Blogger: trying to get to the next level

Hi Tuesday, welcome to WLC. I started my blog last September with a single post and very few followers. I started doing book reviews and then branched into author interviews. I'm not saying I have a great following either, but I think the best way to start is to do book reviews and then ask the authors to tweet your review. This sends traffic to your site and then people might follow you to see more reviews. You could also do surveys and ask people to vote on things. I'm not so sure about giveaways now that Amazon has thousands of free books every day. I've run giveaways where I had to beg people to leave a comment.

You're on the right track, but need to give it some time. I did a survey of authors and am posting it August 2. It might create some traffic as people stop by to see what others think. Just an idea.

Rachelle

I know this is going to sound like a cheat, but I would do (if you simply want more followers) is to do a giveaway every month and make it that only followers can get the prize. But make sure to market that sucker out.

Make sure that you join some sort of giveaway hop (this website is a great way to get poeple to notice your giveaway: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/) to get other bloggers and potential followers attention, that way you'll get more followers and even bloggers.

And if you get more bloggers to pay attention to your blog, then they'll pass around your blog name and their followers might follow you around.

Another way I got followers, which is a bit harder, is to network. I networked the most on Book Blog Ning. I would highly suggest joining that site (not that I'm getting paid to say this or anything) and join a group of newbie blog writers, and I'm sure that they would have a post about Follow Me, And I'll Follow You sort of thing. It's a great way to read other blogs that you might have never known and to get more followers. 

Another group you may be interested in following on Book Blog Ning is Nework Your Blog. It has a tong of bloggers, authors and other people who will help you out as far as marketing. If you put your reviews, your blog website or your Twitter name, then they will help you get some followers.

Okay, one more thing before I go: I would highly suggest joining a lot of blogs. One way to guarantee someone else will check out your blog is if you leave a comment on their blog and read their post. Yes, it's time consuming but it can be fun!

Just make sure to leave the link to your blog on the post and make sure your post is actually something thought out and different. Don't say ditto! Or something like that. Say something with meaning and with a new perspective. Like let's say you read a review on a book you recently read. The blogger hated it, but you loved it. You wouldn't just say: That's a shame, because I loved it.

You should say: Well, I didn't like that either in the book. But I think I may have a book for you, it's called . . . And maybe if you don't like that one, maybe you should try this one, I reviewed it on my blog. Check it out here [leave your blog post here]. Anyway, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. 

Anyway, that's what I would suggest. I didn't mean to go on and on, but I hope you find it helpful!