Monday.
The day famous as the day the Inspire Me Monday Linky Party goes live at Mostly Blogging.
A frustrated blogger wrote me the day of the party.
Frustrated? It’s a party! Parties should be fun!
Here is an excerpt:
“I have tried several of your Linky Parties… But I have not had any visitors from your site! Do you have any ideas?”
I have never been asked this question before.
Bloggers are frustrated at linky parties.
Bloggers are frustrated at blog parties.
Bloggers are frustrated by a lack of search traffic.
Bloggers are frustrated at other blogs when they network.
The bottom line: Bloggers are frustrated when people don’t click their links.
They need networking ideas.
This post will tell you how to get people to click your links in 6 places around the internet.
By the end of this article, you’ll have networking ideas that are proven to be effective at blog parties, blogs, social media sites, and Forums.
In addition, this post will offer tips for getting people to click your links on search engines and when you guest post.
Here is the email I received from the frustrated linky party guest Jeanine Michaels in its entirety:
Note: Jeanine writes from the persona of a dog name Bree.
Janice,
I have tried several of your Linky Parties, including checking out links to other bloggers whose contents are of interest. Thank you so much for hosting them!
But I have not had any visitors from your site! We bree-ly feel people are missing out on something wonderful on Bree’s blog! Do you have any ideas for Bree to help her promote her blog? Would you please post this in the comment section? I am sure other bloggers feel frustrated at times, with good content but lacking skills to get traffic. Your site is a place to share with your grrr-eat linky parties! Am I not describing the content well enough? Any other issues you can see that I can correct?
I recently had some comments from best-selling authors on how much they loved Bree’s blog! So please, any advice is welcome! I know you have posted tons of advice over the years on how to generate traffic, plus other tips.
For now, can you post this from a confused, overwhelmed blogger who will also leave a comment on your Linky “Partay””?
I hope my fellow bloggers have a designated driver! ??
As always, I love and appreciate what you do on your site that helps so many of us!
6 Networking Ideas
1. How to get people to click your link at blog parties
- Linky Parties
I once had a client who was a featured blogger at my Linky Party.
Since the party was on my blog, I was able to see the outbound clicks.
One of the linky party hostesses chose her post to be featured, yet no one clicked her link.
Her headline: “Beautiful.”
Your headline needs to score high on CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer.
For example, you need to use headlines with all 4 types of words in them.
You need Power words, Emotional Words, Unusual Words, and Common Words.
The CoSchedule Headline Analyzer makes sure you have all 4 types in your headline to boost your chances of having your links clicked.
Another option is to follow the headline formula: Number + adjective + make reader promise. For example, 6 easy ways to…
Hook Line Dynamic is another tool designed to help you write powerful headlines.
You need a brightly colored, vertical graphic. Graphics with text work best.
Authority Quincy Larsen agrees you need an intriguing headline and powerful graphic:
“Your headline and opening image are the only things people have to judge your story on. Before they can even read your story’s first paragraph, they must answer a question. It’s the same question that we all ask ourselves every day: is this going to be worth my time?”
These tips apply to get people to click your link at Pinterest as well.
[Read: How to See Your Traffic Explode: Have a Linky Party Part II
18 Easy Tips for How to Boost Pinterest Traffic]
- Meet and Greets
When you go to a blog party, you’re allowed to leave a link in the comment section.
Which link are you leaving? Your best performing post? Your post with a monster list?
For example, when I go to Meet and Greets, I often leave the link to my post listing 79 free places to promote or 123 free blogging tools.
2. How to get people to click your link on search engines
Your article’s meta description (also called a “snippet”) will influence your click-through rate.
Read the meta description when you’re done writing it. Would the description make YOU want to click?
For example, I often start with a question to engage the reader. The question often reminds them they have a problem they’re searching for the solution to.
Then, you should use action verbs. For example, discover… and learn…
Let’s see what I did:
At the time of this writing, I rank at the top of Google Page 1 SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for my Virily article.
What meta descriptions did I write that would entice so many people to click my link?
Would you like to make money online? Virily is the site that pays writers for their contributions. You determine how much money you accrue at Virily.
Notice: I started with a question that addresses problems many bloggers have. I also used an action verb: “Determine.”
TheHomeDweller.com uses this technique as well to get people to click his links on his home page:
3. How to get people to click your link on blogs when you comment
Once your headline follows the tips in Tip 1, go to blogs in your niche where the blogger has CommentLuv (like this blog). People can see your headlines. Even though the app is no longer being supported, your headline is still visible.
Can you see at the bottom of the comment box we see Rosie’s latest article and link under “…recently posted.”
Write about that website.
For example, I published a post about LinkedIn.
Look:
I received triple-digit views from LinkedIn after writing about that website. The post is continuing to pick up page views from LinkedIn.
When I publish posts about Pinterest, they do especially well on Pinterest.
When I publish posts about Facebook, they do well on Facebook… You get the idea.
5. How to get people to click your links when you guest post
Peter Nyiri provided this tip. According to Peter,
I will introduce my new website to you.
It is called FunnelXpert, and it is about funnels: sales funnels, webinar funnels and everything that goes into it to make your site or blog profitable.
If you liked what I did above, hop over. It actually demonstrates what a sales funnel is like, what it does. I’d like to invite you to come over, sign up, experience it yourself, and use what you learned to build a 5-figure blog or website.
Notice: Peter did not talk about himself. He discussed what the reader would get if they clicked on his link. Also, his tone was warm and welcoming. Do you see why this would engage the reader?]
6. How to get people to click your links in Facebook Groups
Make the graphic that accompanies your blog post bigger than everyone else’s. Your graphic will be noticed and people will be more likely to click. 
Do this by selecting the photo from your computer when you make your Facebook posts.
I know this tip works since I learned it from experience. I was in a Facebook group where all the graphics were the same size. Only one was bigger than the others. That’s the link I chose to click.
Generic Networking Ideas:
There are many blogger tricks you can use to get people to click your links.
For example, Enstine Muki has developed a free plugin that encourages people to comment on your blogs. Once people learn you use this plugin, they’ll continually click your link when they see you.
According to Enstine,
“Generate a list of your comment authors for a given month of the year. Then create a blog post to thank them for commenting on your blog.
This is a great way to attract more repeat visitors to your blog. By publishing a list of your commentators, you make them feel welcome and encouraged.”
Wrapping Up
Frustration is understandable when people don’t click your links but they click other bloggers’ links. Blogger envy and disillusionment are common as well.
Be frustrated no more. Follow these networking ideas and enjoy your time networking. If more traffic comes your way as a result, icing on the cake.
Readers, please share so other bloggers know learn these networking tips so their networking frustrations can end.
Do you have any networking tips you can share? I look forward to your views in the comment section.
