I love to write. Blogging provides a wonderful outlet for writing, because writing in a vacuum is not fun. As a blogger, I get to connect with people from all over the world. These connections are wonderful because they are part of the universal human experience.
Connecting with your blog readers is a skill that has to be honed. It is easy to document your life–journal style–on a blog, without ever connecting with readers. Your readers do want to know you, but they crave the universal human experience, too. As Carl R. Rogers said, “What is most personal is most universal.”
5 Tips for Connecting with Your Blog Readers
1. Write about personal struggles: I write about my own struggles with a rare neurological condition, called Cervical Dystonia. However, I frame the topic within the context of larger personal struggles. Most people don’t have Cervical Dystonia, but everyone has something that they are battling in their lives. Invisible illnesses are a personal passion of mine, but everyone has a cause that is dear to their heart. I let my readers know that they are not alone in the fight!
2. Reach out to other bloggers who regularly comment on your blog: After someone has commented on my blog posts a few times, I always check to see if they have a blog. If t
hey do, and their blog content is similar to mine, I ask them if they would like to be featured on my blog. Usually, the other blogger will reciprocate in kind. It’s a great way to build community and connect with readers who also write!
3. Ask a question at the end of your post: I know this piece of advice is quite common, but there is a reason for the advice. Readers want to connect with you! Giving them a prompt will invite them to give you feedback or offer advice. Prompting the readers also conveys the message that you are genuinely interested in their thoughts.
4. Always respond to comments: Before I began blogging, I was a little hesitant about leaving comments on my favorite blogs; however, when I did comment and got a response from the blogger, I would get excited! I felt like a celebrity talked to me, in a way. Once I started blogging, I realized how great it was to hear from readers and engage with them. I love responding to comments, even if it is just to say thank you for a compliment. Once I begin a dialogue with a reader, I learn a lot. In my short time blogging, people have given me great advice that I would not have found anywhere else.
5. Don’t always be perfect: Blogging shows the polished side of life. Even when I write about my personal struggles, for the sake of privacy, I gloss over the grittiest parts. There is such a thing as too
much information. That being said, I don’t have to over-share in order to be real with my readers. My favorite post that I’ve ever written was called A Day in the Life. I showcased my morning routine, a visit to the doctor, waiting an hour for the visit, my lunch getting ruined in the heat, and all that comes with having a chronic illness. That post was not just a huge success as far as views go, but I had so many new people who took the time to leave a comment. In the end, I connected with more people than normal.
At the end of the day, building community among my readers and connecting with other people is why I blog. I take great pride and joy in being able to learn from other readers and bloggers!
About Me:
My name is Sarah, and I blog at Seriously, Sarah? My blog chronicles my journey through chronic pain, but also my hope for the future. I started blogging for the purpose of bringing awareness to Cervical Dystonia, but I have come to appreciate that blogging is more rewarding that just putting words in a post.
You can connect with my on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
These are great tips, and a perfect share – thanks and enjoy your weekend!
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