Blog Promotions

If you have a blog, you simply have to have a blog promotion (or 12). Really.
Blogs are cool, but if you’re not out there promoting your blog every single
day, your numbers will suck pond scum. One of the most effective types of
blog promotion is simply to read and post on other people’s blogs. When you
post on other people’s blogs, their readers see your post. They can click
through any links that you have connected to your display name or within
your comments to see your blog — in fact, you have the opportunity to
include your blog URL when you post on most blogs, and you should always
include it. Including your blog address gives you free exposure, just for sharing
your opinion.
Blogs have become so popular that even corporations now use them to
advertise products, services, and events or just to keep readers updated on
what’s happening with the company. The downside though is that blogs have
become so popular that every person who even thinks they might possibly
have something of interest to say has a blog.
Making your blog stand out from the rest of the pack is a very difficult process.
Start with a truly interesting blog — will it captivate every person on
the Web? No. If you can make your blog fresh though, you can potentially
gain a huge mindshare in the area in which you specialize.
After you come up with that perfect blog, you have to get the word out. Start
by posting comments on other blogs, but don’t stop there. Spread the word
through your friends and ask them to spread the word, too. Join mailing lists
and make sure your blog address appears in the signature line for every post
that you make to the list (and you do have to post to the list — preferably
interesting, useful posts).
Consider other promotions, such as blog tours (where a blog author appears
on several different blogs as a guest blogger), giveaways, and other contests.
Be creative, but also think in terms of what appeals to potential blog readers.
If your blog is about a group of teens that are band groupies, a contest where
the giveaway is a copy of War and Peace might not be the best idea. If the
prize in your contest is a $25 iTunes card, the response could be much more
than you even dare to hope for.
As with all types of promotions, think outside the box. Better yet, think of a
way to create a whole new box.