What’s the old adage? “If a blogger posts online and there’s no one there to read it, did it make an impact?”
Nothing’s more discouraging than diligently crafting a post, editing it to perfection, clicking publish and then….crickets.
Luckily, there are plenty of easy (and free!) ways to cast a wide net…on the net…
Here are a few simple ways to maximize your post to get the looks, likes, clicks and follow-through it deserves.
Social Media
Blogging is a super-strategic way to centralize your marketing efforts, using posts as the foundation of your social media activity. From one blog, craft at least three individual social media posts.
- Use a snappy quote
- Pose a question relating to the subject
- Use a version of the headline for your caption.
Be sure to tailor the post to the platform. What works on Instagram mightn’t vibe on LinkedIn.
Link to your post, of course. And don’t forget to tag any people or brands you mention in the blog. You never know: they might just repost it and introduce your work to a new audience!
Social media is a great quick fix, but you don’t want to solely rely on it to promote your posts. The platforms own your followers and control access and exposure with their opaque algorithms.
Blogging is a great way to build your email list, essentially a roster of potential leads. With this list, you can distribute your posts directly to an engaged audience.
Don’t have an email list? Don’t worry. It’s the perfect time to start one. And even for us tech-challenged peeps, it’s no big deal. I use MailChimp, and it’s free and easy.
Here’s how it works. When you’ve got a new post, let your email list know. There are a few ways to craft a compelling email that gets people to click and read:
Paste the entire blog in the body of the email message, so followers who don’t want to click out of their inbox can read it there. You can also include the link to your website and remind them to check out other posts.
- The other option (for the hardcore keeners!) is to write a separate newsletter that links to your blog’s topic but feels more personal. This is a great way to give your audience more of yourself while serving value.
- Once you start building your list, you can even craft email sequences of three to five messages for each blog post. Deliver unique messaging and value in each, relating to the one post. Efficient!
Pro tip: In your email message, always ask your followers to share and comment on your post. They’ve already subscribed to your list, so they’re likely fans!
Sign-Up Forms
Don’t forget to invite blog visitors to subscribe to your email list.
In the middle of a post, at a natural break in your copy, add a call-to-action to subscribe, and embed a sign-up box.
And add sign-up boxes at the end of the post. Again, Mailchimp and other email subscriber software make it easy to embed sign-ups.
Encourage Sharing
One of the best ways to build your profile, reach new eyeballs and grow your subscriber list is to encourage your readers and followers to share your post on social media.
All the major blogging platforms have simple plugins that make it easy for followers to share either the whole post (as with a social sharing button). And a “Click To Tweet” widget lets them share a quote or idea.
Signature
Add a link to your blog post in your email signature to keep building followers. You can never have too many links!
Work Your Network
With every post, think of five to 10 people – clients, colleagues, friends, peers – who might enjoy and share it. Reach out to them individually.
You can also create a peer support network with other bloggers and content creators to share each other’s work.
A word of caution: You need to be willing to return the favour when they have something to share. Choose only those whose work is relevant and appropriate to your audience. It has to deliver value. Otherwise, you’re going to annoy – and lose – followers.
Keep the Conversation Going
Writing and sharing the post is not enough. It’s like gardening: You don’t just pop the seeds in the ground and expect a bumper harvest. You must tend to your post. That means being responsive to comments, questions, shout-outs and shares.
And remember: engagement is gold. From the comments, you’ll see exactly what your audience cares about the most. And there you have it: ideas for future posts. You’re on your way!
