How do I find readers?
August 2, 2006 1:07 PM Subscribe
How do you get people to find and read your site without resorting to chicanery?
My topic is pretty mainstream (essentially focusing on the written word and information gathering, both online and print) and I post multiple times daily with many of the posts being lengthy, but with summaries in bold for readers.
The regular advice I read boils down to developing a site focusing on what you are passionate about, but the site doesn't seem to be gaining any audience whatsoever.
I am not interested in SEO or "tricking Google;" I'm interested in suggestions on how to draw legitimate attention to the site.
Please note that I am not including my URL here, nor will you find it in my profile - this question is not for the purpose of advertising my own site.
My topic is pretty mainstream (essentially focusing on the written word and information gathering, both online and print) and I post multiple times daily with many of the posts being lengthy, but with summaries in bold for readers.
The regular advice I read boils down to developing a site focusing on what you are passionate about, but the site doesn't seem to be gaining any audience whatsoever.
I am not interested in SEO or "tricking Google;" I'm interested in suggestions on how to draw legitimate attention to the site.
Please note that I am not including my URL here, nor will you find it in my profile - this question is not for the purpose of advertising my own site.
Krark, if you are talking about a blog, I'd reccomend commenting on similar blogs of the same nature. You don't have to pimp your site in the comment itself, but, like it does here, your username will often link either directly to your blog or to a page with your address on it.
I've taken that route with my blog and I now influence... well... tens of readers, but the idea ideally works.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 1:36 PM on August 2, 2006
I've taken that route with my blog and I now influence... well... tens of readers, but the idea ideally works.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 1:36 PM on August 2, 2006
I've found that getting yourself listed with the blog aggregators tends to pump up your stats pretty easily. Places like Technorati, etc.
posted by thanotopsis at 1:53 PM on August 2, 2006
posted by thanotopsis at 1:53 PM on August 2, 2006
krark, it's perfectly ok for you to put your site in your profile, even while this question is current. If people want to visit they will. It's not whoring.
Check these two previous AskMefi threads.
posted by peacay at 1:58 PM on August 2, 2006
Check these two previous AskMefi threads.
posted by peacay at 1:58 PM on August 2, 2006
You could take Red Smith's advice. But style isn't everything, especially if your topic is dry, and narrow.
Narrow interests garner small, if dedicated, audiences. Perhaps we should all care, as much as you, about information gathering and the written word, but it's a big, wide world in which, on any given Tuesday, boobs and bombs are each, likely, more compelling.
Be appreciative of a loyal following, no matter its size, if it doesn't require of you pandering.
posted by paulsc at 8:48 PM on August 2, 2006
Narrow interests garner small, if dedicated, audiences. Perhaps we should all care, as much as you, about information gathering and the written word, but it's a big, wide world in which, on any given Tuesday, boobs and bombs are each, likely, more compelling.
Be appreciative of a loyal following, no matter its size, if it doesn't require of you pandering.
posted by paulsc at 8:48 PM on August 2, 2006
Richard Hoy at WritersWeekly.com has a 6-part series on "What is Online Marketing" -- aimed at writers who want to market their work -- books, published magazine pieces, blogs, etc.
Go to the Writersweekly articles archive to view all articles (scroll down just a bit for this set) or go directly to part one of the series.
posted by mdiskin at 8:35 AM on August 3, 2006
Go to the Writersweekly articles archive to view all articles (scroll down just a bit for this set) or go directly to part one of the series.
posted by mdiskin at 8:35 AM on August 3, 2006
One thing that struck me - the places you recommend/link to are most huge and will be unlikely to check linkbacks. So in addition to finding a bunch of sympatico sites where you can go and consistently drop in intelligent, additive comments, you should link them all up in the sidebar. After that it's wicked, consistent content.
posted by peacay at 5:58 PM on August 3, 2006
posted by peacay at 5:58 PM on August 3, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kcm at 1:09 PM on August 2, 2006