5 Ways to Support Your Favorite Blogger
A blog post on blogging…..we all knew it was going to come to this someday. And now, that day is here. Get excited! Or scared. Whatever. You know you’re excited. Okay, so I get a lot of questions sometimes from non-bloggers about blogging (and to be fair, a lot of people don’t care too) so I thought today I would draw back the curtain a little bit and share ways to YOU can support your favorite blogger…I won’t make you name names.
1. Read their blog. *Wow, this is some mind-blowing stuff, Kate.* Okay, just hear me out. I love it when people read my blog. I love all of you! I appreciate that you take the time out of your busy life to sit down and be a part of my world. Your attention in this huge, diverse, mile-a-minute world is something I don’t take lightly. I am so happy that you come to Kate Moving Forward to learn something, to be inspired, to feel like you’re not alone and to be challenged to live your best life.
2. Comment on their blog (or Facebook post or Instagram post or Tweet). Comments are the way bloggers know their message is resonating with you. I love comments and try to respond to each one. I used to be a huge lurker (someone who reads regularly but never comments) on blogs, but I finally got over my virtual shyness, since I’m not really a shy person anyways, and just started commenting! So if you are a “lurker” please feel free to come out from the shadows in the comments!
3. Share their post via Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest! This will make your favorite blogger love you forever! Most bloggers make it easy on you with little “share this” icons at the bottom of their blog posts. Sometimes I even pre-plan a nifty little “Tweet this” box so you can tweet with a click. Spreading the word about a blog you love is awesome and is a great way to share a topic, passion, or inspiring piece with your friends. Don’t passive-aggressively tag people in posts or tweets though, that would be #rude!
4. Interact with them on social media. Social media is kind of the lifeblood of blogging, no matter how great your content is it doesn’t matter if you don’t have eyes on it! So like your favorite bloggers Facebook page: comment on their photos and like their posts. This is huge for Facebook because of the way the algorithim works. For example, I have 700 Facebook fans on my page, but sometimes as few as 20 people will see my posts! When people comment, share or like a post on Facebook, the FB bots see that it has value and share it with more people. Similarly, liking or repinning pins gives bloggers good “juice” on Pinterest and their pins pop up in more people’s feeds, leading more people to their blog. Tweeting at a blogger or tagging them on Instagram are great ways to share your love of a blog too.
5. Be supportive of ads, affiliates and sponsored posts. Want to know a secret? I get paid to blog sometimes. It’s awesome! When I do sponsored posts I pick products that I think are great and try to incorporate them in my posts in a way that is relevant and interesting to you! I also have ads on my blog and affiliate opportunities (like when I link to products on Amazon or another site). These help offset the cost of running this blog (yes, it takes money to keep this beauty up and running!) and support me and my family. Actually, all of my “blog money” goes in our savings and will someday go to getting me an epic mom-mobile. So you can be a part of this crime against humanity that we all know I’ve been heading toward for some time milestone through supporting Kate Moving Forward with your reading, comments, sharing and interactions.
Mostly, I just want to say thank you for being a part of my healthy living journey. I started this blog as a simple check-in for losing weight and it has become so much more than that. I’ve been blessed in so many ways and I’m excited for what is in still to come. Always moving forward.
Who is your favorite blogger? Some of the “classics” that I love are Pioneer Woman, Fitnessista, & J’s Everyday Fashion.
What has been one of your favorite posts at Kate Moving Forward?
Do you have a question for me? I love questions! Sometimes I even turn them into posts! Ask away!
Yes to all but especially #5 as I don’t think people understand that side of it very much.
Yeah, it is seldom talked about on blogs that aren’t for bloggers, but I think it’s important that people get and cheer on sponsorship opportunities for their favorite bloggers! That’s how bloggers can make more great content and can lead to more awesome things from them for you (I’m thinking of Pioneer Woman, her blog led to her cookbooks, that led to her show, that is now leading towards a store and awesome kitchen products!).
I am obsessed with J’s everyday fashion! and your blog of course! It’s my daily reading material at work 😉
Isn’t she so cute? Did you see her engagement picture dress–gorgeous!!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing your ideas and I have also Pinned and Tweeted… so I can share for you, too.
Thanks Elle!
Ha! Yes to all for sure. I get a sense that some get sort of angry when they realize a blogger is making some money. Maintaining a blog takes lots of effort.
Yes, it certainly does! I feel like when blogger gets paid they see themseleves as professionals and build better content and can sometimes get some cool perks for their readers. My posts and sites have only gotten better since I’ve recieved paid campaigns and ads. 🙂
Many of your tips are similar to ones that I’ve shared on my blog networking posts as well. A little bit of love for a blog definitely goes a long way!
For sure! I think it’s great for bloggers to network as readers and fellow bloggers. 🙂
Great tips and yes, sometimes we blog for money. I have to support my race habit somehow and I’m pretty sure my husband would frown upon me being a street walker…
Hahaha! At least you have a backup plan! 😉
Such great tips! We all need each other to find success and can learn so much from each other too! Great post Katie!
The tide raises all boats~ Thanks for your support Sandra!
I do all of these daily. I’m happy to promote and support blogging friends.
Thanks Jill! You are super-supportive blogging friend! Thanks for that!
Hi Kate!
Just wanted to say HI and that I do indeed support your blog! I don’t think I’ve ever posted a comment here before, but thanks for your awesome posts. I look forward to reading more in the near future 🙂
Haylie x
Thanks Haylie!! So happy you chose today to comment and for your support! I also LOVE the name Haylie! 😀
What do you mean by passively aggressively tagging on social media? I don’t know if I’ve been committing a major faux pas I didn’t know about!
Haha! Oh, like if you read an article about “how to control your obnoxious child in public” and you share it on your wall and tag your sister-in-law. That would be uncool. Or “5 ways to spring clean your home” and tag your husband with a note of “get on it”–Well. I may actually consider that one. lol! It was meant to be funny more than anything, I don’t think too many people actually do that!
Ha ha okay! I was thinking like when you share someones post and you tag them. I was like oh no, I always do that!
Yeah, I should probably reword that whole sentence…you know when something makes sense in YOUR head but not to anyone else…? Haha! Thanks!
Now if I could just get all my readers to do this things would be grand!
Haha! Of course! I love seeing my readers engage too….it is helpful to see what kind of content most resonates with them so I can keep producing that type of stuff. 🙂
Definitely we should comment on a post if we like it, this will let the blogger know they are doing a good job.
Yeah, and not only that but that their topic, recipe, workout, whatever resonated with you.
Great tips! I have been trying to be better about sharing people’s content on twitter. I used to do it a lot because I like sharing things I find interesting, but lately have not had as much time to dedicate to twitter…sigh! I think our blogging group on Facebook really helps though especially with finding new bloggers to connect with.
True! Twitter is probably the social media platform I feel least connected with, but even though I have the highest number of followers there I have significantly less traffic from that platform to my actual posts. There are just so many angles is social media you can focus on and for better or for worse that is one I feel like I link drop and leave. 😛
Great post. I think that many of our readers are NOT bloggers… and therefore they don’t understand the inner workings of blogging (commenting, sharing, clicks, etc). THey like to read adn move on. 🙂
Exactly! And many are happy to help in any way they can (especially easy ways!) they just need the info.
These are great! I think #3 is the most important. If you love it, share it!! (I’m sharing this post now!)
Thanks Heather! 😀
Yay for #2, 3, and 4. I understand the frustration of writing a post about something you’re passionate about, and spend time on, and maybe it reaches a handful of people of FB. Great idea to share these ‘behind the scene’ details with your readers. I’m
Thanks Sarah!
Thank you for writing this! It has been a goal of mine for quite sometime to do what you’re doing and get paid to review products. What’s the best techniques to building a following and getting to this point? What is the biggest piece of advice you have to offer me on being successful? I would appreciate so much if you checked out my own blog and gave me some pointers!
Thank you in advance!
Your Friend In Blogging,
Brittany