How to Get Loyal Visitors to Repeatedly Return to Your Blog

By: | May 2, 2015 | Tags: , , , , |
Successful bloggers follow these tips

There are certain criteria that will help get blog visitors

Confusing, isn’t it?

On one hand, you hear there is no right way to blog.

On the other hand, you have people like me telling you that there is a right way to blog.

Instead of taking my word for it, let’s look at successful bloggers and see what criteria for successful blogging they are following that make their blogs successful.

After all, if they can follow simple criteria to have thousands of loyal followers, so can you.

1. They are vitual experts on their topic.  They are on a mission, and that is to teach their readers what they themselves know.  Their goal is to empower the readers that come to their site, so people return again and again.

When they are not blogging, they are learning how to be niche experts.  They read, attend conferences and webinars, and listen to podcasts.

Jon Morrow has thousands of subscribers.  According to blogging expert Lorraine Reguly, Jon Morrow is the king of blog promotion.

Morrow worked for Copy Blogger for many years.  He wrote hundreds of headlines for them per day.  His understanding of his niche, blogging, makes him a world-wide authority.  People not only look to him for advice, they pay him for advice.

2. They make the information they share understandable.  Matt Banner of OnBlastBlog.com not only has an understandable blog, but his avatar is a cartoon.  Children like cartoons.  His cartoon avatar gives me the feel that his writing is so basic even children can understand it, and as a reader, I am interested.

3. They make the information they share detailed.  According to Successful Blogging‘s Sue Anne Dunlevie, the ideal post should be between 800 and 1200 words.  Therefore, your posts should be 1,000 words on average.  These detailed posts have two benefits.  First, you paint a complete picture for your reader.  Second, this length will help your SEO ranking.

I realize this will entail prior planning and research.  You shouldn’t just sit down and churn out blog posts, not if you want a loyal following.

Look what a reader said about my blog:

I’ll be back…; you’re clearly reading a tremendous amount more than I have time for, and I appreciate your willingness to share with the rest of us.

Readers appreciate the details you share with them.   They return to you since you save them the time it would take them to do the research themselves.  Research your posts before you write them, or you are doing your readers a disservice.

4. They focus on their blog.  They cut out extraneous activities from their schedule and devote the time they used to spend on those pursuits to researching, promoting, and networking, in addition to writing, their blog posts.

5. They respond to commenters.  They may have short and even delayed replies, but they ultimately respond to their readers and answer questions.  In this way, they build a loyal community.  People feel they matter to the blogger, so they return to the site.

6. They network.  They help other bloggers.  They don’t just take attention, they give it too.

Sue Anne Dunlevie has many followers.  One way she has built a successful blog is through relationship building.  She hosts guest bloggers, and returns each and every comment she receives.  In addition, she follows her readers on Twitter.  As if that weren’t enough, she hosts a Pinterest board and invites other bloggers to share to it.

Many readers have found the graphics to my articles on Sue Anne’s Pinterest board.  I have received traffic from Pinterest as a result of people sharing and clicking the pins she allowed me to put on her board.  For all these reasons, I am a loyal reader of her blog, and from all the comments I see, others are too.

Jason Cushman of Harsh Reality has over 50,000 followers.  He is constantly giving back to the blogging community.  He hosts blogging events it seems every weekend, sometimes bi-weekly.

7. They are memorable.  Profound?  Yes.  They are so profound, that when people embed Tweets into blog posts, it is their words that are being quoted.

Don Charisma has almost 40,000 followers.  He offers quotes constantly, sometimes three times a day.  Whether they are his or other’s quotes is irrelevant to me as a reader.  His quotes are so memorable, I ponder their meanings and how I am going to respond to them on his blog.

Adam Connell's quote

If your writing is memorable, your readers will return to your site and perhaps quote you.

In the screenshot above, Jon Morrow used Adam Connell’s quote to make his point that the audience is key to blogging success.

8. They are witty.  People say blogs should be first entertaining and second informative, they can be both, but entertainment value is a must for readers.

Tammy Bleck of Witty Woman Writing falls into this category.  Her writing is so funny, she has been featured in the Huffington Post, she has been interviewed on television, and she is a motivational speaker.  I can attest first-hand to her entertainment value since I have been in the audience during two of her speeches.

Does she inform as well?  Absolutely.  She informs readers about how to navigate life after the age of 50.

9. They know what their blog is about.  Do you know what your blog is about?  As I traverse through the Blogosphere, I read many taglines that contain the words musings and ramblings.  What are their blogs about?  Thoughts in their heads?

If they meet criteria #2-9, they may have a shot at a loyal following.  Can they meet criteria #1?  What can they become an expert in?  Themselves?  I’ve read that the average reader has an eight-second attention span.  While introspective ranters could succeed by not meeting all this criteria, the odds will be more favorable if they meet all nine.

In conclusion, this post examined six successful blogs: Don Charisma.org, Harsh Reality, Successful Blogging, BoostBlogTraffic, OnBlastBlog, and Witty Woman Writing to analyze what characteristics they have that make them successful.  If these bloggers can use this criteria to make their blogs successful, so can you.

If you feel others can benefit from these tips, please share.

Readers, which of these tips have helped you the most?  Are there other tips that you feel should be added to the list to help bloggers grow a loyal following?  I look forward to your views.

Source: Jon Morrow

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  1. K. Renae P.

    I think one of the worst things bloggers do is not respond to comments. You won’t get loyal followers if you don’t interact with your readers.

    • Janice Wald

      I agree, but need more time in my day. You are a teacher too. Any suggestions?
      Janice

      • K. Renae P.

        Make it a priority. It should be a part of your blogging process. You won’t get loyal readers if you don’t acknowledge that they took the time to write you a comment. We aren’t Huffington Post here. We’re everyday bloggers.

        I’m not saying respond to everyone- those bloggers who get tons of comments a day can’t or it may not be the way you choose to roll. However, never responding screams disengagement, and the blogger should not use that feature. It also screams unmonitored. Nothing worse than unmonitored comments.

      • K. Renae P.

        Of course you know that when I say ‘you’ that I’m referring to the ubiquitous you.

  2. loricarlson66

    Wonderful advice! Interaction is a must and I think reblogging others’ work helps a lot too. It shows you take time to read others and enjoy their work. I also agree, Harsh Reality is an awesome blog and Jason works hard to keep his followers.

    • Janice Wald

      I agree. I hope you knows how highly we think of him. I wrote an article last weekend actually suggesting people pick “reblogging buddies” since it adds to growth of readers so effectively.
      Janice

          • loricarlson66

            Excellent article, Janice! I try to reblog as often as possible… at least for an hour a day since I began my new blog here on the 1st of May. It has already generated me some traffic 🙂

    • Janice Wald

      Hey Lori!
      I just wanted to make sure I thanked you for the reblog. Thank you for the kind words as well.
      Take care

      • loricarlson66

        You’re welcome Janice 🙂 just doing my part to keep the information flowing 🙂

  3. john doe

    Great tips. It does make a person feel special when their comment is acknowledged by the blogger.

  4. mini2z

    Thank you for this post! I’m trying to find my ‘me’ my writing style & hoping the workshop that I’m going to will help me. Re-blogging for my reference & readers reference.
    Thank you!

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      My pleasure. I’m always happy to help. I write many articles about how to find your “voice” when you write. I will add you to my mailing list, so you can be apprised once a week of my posts.
      Janice

  5. Cheryl Wright

    Reblogged this on Plucking Of My Heartstrings and commented:
    Great blog! Had to share…

    • Janice Wald

      Thank you so much Cheryl. I love the chance to gain new readers. Feel free to reblog my writing any time you like.
      Janice

  6. Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

    Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    There are as many different types of bloggers as there are authors. Not everyone is seeking thousands of followers or treating it as a career. But whether you have a small cottage or a large mansion it is always great when people appreciate the view from the outside and then when they step inside.. Follow Janice Wald’s blog and read her varied and interesting post on how you might add that little something extra to your blog.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Sally,
      I love your analogy–whether you have a small cottage or a large mansion…
      Thank you again for the reblog and these kind words. My readership grew again this weekend. I’m sure your reblog was a factor. Thank you so much!
      PS I am sending a reader named …Neel to you. He is an author and needs guidance. I hope it’s alright. You are so caring about writers I thought of you. He is more the literary end like you are.
      Thanks again for the reblog.
      Janice
      Janice

      • Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

        Hi Janice – delighted to hear that your blog is reaching more readers as you have a common sense approach to blogging that is important to promote. And pleased if anything that I do helps in that.. As to Neel.. if he contacts me then of course pleased to help. Have a good week and I expect we will bump into each other here and there.. best wishes Sally

  7. Sandy Segur

    I try and respond to all who have left a comment on any of my blogs. If I can find a blog of theirs. I will check it out and return comment two folds.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      I think that’s wonderful. You inspire me! Any tips on how you find the time? Do you work outside the home like me? Thank you!

    • Janice Wald

      Thanks Bette,
      Thanks so much for sharing, and thank you for the link. I will make Thursdays reblog day, so look for it in the next week or two.
      Janice

  8. xurid

    Reblogged this on INDRANEEL and commented:
    This is really help. I’m no authority, but I have a feeling one tends to miss that which lies right in front one’s eyes. A thumbs up from me.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      Thank you so much for the kind words. Thank you as well for the reblog. I agree with what you wrote here in your comments. It really is simple, obvious advice.
      Janice

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      Thank you so much for the kind words about my writing. I write articles like this all the time. I will add you to my once-a-week mailing list, so you are always apprised.
      Janice

  9. mypersonallthing

    Reblogged this on my personal thing and commented:
    Some more good blogging advice from Janice 🙂

  10. Virtually All Sorts (

    Plenty of food for thought and lots of pointers to really get to grips with, thank you.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      Thank you so much for reading what I wrote and writing me. I write pointers like this all the time at my site. I will add you to my mailing list so you can be apprised once a week of my other posts. Nice to meet you.
      Janice

  11. D.G.Kaye

    Excellent tips Janice. I think the most important is that we respond to our commenters. I always make a point of this. We are all so busy in our writing lives and putting our posts together takes time, just as our readers spend their valuable time reading our work. If we are working on building a following, it’s very important to engage with our responders. 🙂

  12. Itsmine

    ohh dear!! you are absolutely ri8! & all qualities reflects from your blogg.well done..

  13. Pingback: Inspire Me Monday Linky Party #31
    • Janice Wald

      Hi!
      I’m Janice! Thank you so very much for reblogging my article and the nice words about it! I am so flattered. Thank you as well for following my blog today. I am going to go checkout the reblog right now. I look forward to getting to know you better.
      Janice

  14. bookwon

    Reblogged this on access2books and commented:
    Great tips on how to get loyal followers to repeatedly return to your blog and creating a successful blog. Check it out for some great insights.

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  19. Cathy Lawdanski

    I had never thought of following those who comment on Twitter! Excellent relationship building advice. Thank you.

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