
Physical communities are often quantifiably measured by their population’s level of activity. In many ways, online blogs are no different. The larger your blog becomes, the higher chance of audience interaction via responses to your work. Whatever comments you receive – criticisms, approval, casual conversation – you should make it your first priority to respond to your readers. Even if you just take enough time to thank them for their posting, this display of gratitude on your part will help inspire them to return. The more receptive your blog appears, the easier it will be to develop an active dialogue and conversation within your blog community.
Although the task of developing a readership is already difficult enough, aspiring bloggers (such as you and I both!) must distinguish themselves within a massive field of previously existing blogs and those which have yet to make their first online appearance. One of the most effective ways of captivating and exciting your audience is to discover and share material that larger blogs have not. If readers begin to identify your blog as a source of exclusive, unique content, they will regularly check back in order to ensure that they haven’t missed something fascinating. And what better way to reward your audiences for their patronage than by surprising them?
As with the majority of projects and endeavours today, the most effective strategy for developing an online community around your blog is to remain persistent. “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and your blog “family” won’t be either. With time, however, you will begin to see a unique cast of online characters find their way to your work on a repeating basis. As you’ll find out, this is truly a rewarding experience. Good luck!
About the author: Rob Greenberg is an internet marketing and social media specialist. He works as a copyright consultant at a plagiarism checker software company.