| By :
Mark Etinger
Let's face it, blogging is here to stay. For work and for play, we're all blog publishers to a certain extent. Read on for some tips on attracting readers and building a successful blog. 1. Join a Blog Network Whether you're interested business or social blogging, it can be difficult to build a readership for your blog from scratch. That's why so many first-time blog publishers turn to blog networks -- groups of blogs operated under a common leader. Two of the most popular blog networks online today are I Can Has Cheezburger? and Gawker Media. You probably won't be able to land your blog on Gawker any time soon, but finding a small blog network to connect yourself to is still a smart move. This can help you attract sponsors looking to advertise on blogs, acquire backlinks from your fellow networkers, and boost your readership. 2. Know Your SEO If you're operating a website, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential --even if that website is a blog. Do some research online to find popular keywords on your topic, and be sure to include these inside your posts and elsewhere on your blog. This way, when people search "sports blog," for example, they'll have a better chance of finding you. You should also get in the habit of checking the search trends on Google and Yahoo! before updating your blog. This will let you know the most popular search phrases of the moment. Incorporate these phrases into your newest post, and you'll be sure to get some extra search engine hits. 3. Find Sponsors, Not Advertisers There are certain standard methods of blog advertising -- Pay-Per-Click ads, banners, etc. These methods are so standard, in fact, that many readers have trained themselves to ignore them. Instead of turning to these techniques, try reaching out to sponsors relevant to your brand. For example, if you write a fashion blog, you could contact an online boutique and volunteer to write a post about them in exchange for sponsorship. It's a win-win situation, and a much more creative way to find people to advertise on blogs. 4. Interact With Your Readers Business and social blogging presents certain advantages over print media -- namely, the ability to interact in real time. After you write a post, your readers can post comments with their thoughts and questions, and you can respond. This is a great way to build up a loyal readership. Blog publishers that are serious about promoting their blogs typically sign up for a number of social networks as well, most notably Facebook and Twitter, as well as social bookmarking services (Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, Reddit) and blog directories (MyBlogLog, Technorati, NetworkedBlogs). This will help you reach an even wider group of potential readers. With these tips for blog publishers, you should be well on your way to creating a successful blog. Good luck!
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