I was recently reading a post about what makes you subscribe to a blog. The author posed some really good questions and it made me reflect on why I follow a blog and I would love to take this conversation a step further…
As bloggers, we follow blogs for various reasons; there are many platforms that bring bloggers together, as well as those with supportive communities…and the list goes on.
But as many blogs that you choose to follow and vice-versa, what makes you not only follow, but return to that blog again and again?
For example, you could subscribe to over 300 blogs but really only read and comment on 30 of those weekly. This brings me to the question…out of the many blogs you end up choosing to follow, which are the kind of blogs that you return to again and again no matter what? The kind of blog that if you are pressed for time will be one to visit on your list?
I strive to be one of those blogs that you follow and return to, not ever wanting to miss a post. So when I think of the blogs that I follow, I wanted to share my top three reasons of what brings me back to those blogs again and again:
- A blog with well written content that I can relate to: A blogger that posts about topics I can easily connect with is a major draw for me. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about motherhood; any well written post about a topic I can sincerely relate to will get me hooked.
- A clean blog design with easy navigation: I enjoy blogs that are easy to navigate with just a few clicks. If I want to peek into the archives or get to know more about the blogger, I don’t want to have to go searching for it. And easy navigation does not have to mean a fancy blog design, just a clean design that doesn’t take away from the content.
- A blog that encourages support of its readers: I like a supportive blogger who encourages comments and wants to continue the conversation. How boring would blogging be if you never got a response? A blogger that shows support of its readers is what brings me back again and again. And I certainly don’t mean a comment for every comment. In a perfect bloggy world this would be fabulous, but we all know how unrealistic that goal would be. I’ve tried to keep up and it’s impossible. So, how do you show support? It can be displayed in various ways to fellow bloggers: via a reply to a comment, a visit to the blog, a link back to a blogger within a post, an email, a tweet or retweet of a post, the sharing of a post on Facebook, a Stumble of a particular post, a chat on a community message board, a recommendation of a blogger to another, etc… There are so many ways to help promote and show other bloggers support, so I like to return to blogs that encourage this as well.
So now I would love to hear from you! After you choose to follow a blog, what makes you return again and again? And if you are a new follower, welcome! I am so glad you are here at Theta Mom and can’t wait to check out your blog!!!
I totally agree with you. A great blogging relationship is a two-way street. Everyone wants to feel acknowledge and appreciated. Great post!
Happy SITS day!
.-= Kailani´s last blog ..Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue – Coming Soon! =-.
Love this blog!!!
.-= Erica´s last blog ..Be Our Guest! =-.
Loved reading this – you nailed the exact reasons of why I follow a blog! OH – personal relationships are huge, too. We get to “know” people out there and it makes me want to read their blogs.
Love your blog by the way – I signed up for Theta Mom a week or two ago and had no idea it was so new!
.-= Natalie at Mommy on Fire´s last blog ..Part Four: The Saving Grace of Meemo and Grandjack =-.
Thank you for sharing your “3 secrets” with us.
.-= Marie Cole´s last blog ..Sensomatic =-.
Love this… thanks so much for the tips.
Content is what brings me back. If I detect honesty and openess about one’s life in the content, I will return. If the writer is merely writing to impress and attract more readers, I will less likely return. I also like clean design blogs. I am not into fussy backgrounds or music. I can’t take black backgrounds either, it’s hard on the eyes.
.-= Italian Mama Chef´s last blog ..Creamy tomato basil soup =-.
I suppose the main reason why I follow some of the “personal” blogs I do, is the feeling that the author and I are kindred spirits. Often she’ll be voicing an emotion or a thought that I am currently dealing with, for example, Ivy League Insecurities.
Many of the blogs I follow are about the nuts and bolts of blogging, because this is new to me.
And some are lifestyle classics. Nobody does it better than Leo at Zen_Habits and ev bogue at Far Beyond the Stars.
.-= Trece´s last blog ..Embracing My Detour =-.
Thanks! These are great tips. I don’t have a blog archive showing and now I think I’ll add it!
.-= christine´s last blog ..Weekly Rewind =-.
Great post! I love getting new readers but it feels like most of them never leave a comment more than once. Although, I have not been following your suggestions about commenting back. I will definitely give that a try and hopefully gain some more feedback. Thank you so much!
.-= Tiffany´s last blog ..Let ME Do It! =-.
I just started blogging a few months back…thanks for the advice.
Your blog is great!!!
Thank you for the tips! There is so much to learn. I need to learn and remember to do more of the interactive portion of the program–linking to people in the blog, re-tweeting posts, etc. I’m new to twitter, but I’ve found some fantastic blogs just from other people retweeting posts. So I’m starting to see the big picture ….
.-= On the rocks and straight up´s last blog ..What’s that smell? Oh, wait, it’s me. =-.
So glad I found your blog and am going to sign up for your community too!
.-= Suzanne ´s last blog ..Garage Sales n’ Bra Shopping…not at the same time,,,Eww =-.
I follow the blogs I do because I feel the authors are “like me”. Busy moms trying to do a job at all that we do. Some are funny, some are serious, some are all over the place (me), but they seem like real genuine people.
And I want to write a blog that people follow because they see it as real and something they can connect to. Ultimately I write for me, but I hope that other might like it too.
.-= Mama Lungo´s last blog ..LOST =-.
Thanks for all this valuable information on blogging. I only started mySpecial Needs blog in March 2010 and all this writing and reading of blogs is so exciting. A good thing people like you can show us the ropes. Lorna d’Entremont http://www.kidcompanions.blogspot.com
This is so true!!! I just started blogging, but before that I was always on other people’s blogs and still am I love for a blogger to get back to my comments. I will definately make sure I get back to my comment =)
Since I’m new to blogging, this was such a great post. I also love to follow someone who’s blog is easy to navigate. If there’s 100 buttons on there and I have no clue where the archive box is, then this is where they will lose me. I also only follow people when I know that I will definitely return later on. I don’t “follow” just to follow. thanks for the info.
.-= Uyen´s last blog ..what happened to the lazy days of summer =-.
I’ve just started my blog a couple of weeks ago, thank you for this post, very helpful!! I read blogs based on interest and the bloggers interest in their readers. If its updated regularly is helpful as well.
I really liked this post because it’s great to see what other bloggers are looking for when reading or following a blog. I guess a lot of others have the same thing, lots of followers but little return readers. It’s ok that I have a handful of regular readers. I LOVE to write and I certainly can’t connect with everyone.
I usually read my favorites everyday because no matter what they write I can always connect with what they’ve said. I can some how always relate to their words.
I really enjoyed your article about following blogs. I began a blog site about a week ago, and still I am not quite sure what I am doing. I would love someone to check it out and let me know.
Thanks!
Cheri
I follow blogs that are thoughtfully written and provocative. I love it when they are creative and funny, but underneath it all, I want them to be smart. Fluffy blogs with lots of personal ranting and raving don’t keep my interest. Personal ranting and raving has to connect with the reader somehow, and many blogs don’t.
I’d second your comments on reader support, too. But the reader support has to be meaningful, not just people linking up a bunch of fluffy stuff or I get annoyed.
I started a new series on my blog this past week and look forward to it catching on over time. I’m calling it “Sunday Standpoint.” I write a post on a parenting/family leadership issue and then encourage others to write on the same topic and link up during the week. They can take a totally different stand than I do. Disagreement is how we learn. I’ve posted topics ahead for the next month. I really hope others will welcome the opportunity to write about issues that matter and have a shared dialog in the comments. Check it out at: http://www.leadingmama.com/sunday-standpoint.html This week’s post is on the topic “Honesty is the best policy”
Thank you for the great information! Great blog by the way!
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Humour and being able to relate to the content is why I tend to follow a blog. I love to laugh and I love to read that I’m not the only one going through a particular situation. The ones that make me laugh out loud keep me coming back for more!
I’ve got to say, you hit the nail on the head here. I am not picky about specific “blog genres”, but when it comes to well-written and easy-to-relate blogs, you can definitely count me in as a follower!
I love coming back to blogs where there isn’t a lot of things all together where I don’t know where to click. It has to be clean and nicely designed.
Great post! I have lots of readers, but not as many followers. If you like me, please follow me.
couponsRyours.blogspot.com and mavishomework.blogspot.com
To be honest I dón’t follow the blogs in my GFC list. I use my bookmarks.
However, I do follow people, just to return the favor of them following me. Unfortunately my amount of followers are not reflected in my statistics… So I’m thinking lots of people follow blogs, only to never return!
I’ve fallen out of love with GFC!
I feel the same way that you do about GFC. I haven’t been blogging regularly for very long, and I try not to measure my blogging success by this, but I find that my number of followers are not reflected in my stats and it’s discouraging.
Great comment!
This has already been said, but the number one reason why I follow a blog is feeling connected to the blogger. I want to hear about their life. Day to day things, family, experiences, real feeling and emotion. I started out wanting to be an information resource, and I still like to keep that as a component of my blog, but I am learning to share more of myself like so many others do
It looks like you have a dead link for SITS. (I just tried googling it and couldn’t find the site)
A super huge thank you for writing a blogging manual! This is awesome, I wish I found it when I started my blog. Thank you!!
I think you hit the nail on the head. I think all bloggers love to see comments or shares. It’s so validating and of course, communicating back is, for me, the best part. I blog because I like to write and I like to ‘meet’ other perspectives so building those relationships through commenting back is important to me. I also try to promote the work of others when I see something I like. I do find it sad though, that there are those who find reciprocating unnecessary.
I just found your blog today and an enjoying a tour through. Thank you!
~M
Good tips on how to get loyal blog followers – really knocked some senses into my head. Thanks for sharing these!
I am hooked on your blog! I am a new follower but already know I will visit often. I agree that I go back to blogs that post content that I can relate to and also humorous content brings me back when I need a laugh.
I just started my blog a month ago and its in the beginning stages, but I am enjoying getting to know the blogging world! 
Congrats on a well designed and well written blog- I will for sure be a reader! 
Britney
I savour, cause I found exactly what I was taking a look for.
You have ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day.
Bye
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