Ask LBS: How Do I Get My Blog Noticed?

Fashion Blogger Rumi Neely of FashionToast

Reader Shabana of Coco and Olive writes:
 
Hi Cece! I have been reading your blog for awhile now and I just wanted to say what an inspiration you are. I really like your fashion tips and your celebrity info. As well as your views on products and other stuff. I was inspired to start my own blog so that I can also share my thoughts with the world. But I am new to this and I just wanted to know what suggestions or advice you have for a newcomer trying to get her blog noticed.

Now I can’t proclaim to be an expert as I’ve only been blogging for about a year and a half now and I’m far from superstar blogger status, but there are definitely a few key takeaways I’ve learned over the course of time I’ve been part of this world. Read on for my Top 4 recommendations on getting your name out there…

1. Join The Community 

IFB Conference 2010 Flyer
 One of the biggest helps for me when I first started blogging was being part of fashion blog forums. Forums pertaining specifically to what you’re writing about can be great resources. If you’re into natural hair care, for example, join a community like NaturallyCurly.com that caters directly to your topic of choice. If you’re a fashionista branching into style blogging, utilize sites like Independent Fashion Bloggers and Style Sample Magazine. Not only do these sites provide you with an overwhelming amount of information like how-to’s and quick tips, but they’re great places to discover other bloggers and also submit your own content as they provide opportunities for guest posts and user contributions. My piece for IFB on the 5 P’s of Fashion Partying is a perfect example. All I did was submit a pitch for it and voila! I was able to share some helpful tips with the community as well as develop awareness for my blog.

2. Show Love

 You guys know the Golden Rule: do unto others as you’d have done to you? Well I don’t know a better arena than blogging where this holds true. The more you show love, the more you get. Posting comments on other blog pages can not only increase your site’s visibility but it can help you develop relationships with other bloggers just like you. I can’t tell you how many blogger BFFs I have now. I may never meet them face to face but we “talk” almost everyday via blog commentary.Some of those lovely people have shown me tremendous love and have helped encourage my blog growth through support, shoutouts and even placing me on their blogrolls. It’s so important to engage in conversation if you want to be heard. But note, engaging in conversation is different from self promotion. Don’t comment on a site simply to place your blog link there. Instead, speak from the heart and be genuine in your commentary. See IFB’s post about Self-Promotion for more on why this is important.

3. Get Social

As a new blogger, Twitter and Facebook are your best friends. Take full advantage of social media and social networking. Althought the world of social media can be a scary place, they’re incredible tools for exposure. Whether you’re starting a new business or simply want exposure for an existing one, social media can really help give your brand a voice and increase your followers exponentially with time. You basically have to think of your blog as your brand. If you want people to notice it, you have to put it in their faces. That’s what Facebook/Twitter does. Also, look into sites like Bloglovin’ and burning RSS feeds that allow for people to see your blog updates all in one place.

4. Get Your Mind Right 

Many bloggers, when they first start out, simply blog for the love of blogging and because it brings them joy. Then, somewhere between receiving your first few blog comments and being featured on another site for the first time, you go blog-crazy and start focusing so much on how to make your blog bigger and better and more well-known as opposed to staying focused on your original passion. Don’t get caught up in the hype! Don’t do it for popularity. Don’t do it for the money. Do it because you love it. Someone will eventually take notice. And all the other good stuff that comes along with recognition, like features and the occasional advertiser will eventually come. But just remember to stay focused on your true passion and people will inevitably love you, and your little blog too!

Any fellow bloggers out there? What’s your take on the subject? Soundoff below!

Have any pressing questions for me? Hit me up on Formspring – Ask LBS or send me an email.
Christina Brown

Lifestyle influencer and digital mompreneur Christina S. Brown is a New York native, LA resident, and the founder of LoveBrownSugar.com and BrownGirlsLove. She's an award-winning storyteller, a motivational speaker and an advocate for confident millennial black women.

31 Comments

  1. I think that these tips are all very good. I’m also a new blogger and I’m still trying to figure out how to make the blog a success and I think that these tips will help me do that. Thanks!

  4. Thanks for these tips… they are all good ones. As a beginning blogger stuff like this is so helpful! I’m going to try to take your tip about social media to heart, but it IS scary to put yourself out there.

  5. Excellent tips! Getting involved in the blogging community is huge because I find my fellow bloggers to be soo giving and soo helpful that you (and your blog can’t help but grow!

    I would also add that as a new blogger, you shouldn’t feel like you have to do every single other bloggers do. Do what’s comfortable for you and try new things, but don’t feel pressured to be like everyone else! 🙂

  8. Great tips! I agree with Lynecia. People may like you, but once you stop blogging on a regular basis, they may forget to check up on you, I think. Or you may miss out on expanding your audience since people will see that your last post was a month ago and simply go about their business.

  9. Yes, these are def great tips. I think being in communities like bloglovin, IFB, etc are important so you can see what others are doing and take inspiration and tips. Also, leaving “genuine” are very crucial, not just something that sounds borderline spam..lol.

    Thanks so much for this article!

  12. @Kate Don’t be scared girl! Putting your brand out there doesn’t necessarily mean you have to tell the world your business. Be honest but don’t divulge too much. I totally understand how scary it is to reveal your life to the world of social media

    @MJ Excellent point. Sometimes you have to spend a few days not looking at anyone else’s site but your own. You don’t want it to become so obsessive that you spend more time watching what other people do instead of focusing on what YOU want to do.

    @Lynecia @Retromus-ik I agree with the consistency piece. It doesn’t have to be a long exhaustive post but a small tidbit every once in a while just to check in with your readers goes a LONG way in the blogging world.

  13. I totally agree with everything you said! The reason I follow the blogs I do is because I can tell the ladies/gentlemen are keeping it real. So many bloggers are in it for the hype, and that’s really annoying lol. Especially getting hit up through ifb messages asking to get followed before I had even seen their blog! Ugh!!!

    I love most when I get genuine, heartfelt comments. THAT is what makes me want to check out their blog.

    Great tips! I plan to continue blogging from the heart as well 😀

    -Kris

    http://thekrisbliss.blogspot.com

  16. great post! i agree with everything you said…it’s easy to get caught up in the glamourous part that you see on the top style blogs and wish that you could be in their shoes, but it shouldn’t be the only motivator, you should truly enjoy blogging for the sake of it and to engage with others and create relationships, not just for money or popularity

    Fashion Bag 411

  18. Your commentary was sooooooooooooo on point!!!
    I have hella blogger BFFs now lolol and I love it.

    And I definitely feel you on the “getting in over your head and gettin crazy” It can definitely consume you at times. How many follower do I have??? I want to get 1000!!! I need more comments!! Ugggghhh, it’s such a vicious cycle. lolol

    Great friggin post.
    EnterMy Modest Mouth Blog HERE

  19. Number 4 should probably be Number 1 – but I guess we save the best and most important for last! I can stay I get caught up in the “How To Grow Your Blog” hype all the times. But it’s bloggers like CeCe who offer amazing advice. Above all else remember who you are and that will shine through your blog.

  21. Awesome tips! I would also say using LinkedIn helps. Link/add your blog to your profile and join groups that are related to blogging or for bloggers. Also sharing links with other bloggers and doing guest posts helps grow traffic.

  24. All of your guidelines are true and correct. But you just missed to include categories of the hottest trending topics or genres any internet user could think of. You may also do some SEO stuffs to be able to rank your sites in Google or Yahoo.

  27. Great advice! I randomly just decided to start a beauty blog the other week because I’ve always been interested in makeup since I was young. I’m a huggeeee product/beauty junkie, hence my blog name: http://beautyjunkiezz.wordpress.com/ I’m always told by my university professors that I’m a great writer so it just seems natural that I start a beauty blog right? 😉

  29. Love this post. It should be #motivationmonday haha I just started a blog too and have been trying to figure out this whole community thing but don’t know which ones to join or how to find them! Any advice? Thanks! xoxo – Kat
    http://www.glam2glow.com