Facebook For Bloggers: 31 Ways Facebook Helps You Blog Better

By: Janice Wald | February 14, 2016 | Tags: bloggers, Facebook, Facebook groups, Facebook pages, Facebook.com, fb, how to use Facebook to increase blog traffic |

Facebook for bloggers.

Are you having trouble growing your blog traffic?

Are you disappointed with the results traditional social media brings?

Are you considering abandoning your efforts at sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+?

Well, don’t!

At least, don’t abandon your efforts at Facebook. It is definitely worth your time invested in using it.

Are you ready to learn about Facebook for bloggers?

Recently, while answering questions at Quora, I was asked, “Should I have a Facebook account? As a blogger, do I need it?” My answer was simple. Yes!

Facebook for bloggers is a recognized value of Facebook.

Of all the social media sites, Facebook remains the most popular. The site currently has more than one billion users, covering 20% of the world’s population. According to recent news stories, Founder Mark Zuckerberg is trying to grow that number even further.

Update: July 2020: Despite Zuckerberg’s advertiser boycott, Facebook for bloggers is known far and wide as a valuable force that will push bloggers’ momentum forward.

Let’s learn about the value of Facebook for bloggers:

Facebook for Bloggers: 31 Reasons Bloggers Should Use Facebook

Facebook helps you massively increase your blog traffic. According to Danielle, the admin blogger from Snippets of Inspiration, using the site quadrupled her blog stats. Facebook is my second leading referrer of traffic next to StumbleUpon and was my leading referrer of traffic last year.
Facebook has users that admit being addicted to using the site. This compulsion to use it could work to your advantage if those using it become part of your community.
Facebook enables you to make new blogging connections. Mark Newsome reports that even after the groups he’s joined disbanded, the contacts he made in the groups were maintained.
Facebook enables you to strengthen your blogging connections. Members of groups such as the California Mom Bloggers send each other holiday gifts. Also, as you become close blogging friends, which is inevitable if you are a successful blogger, social media sites give you a forum outside of the blog in which to connect and get to know each other better.
Facebook has a tool called Messenger. I regularly message many of my blogging friends. This is just like Emailing them. Email is a valuable tool for bloggers to connect off the blog. You could use Messenger to reach each other about issues your other readers wouldn’t be interested in.
Facebook allows you to find guest authors. While promoting there, I met the authors of my posts How to Have a Popular Blog [and Should You?] and Clarissa Wilson, the author of 5 Reasons Paper.li Will Make You See More Blog Traffic, among others.
Facebook has great potential for your blogging future. Since the site is continuing to grow in numbers, you won’t be wasting your time promoting on a site that won’t be around for long.
Facebook increases your knowledge. As a matter of fact, SocialCaffeine published a list of 37 Facebook pages that offer information about blogging and social media.
Facebook ~~makes~~ tries to make sure using their site doesn’t put malware on your computer according to blogger Holly Jahangiri.
Facebook groups allow you to promote your posts. Many groups such as The Women of MidLife allow you to self-promote.
Facebook groups allow you to get your wishes granted. The Blog Engagement Group allows you to post a wish that other bloggers can grant.
Facebook allows you to see who has been viewing your profile. If someone is interested, you might want to go network with them. Perhaps your reciprocating their interest will help them decide to become a permanent reader.
Facebook allows you to advertise your blog across several platforms. You can post your blog link, graphics, and videos. All these can engage readers. For example, when I wrote about Grammarly, I posted it to my timeline believing many people want correct grammar wherever they are on the Internet whether or not they are bloggers.
Facebook allows you to help other people. Bloggers usually find helping people fulfilling. According to SnippetsofInspiration, the site has many Reciprocation groups that allow you to help others. They may be hard to find since they don’t normally have “Reciprocation” in the title.
Facebook groups allow you to find new ways to network. Since you will be finding new blogs to read and new bloggers to meet, networking, which is the key to blogging success, becomes a whole lot easier.
Facebook groups allow you to find collaborators. While promoting there, I met Saso. He and I use to stumble each other’s links at StumbleUpon. (Note: If you are subscribed to MostlyBlogging, I’d be happy to stumble your links for you.)
Facebook groups allow you to find giveaways. In my travels around the site, I met Smitha Arons who gave me tips on using giveaways to promote my Blog Critique Service.
Facebook allows you to host giveaways. Blogging guru Kim Garst gives free Ebooks away in exchange for Email addresses.
Facebook teaches potential readers more about your brand due to your Facebook page cover graphic. Many others have graphics that show laptops, exotic locals, graphics that indicate what blogging niche the admin blogger is in. At sites like Canva, you can select “Facebook cover.” Then your cover graphic will be the right size for your page.
Facebook groups allow you to promote your pins. Groups often have various sharing threads. One of the popular threads is to share a link to a Pinterest pin. Pinterest Pals is a group designed for the sole purpose of sharing Pinterest pins.
Facebook allows you to find your blogging connections on other social media platforms. Many groups, such as the Women of MidLife put together directories with their members’ social media profiles. I have been asked many times to add my Twitter handle to directories.
Facebook is an easy place to promote due to the predictability of its users. Research exists which tells you to promote on there between 9 and 11 pm and on Sundays.
Facebook enables you to make money if you have a membership site. Bloggers charge for joining their groups. Then, you get access to an exclusive group once you are a member. Daniela Uslan has a membership site.
Facebook ads are an inexpensive way to advertise. Sue Anne Dunlevie recommends using them to advertise your blog services and products. Pennies per click is a low risk.
Facebook posts can end with a call to action. This results in blog traffic since it entices your nonblogging followers to get engaged with your writing. For example, I once asked my readers if a post I wrote was inappropriate. I genuinely wanted to know. My call-to-action resulted in many page views from people who were trying to help me.
Facebook enables you to find like-minded bloggers who are people with common interests. There are Christian groups, StumbleUpon groups, Instagram threads, Twitter threads. Pinterest groups and Pinterest threads. I’m sure those just skim the surface.
Facebook is connected to Canva. You can turn your photos into blog graphics. Next to the upload button is the Facebook button. No need to upload the photos to Canva. Your photos will already be there.
Facebook is linked to your blog. Make sure the social sharing button is enabled for the site, so readers can share your post with their followers.
Facebook pages help you avoid looking spammy to your connections that have nothing to do with your blogging. These may include your friends, coworkers, family, and members of extracurricular groups. You can promote your links on your Facebook page. You still promote, but not where it looks like you are trying to manipulate your connections into reading your articles. According to blogger Jeff Bullas, the social proof that “likes” on Facebook pages provide is important for the Bandwagon Effect, a psychological manifestation that makes people want to get out with the metaphorical crowd and do what others are doing, check out what others are liking.
Facebook is connected to Pinterest. When you pin a graphic, make sure Facebook is selected, and you can promote there at the same time.
You can get blogging help from many Facebook groups. For example, the Genesis group, led by Merri Dennis, helps self-hosted bloggers with technical problems. Merri now maintains my site. I would never have met her if not for this group.

If you’re not convinced Facebook for bloggers is an asset, read on.

Testimonial

According to blogger Terri Webster Schrandt, “Facebook has helped with my blog traffic in the special pages I belong to. I learned about Twitterfeed.com from one of these groups. Many of us use StumbleUpon as well.”

Terri reported being in a group which was had a StumbleUpon sharing thread. A member stumbled her link. She received 300 page views to her post as a result.

Conclusion: Facebook for Bloggers

In conclusion, many bloggers experience success using Facebook. That is why Facebook for bloggers just makes sense.

Facebook offers such a wide variety of opportunities, it is easy to find success there.

You will ease your blogging tasks such as blog promotion, make new connections and strengthen old ones, learn more, and get help.

Readers, please share, so others know the value of Facebook for bloggers.

What do you think is the most valuable part of Facebook for bloggers? Did I miss any benefits? Did you find any new ways it could help you with your blogging? I look forward to your views in the comments section about the merits of Facebook for bloggers.

7 Tips I Wish I Knew When I Started Blogging

This is the Way to Quickly Increase Your Blog Traffic [Blogger Collaboration]

10 Hacks to Make Your Facebook Video Go Viral

Sources:

Facebook Blogging Groups

How to Block Facebook

How to Win on Facebook

How to Get More Likes on Your Facebook Page

Top 10 Facebook Marketing Tips When You Have No Budget

Share on Facebook

Carolann

I’ve been using FB since I started blogging and I was thrilled to learn many of your tips and tricks listed in this post. Thanks for sharing all of these valuable resources!

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Carolann,
  Thank you so much for your kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the post and found it valuable. After reading your comment, I realize the post is a resource. I will put it on my Blog Resources Pinterest board. Thanks for the inspiration.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
John Doe

Facebook groups seem to be a fast efficient way to get new people to your block thank you for all the great tips

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  My pleasure John. I’m glad you enjoyed.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Brenda Pace

Hi Janice,

So glad to see you talking about the benefits of using Facebook for your blog and/or your business. Facebook is my #1 traffic referrer, besides Stumbleupon. Twitter comes in a very close 2nd. I know many bloggers that say they don’t get much from Facebook. However, if a fan or business page is used along with your personal profile, I think it can boost traffic for sure.

Thanks for sharing this reminder. Passing it along!

Bren

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Brenda,
  Thank you for commenting on my post the other day. I hear we might be in Gail’s group together. I need to figure out how to pursue that with Skype and Trello, etc.
  I am surprised to hear bloggers say they don’t get traffic from Facebook. There are so many groups with threads that allow link-sharing, I would think it would be easy. At least that’s been my experience.
  Thank you for sharing.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Richard Schulte

My own anecdotal experience is that Facebook users are much more engaged than many other social media platforms, and are more likely to click on a link to one’s blog. My posts that have gone seriously viral were all via Facebook. My theory is: most Facebook users are ordinary people with ordinary friends and are using the site primarily for personal enjoyment. On some other platforms (like Twitter most notably), many users seem more interested in self-promotion and growing followers. They will “like” or “favorite” without any real engagement, hoping to be followed back or have their own content shared. To a certain sad extent, this is even true on the WordPress reader. I’ve posted material and literally one second later have achieved likes, which is completely ridiculous. How can people like what they clearly haven’t read? It’s this gaming on the internet that people use to gain followers that I personally find to be very depressing. The good news is, there are also many genuine, interested, thoughtful people using the WordPress reader. Bloggers generally are a thoughtful bunch. Engagement with those folks is rewarding. An internet that is worth spending our precious time with should be genuine, sincere, alive!

Reply to this message
- Holly Jahangiri
  
  Richard, as a technical writer, I used to worry when a reviewer returned a 200-page technical draft with “Looks good, I approve” five minutes after I sent it. I called one reviewer on it, once, and he quoted me page numbers and even said he’d double-checked the accuracy of one statement with his team to be sure. And did that in FIVE MINUTES. Some people read even faster than I do, and they may not be just “skimming.” (It’s rare, but – it happens. I wouldn’t assume that all “clearly haven’t read” the post when they click “Like.” Honestly, I’ve done the same – usually skimmed, but occasionally read in depth – felt the blogger covered the subject adequately, had nothing to add, but gave the post a thumbs up to say “I’ve read this, nice job.” (Because, as a comment, “I’ve read this, nice job” adds nothing to the conversation.
  
  I do agree that the gaming of the Internet by unscrupulous marketers is ridiculous and discouraging for the rest of us. But I have decided (after a couple of years of blogging burnout) to ignore them as best I can. I’ll admit that it’s fun to game the players on Twitter, sometimes – the auto-follow-bots are pretty easy to lure into following, FOR FREE (not the $15 they want to get you ten gazillion followers) because they key off certain words. 😉 Okay, it’s cheap and mindless entertainment, but what the heck.
  
  Reply to this message
  - Richard Schulte
    
    I guess Twitter seems the worst, in my experience. I’ll tweet a link and it will achieve favorites and retweets, when my stats show the link wasn’t even clicked. I suppose there’s the gaming aspect, and also a “need” to create constant new content. The more one tweets, the more notice one gets and, proportionately, the more followers. I see the same behavior among some bloggers. There clearly is a very, very strong desire to gain followers on the internet, for a variety of mixed reasons. I suppose some of it is vanity, some of it is self-validation, some promotion of a business or cause, some just a desire to be found and read. My wish is that people would always be real and produce content of merit, that reflects their own better selves. This old world is full enough of the calculating and cheap.
    
    Reply to this message
    - Holly Jahangiri
      
      Twitter can be a tough nut to crack. I joined in 2008 and have – just this year! – a little over 5200 followers. More followers = a bigger megaphone. That’s how Twitter works. (Yes, much of it is vanity – you can have a million followers, but if they’re not engaging with you and your content, it’s not really doing you any good. Celebs can effectively get the word out about a new album track or appearance, and maybe a few bestselling authors can generate a little buzz about a book. Companies can use it somewhat effectively to provide support and generate good will. But even there – you cannot just “drop a link” and expect anything to happen, ever.) You have to actively work at Twitter or it’s just noise. Talk to people, use the @ mention function to get their attention (I rarely leave my own notifications tab – does that tell you anything? There’s plenty going on there, but it must make it frustrating for content marketers who just “drop a link” and run!)
      
      I agree that Facebook has more engaged users. I miss all my friends there. I have about 1600 of them, and they range from immediate family to first grade classmates to my Swedish pen pal from when I was 9 to online friends made 25 years ago to fellow bloggers to coworkers to offline friends – you know, not just strangers encountered online and “amassed” as followers. I miss them. That’s the only thing that’s been hard, so far, in giving up Facebook for Lent. I said I would – for reasons you can read in my post linked below this comment- and so I did. Nothing’s changed, Facebook doesn’t care one way or another. And I find that troubling. I’m not sure that I do want to use it to promote anything. I just don’t want to lose touch with the people I care about, so I will PROBABLY be back. (And they know this – they don’t let you export your contacts – ever wonder why that is?)
      
      Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Richard,
  I agree with your comments, but I have a question for you just to play Devil’s Advocate. While I admit, they probably haven’t read something they only saw a second before, do you think maybe they are just trying to support the blogger?
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Richard,
  I agree with your comments, but I have a question for you just to play Devil’s Advocate. While I admit, they probably haven’t read something they only saw a second before, do you think maybe they are just trying to support the blogger?
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
  - Richard Schulte
    
    In some cases, probably. Human behavior is complex. Some people might immediately like a post, then read it. Some might just be signalling their presence or support. I’m sure others have other motives or tendencies or reasons. But clearly there are more than a few bloggers following popular tags (they see new posts from blogs instantly on their reader but don’t follow those particular blogs) making themselves visible to bloggers and others who read those blogs with an instant click. (I see the same thing happening on Twitter, where people quickly “favorite” a blog’s link but don’t actually visit the blog.) It is what it is. The internet provides individuals with freedom and a small degree of easy power, and some people will exploit that power for good, or for ill. Sadly, if a system allows a simple “like” to provide some potential personal gain, a certain number of folks will click “like” instantly and move on to click again and again in as many places as possible.
    
    Reply to this message
    - Janice Wald
      
      I heard Twitter’s stock fell for this reason. I heard it’s why they stopped counting social shares– they knew it wasn’t a valid measure of social proof since people weren’t actually reading the articles.
      Janice
      
      Reply to this message
      - Richard Schulte
        
        I also read something about how Twitter might be limiting free speech. Tweets with a certain political slant aren’t being displayed.
Holly Jahangiri

Janice, I’m sorry, but you misquoted me. I said that Facebook was FORCING users to download their “anti-malware” app, which itself appeared to be acting as malware (others have reported that this app, if downloaded, damaged or disabled their own chosen antivirus/antimalware applications). I was banned from posting for nearly a week. See: http://jahangiri.us/2013/well-played-facebook/ (There are links, here, to others’ similar experiences. I refused to download their app. Others were not so cautious.)

I have since DEACTIVATED my Facebook account for Lent – and you can read WHY, here: http://jahangiri.us/2013/observing-lent/ Their uneven enforcement (or, really, LACK of enforcement when it truly matters) of “Community Standards” is an issue.

I appreciate the link to my blog – I really do – but please, right now, do NOT use me to promote FACEBOOK. That would totally mischaracterize my opinion of it, at the moment. By the way, my blog’s traffic has not suffered with my absence from it. (Other referrers have replaced it quite nicely. I would recommend taking a fresh look at StumbleUpon.)

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Holly,
  1. I am sorry if I misquoted you. I changed the wording. How awful Facebook users had that experience. You were wise not to do the download.
  2. Don’t worry about my using quotes from your articles for future Facebook articles; I have none planned, LOL.
  3. I am a huge fan of StumbleUpon. It is currently my leading referrer of traffic (Facebook is second). I am such an advocate of using StumbleUpon to generate blog traffic, I have a StumbleUpon group on this site.
  https://mostlyblogging.com/stumbleupon-group/
  4. I am glad your traffic has not suffered as a result. Since FB has been such a huge referrer of traffic for me since I started blogging, I can not even imagine not using it.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
  - Holly Jahangiri
    
    I couldn’t imagine it, either, until last week. Had you written this a few weeks ago, I’d have agreed – Facebook has been one of my favorite sites, because I have so many real friends there. I’ve been a member since around 2008, and this is the first time I’ve wanted to deactivate my account or leave the site – but I just felt I couldn’t stay after their saying that child pornography did not violate their “Community Standards.” Clearly – very clearly – it did. Many of us saw it and reported it. And all of us got the same response.
    
    Will my month long abstinence make a difference? Unfortunately, probably not. But it would have been good to have had a satisfactory reply to both the “malware incident” and to this latest – the resounding silence is more than disappointing.
    
    Reply to this message
    - Janice Wald
      
      Hi Holly,
      I have many real friends on Facebook too. You are right. It isn’t just about the traffic.
      Janice
      
      Reply to this message
  - Holly Jahangiri
    
    I’m not sure I agree with your re-wording, either. I don’t give them that much credit. I think they’re trying to promote a partnership with certain antimalware vendors to LOOK like they care about protecting you from malware.
    
    Reply to this message
    - Janice Wald
      
      Your “…Well-Played-Facebook” article is getting traffic from my site today. Thank you for leaving the link.
      Janice
      
      Reply to this message
      - Holly Jahangiri
        
        Oh, yes – I’m sorry if I seemed ungracious. THANK YOU for the mention and the four new visits. I do hope they understand, after visiting my blog, why I can’t endorse Facebook. (The post linked at the bottom of this comment explains it best.)
Terri

Great tips, Janice! Thanks for including me in your post! Although there seems to be divergent comments about Facebook, I have been satisfied with it and people need to use whatever SM works best for them!

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Terri,
  It was my pleasure to include you. I agree. If people are lucky to find a social media site that gets them traffic (and that they enjoy using), they should stick with what works. Thanks for writing.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Richard Schulte

I guess working Twitter is not for me. I prefer walking with lifted eyes.

Reply to this message
- Richard Schulte
  
  Oops! I goofed! This was a response to an earlier comment!
  
  Reply to this message
  - Janice Wald
    
    I understand.
    
    Reply to this message
Melinda

YAy! Something else I’m doing right!
Thanks, Janice for keeping me up on all this stuff!
I really do need to check out this Canva you keep talking about!
Your BBFFM

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Melinda,
  Canva.com. So easy. I wrote a tutorial about it if it helps. Here is the link:
  https://mostlyblogging.com/how-to-use-canva-a-quick-guide/
  If you have questions, ask me. I think you’d have fun making purple graphics.
  So glad you found the post helpful.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Hector Sampson

Thanks Janice!!
Marvellous info as usual. I have learnt some new tips today thanks to your post!!

Once again thank you!!!

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hey Hector!
  Great to hear from you! It’s been a while. I hope you have been well.
  Thanks so much for the compliments about my article. I figured with 31 tips, there would be a new tip for everyone. Thanks for writing.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
dgkaye

Good argument for sticking with Facebook. I don’t seem to know where you can share to FB from pinning. What am I missing?

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Debby,
  When I reply, I will insert a screenshot. Thanks for writing, and sharing on Google plus.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Debby,
  When you click “pin,” you are given board choices to pin to. At the bottom of that screen, you see two choices–Facebook and Twitter. If you click Facebook, what you pin to Pinterest will go to your Facebook wall.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Kandace Chadwell

Do you suggest having a separate Facebook page for your blog? I tend to keep my Facebook page limited to close friends and family members. Is it typical to have both? What is your recommendations?

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Kandace,
  Most bloggers have a separate Facebook page for their blog. I want to post my links to Facebook, but my friends/family/coworkers are not bloggers. I blog about blogging. They wouldn’t be interested. I don’t want it to look like I am trying to spam them (manipulate them) into reading my posts. So, I post to my Facebook page. Interested parties comment and like my page. More importantly, I know that if someone wants to read it, it’s there. It also creates a nice archive of what I’ve posted at this site.
  I hope that helps.In answer to your question, yes, I recommend having a Facebook page. Thanks for writing.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Smitha

Hi Janice! Thanks so much for the mention!

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Smitha,
  You deserved it! Thanks for writing. Great to hear from you!
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Leanne

I have a fb page for my blog and I love it because it helps separate my personal stuff from my blogging. I use fb a lot for connecting to blogging groups and doing some like-for-like interacting. It also gives me some interesting posts to read that I’d never find elsewhere. I Stumbled this Janice 🙂

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Leanne,
  1. Means a lot. StumbleUpon has become my leading traffic referrer to the kindness of people like yourself stumbling my links. Much appreciated.
  2. May I ask you a question, on the topic of Facebook pages?
  I find myself in a new situation. A wedding dress/bridal gown company wants to advertise on my Facebook, and they want to know how much I will charge them. I’ve been asked to advertise for people on my blog but not on my Facebook. Do you think they mean my FB Page or my FB wall? I know I could ask them, but I want to look like I have experience with this, LOL.
  Thanks for the input.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Sandra Laflamme

I admit to being a total facebook addict and believer in its power for growing your blog. I will continue to push forward using facebook. Great tips!

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Sandra,
  Thank you so much for the kind words about my Facebook article. As you read, I, too, believe in the power of using Facebook to grow your traffic. It’s been good to me. Since I started blogging, it’s consistently been in my top two referrers of traffic. Thanks for reading what I wrote and writing me.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Tanya

I love having a Facebook blog page bit lately it’s been increasingly more difficult to get interaction on it. I don’t want to spam my personal page. Do you know if when you post a pin to Facebook, can you select your blog Facebook page instead of personal?

Reply to this message
- Janice Wald
  
  Hi Tanya,
  I’m with you. I don’t want to spam my personal page either. Do you mean post a link to Facebook? Yes, you can select your blog Facebook page instead of your personal Facebook. Thanks for writing. Coincidence, we both wrote about Facebook recently.
  Janice
  
  Reply to this message
Pingback: 79 of the Most Effective Ways to Get Free Blog Traffic