I remember telling my graphic designer Niki that when my blog was finished, I wanted to blog all the time. To post my work, to share what I’ve learned, and probably more realistically, to hear the sound of my own voice. Just kidding. Sort of.

Once it was up and running though, I started to realize that blogging was going to be more of a challenge than I’d originally thought. Formatting my images was taking me forever (fortunately BlogStomp came in a saved the day), and then there was the issue of recruiting readers, and then- what on earth do I write about? It’s taken me a while to figure out a system that [mostly] works for me, but I still have times when my blogging prowess falls flat on its face. Like I love that Jasmine Star can blog about something as mundane as a toothbrush and still garner something like 250+ comments. If I blog about my toothbrush? My dad would probably mention it later, like “Yeah, I saw your blog post about the toothbrush… why did you feel the need to share that with everyone?” And my Granny would comment, but that’s because she loves me unconditionally.

Toothbrushes aside, here are some lessons I’ve learned that work for me when it comes to keeping your audience engaged and wanting more:

1) Blog often/at regular intervals. This relates back to my post on consistency. If you leave your blog untouched for 2 months then go on a blogging spree and post 12 entries in two days, a couple of things will happen: a) all of those entries you post won’t receive the proper attention because in your effort to catch up, you’ve created a bunch of white noise for yourself, 2) you’ll overwhelm your audience, and III) you’re not creating any sort of loyalty. Your readers may come back a few times within the next couple of days, but by leaving your blog un-updated again, you’re teaching them that visiting your page is a waste of time, except for when you go on the occasional blogging spree.

2) If you’re going to blog about nothing (like a toothbrush), make it memorable. Instead of blogging “This is a portrait of my toothbrush. It does a really good job of cleaning my gumline and it helps me avoid gingivitis,” you could write about how you’ve been an “Oral-B-or-bust” kind of person since you were 6, and that Oral B Brush-Ups should never have been discontinued (amIright??), and that when you die? You want to be buried with your soft-bristled friend and a tube of Colgate White. Or something. Whatever you do, make it memorable, whether it’s hilarious, serious, or personal.

3) CONNECT. One thing that all of the blogs I stalk have in common is that they’re not afraid to get raw. I feel like if Jasmine Star and I were to sit down for coffee, we’d already be friends because of how great of a job she does at exposing her personality on her blog. It’s what keeps me coming back- her blog posts are like chatting with one of my gal pals. Except, you know, it’s more of a one-sided conversation. I want my readers to feel the same way about my blog- that reading my posts allows them to get to know me better, that my personality shines through.

4) Post early in the day. I usually write my blog posts the night before, so all I have to do is hit “Publish” the next morning. Posting early in the day gives you the broadest window to garner an audience for that day’s material- you can post the link a few times over on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day to make sure you reach people who may be online at lunch but weren’t on at 9 am for your first Tweet/status update.

5) Link out! Post links to anything relevant, whether it’s another photographer’s page, an awesome new product that you love or a post you’ve written in the past. Linking out boosts your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and can help bump you up on the Google ranking.

6) Comment. Comment comment comment. Leaving words on someone else’s page can also help to boost your SEO, especially if the page you’re commenting on is a high-traffic one. If you see a blog post you love, leave them a note saying so. Tell them which photo was your favorite, or offer some words that contribute to their post. I love receiving blog comments- it helps me know which posts are working and which ones aren’t. Plus, they make me feel loved, and that’s always a good thing. I originally set a goal of commenting on 5-7 different blogs per day, but I’ve gotten so used to doing it (because I love encouraging people!) that I’ve left upwards of twenty in one day. Just make it a habit; if you stop by a blog and like what you see, why not tell them what a great job they did?

What are some of your blogging best practices?

Happy Wednesday!