how to grow your blog | tips and tricks for growing your blog

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

how to grow your blog

Multiple times during the past few months I have gotten emails from other bloggers, or people who are looking to get into blogging, asking for any advice I may have about starting and growing a blog. Honestly, I'm always flattered that someone would ask me for advice on blogging. I feel like I have learned a lot, but that I still have so much to learn! (Although, I feel like there will always be something new to learn since it's the internet haha.) I had a document typed up on my computer that I sent to anyone who asked, and I decided I might as well put my thoughts out there so that they could hopefully help other people. I hope these tips help you and that you learn something new!

1. Network- As with any job, networking will help you get ahead. The blogging network is amazing and it really makes blogging more fun when you have people who you interact with on a daily basis. Leave meaningful comments on other blogs and respond to comments on yours. I always try to respond back to someones comment by visiting and commenting on their blog. Unless, of course, the person is not a blogger and then I will comment to them. I feel like it creates more of a sense of community when I do that rather than just commenting "Thanks!". Although I certainly think that is better than nothing! (Some people do both and that is incredibly impressive haha!) I am not perfect and do not get to this every single day, but I do try. I like to think that nobody would comment on my blog twice without me replying somehow. Think about it. If you are leaving a comment on a blog, you most likely want a response to your comment. Don't "leave those people hanging".

2. Stick to a schedule- This tip goes around constantly and for good reason. Your readers need to know when they can expect you to post. Whether you post 5 days a week, 3 days a week, or just once, set a schedule and stick to it. I use bloglovin', so anytime someone updates I get a notification. However, I have so many friends who just have a "Favorites" folder in their browser that has the links to their blogs. They go through the list every day to see posts. You don't want someone to stop coming to your blog, just because they don't know when to look! Of course things happen, but for the most part you really should try to stick to a schedule. I personally have stopped reading blogs, because I felt like they were never updated. It made it hard to establish a "connection" to them as a reader and I never knew when I could expect new content. Sticking to a schedule lets your readers know when to come to your blog and how often.

3. Always put out content you're proud of- This stems off of tip number 2, but you should always put content out there that you are proud of. When I first started blogging, I posted 5 days a week. I felt so much pressure to always post 5 days. Because of that, I would put out content just to have a post up... even if I wasn't proud of it. Eventually I backed down to just 3 days a week so that I could always put out something that I was happy to share. You may think it is better to throw something together than not post, but it really isn't. With the internet, every single post on your blog could be the  first time someone is on your blog. Pinterest, google searches, other people sharing your posts, etc. could all make that post from 3 years ago the first thing someone reads from your site. Make it good content and they'll want to stay! Find a schedule that works for you, that you know you will be able to stick to, and create quality content. I like to think that quality over quantity is a great statement here. I would rather have 3 posts up every week that I am happy to share than 3 posts I love and 2 that are just so-so.

4. Update old posts- As I mentioned above, the internet can lead someone back to a post from years ago. I like to pay attention to what posts are popular in my statistics. If any of them are more then 6 months old, I will go back through them to update them. This can be things like adding links to a post, naming pictures, re-pinning from them, etc. I recently just went through and updated all my travel posts to include links and a pinnable image. When I first wrote them, I would name something we did, but not link to it. If you are reading a travel post about things to do somewhere, you probably are going to want to be able to click to view more, right?! Now if you go back and read, you can easily click into attractions, restaurants, hotels, etc. It is much more user friendly now.

5. Share your posts- Any post that is shared on social media is guaranteed to have more traffic than one that is not. Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. can all drive traffic to your site. Share your post on all relevant sites. Also, go back and re-share. I am not the best at this, it is something I am trying to get better at. I will post on my Pinterest boards a pin from that day's post. I used to do all pictures at one time, but then I realized that very few people will see them that way. Rather than a variety of people possibly seeing them, a few people will just see all 6-7 pictures. Now I will go back a few hours later, or the next day, and add more pins from that post. Another thing I do, is try to pin to my boards and to a group board. Doing this has really expanded the traffic to my blog. I used to think sharing just meant sharing my post once. However, you will really benefit if you share multiple times and also share other people's content as well. (This goes back to point number one about networking! ;))

There are my top five tips for growing a blog. I kept it down to five because as you can tell this post is very long already haha. However, if you want me to do more posts around this please let me know! I do not feel like I know everything, but I am happy to share what I have learned along the way.

Have any tips of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments!

I would love it if you would follow me on GFC or Bloglovin'!

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67 thoughts

  1. These are great rips, thank you for sharing! :)

    I think it can be hard for people new to blogging not realising that success comes with work, as they don't know what that work is! It's good to have some pointers you can share with others who ask :)

    Away From The Blue Blog

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  2. I'm bad about updating old posts, but that's something I have as my goal for my next year of blogging! Great tips! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  3. Wonderful tips! Need to go back and update my old posts with better pics!

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  4. Darcy, these are excellent tips! I absolutely love advice like this and you're the perfect person to give it! Your blog is fantastic and so are you!

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  5. Great tips girl! I never thought to update my old posts but that's a good idea! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes

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  6. I love reading posts like this especially since I'm still in my first year of blogging! Great tips!

    www.rosyoutlookblog.com

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  7. Great tips and it is a lot of hard work to grow and maintain a blog! I struggle with the technical side of it but I still enjoy having my own creative outlet in the internet world ;)
    charity
    lifeafterbaseball.net

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  8. Thanks for sharing those tips, Darcy! They're very helpful. I definitely can see your blog is growing since I have started following you. Keep up the great work!

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  9. Great tips girl! Networking is huge, and I love the idea of updating older posts. I'm always amazed to see the traffic on a post I published a few years back, so I'll definitely have to keep that in mind :)

    Green Fashionista

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  10. Thank you for sharing your tips!! Never thought about updating old posts!! :-)

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  11. Thanks for these tips ♥♥

    summerdaisy.net

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  12. These are all great tips and ideas Darcy. Thanks so much.

    P.S. Wentworth is on Netflix (season 1 or 2). You can find season 3 on Daily Motion. Season 4 starts on Australia next Spring/Summer. I currently just started watching season 3. If you watch it, let me know what you think. =)

    Happy Hump Day!

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  13. Such great tips, the first two are the most important. I can't tell you how many blogs I have left comment after comment on blogs never to get a return visit to my blog or even a reply to my comment. Eventually, I just stop commenting, because the person doesn't seem to care. Why even blog then? The schedule is also important. I know life gets in the way sometimes, but I've seen so many people start to blog and their postings are so erratic. Or, they start a link up but never have it up in time. That's really irritating: being late to your own party.

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  14. These are great tips Darcy... especially commenting on other blogs with meaningful comments. Once I stated interacting with others that is what helped me grow... then sharing others blogs too xox

    I'm not going to write or read for awhile... I'll definitely be back to reading and commenting in the future, I'll decide if I'm coming back to writing, I hope I do... I'll see how it goes and I'll let you know xox ♡

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  15. These are great tips! Like you, I tried to post 5 days a week, but then I would get too overwhelmed and then just not post at all. I have found that posting 3 days a week works well for me, and allows me to turn out content that I am proud of!

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  16. So many great tips! I've been trying to get better at Pinterest but I've been so out of it I feel like Pinterest hates me and never shows my pins! So discouraging!

    <3 Shannon
    Upbeat Soles

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  17. I've just come to the understanding I'll be a small blog forever :) I've been doing it for 8 years now & stay at the same number every year... not complaining. Something for everyone out there.

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  18. what i love about this post is that these are really simple things to do. of course there are a MILLION ways to grow a blog, but nothing beats doing it organically :-)

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    1. I could not agree more! I am all for doing giveaways occasionally, but it should not be the only way you grow your blog. I think there is definitely something fishy if you have 20K followers on Instagram and have very low engagement. I would rather work hard to grow loyal, engaged followers than get ones who are only around for the giveaway and couldn't care less about what I post. Thanks for reading!

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  19. These are great tips! I love the one about updating old content…never thought about that!
    ~~Megan~~
    http://www.poshprime.com

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  20. These are great tips! Especially the one on networking. We love being a part of the Blog Societies.
    xo, Whitney and Blaire
    Peaches In A Pod

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  21. Great tips! I struggle so much with a schedule because of my crazy busy life! I am trying to get better at that.

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  22. Great tips, lady! A schedule is so key!

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  23. I've just began blogging, so these tips are very useful for me! I love to read other blogs and commenting on their posts. I try to publish 4 posts a week. But before I released my website, I have already written a bunch of articles. Still need to find out how Pinterest works. Only using Instagram for promoting my blogposts. Thanks for sharing these great tips! :-)

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  24. Great tips! I agree with everything, especially networking and scheduling.

    Amy Ann
    Straight A Style

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  25. Great idea for updating old posts. I will have to set aside some time this weekend to go through some of my popular posts. How do you add the most SEO value?

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    1. To be honest, I am probably not the best person to ask for SEO haha! However, what I do is name my blog post something descriptive, something somebody might search. I will also name my pictures in the "properties" section so that they have a searchable name. Additionally, I always fill in my search description within blogger with things somebody might be searching for. I am sure there are many more tips out there for SEO though!
      Darcy

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  26. Very good tips dear! Networking and scheduling that's something that I really trying to work on!
    Thanks for sharing and love to stay in touch.

    Love,

    www.kelpasdiary.com

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  27. I love this post! I think the scheduling has been the hardest for me, just because my husband's schedule is crazy and I never know what hours I'm working...it's nuts! I hope to figure out some sort of way to post at a certain time everyday. Any suggestions?!
    Linds @ Not A Mom

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  28. Great idea about updating old posts! I so need to do that, so many thanks for the reminder!! Amazing tips!
    xx, Karen
    GlamKaren.com

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  29. Great tips! Definitely need to have your plans on a schedule! It's just important!

    xx, Claire // vonvogue.com

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  30. These are great tips, blogging can be hard work!!! I know networking was the number one thing for me :)

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  31. My blog is relatively still so new - so I loved these tips Darcy, especially coming from you because I adore your blog!

    Raashi
    http://raashiagarwal.blogspot.com.au

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  32. These are great tips Darcy! I agree, networking is number one for me! I need to go back and updated old posts and be more diligent about pinning images. Thank you for sharing!

    Jill
    Doused In Pink

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  33. These are great tips. I am always looking for ways to expand and grow. My clients will really benefit from this too.

    XO, http://danyellbailey.com

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  34. These are great rips, thank you for sharing! :) http://www.louisvuittonmylvbag.com

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  35. Awesome tips I need to do some of these for sure!!

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  36. Thanks for writing this helpful post and sharing these tips!!
    Marta
    www.sweatersstripesandsweets.com

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  37. Such a great read! All really helpful things to note!

    Sportsanista

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  38. Thanks for posting this. These tips are so very helpful.

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  39. These are great, actionable tips, doll!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

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  40. Excellent tips! I honestly never thought about updating old posts and that is such a great idea!
    Networking is probably the biggest key I would say!
    xo
    Carrie
    CS Gems

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  41. These are all such great tips! Networking is so important. Thanks for sharing these with us!
    xo Kiki
    http://colormekiki.com/

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  42. Great tips!! Any advice is always welcome for this kind of stuff :)

    www.maggiealamode.com

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  43. Love these tips, thanks for sharing.
    http://anythingandeverything.weebly.com/

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  44. Great tips! I'm always looking for ways to improve my blog.

    xx,
    Amanda || www.fortheloveofglitter.com

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  45. Damn! Just what I needed! Excellent tips. Thank you so much for sharing these ones. It is so useful to me.
    Xoxo,
    Jaimie | THE MERMAID IN STILETTOS

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  46. Great tips thanks for sharing hon.
    http://artadorned.com/

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  47. Such great tips! I definitely agree with it all.


    xo,
    Angela

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  48. Wonderful tips! Thanks for sharing!!
    xx Bri || www.Neutral2Neon.com

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  49. Great tips. I totally believe in sharing quality over quantity.

    Kreyola Jounerys | Instagram

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  50. Thank you for all of these great tips, Darcy! I have been thinking about going down to 3 posts instead of 5 a week. I have never though about redoing old posts that are popular, but that is a great idea, too!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

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  51. I completely agree! These are great. Sticking to a schedule is a must!! I hadn't thought of the updating older posts. Great tips.

    xo,
    Sara Kate Styling

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  52. Updating your post...I absolutely love that idea! Thanks for passing it along!

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  53. This was an excellent post Darcy! Blogging requires you to do many things. It's fun. It's also work. Very informative.
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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  54. Greta tips girl I'm still so new on the Pinterest thing! I need to up my game :)
    xo, Jessica || The Petite Diaries

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  55. Definitely want to get connected to a Pinterest group board. I hear that's where you can get a lot of traffic. Thanks for sharing your tips.

    xo, c. | theblockishaute.com

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  56. I always love reading what works for other people. The blogging community as a whole is so helpful, I love that about what we all do! Great tips!

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  57. Great tips, thanks for sharing! I also have to get better at Pinterest. I like the idea of going back the next day and posting more pics.

    xo,
    Brooke | <a href="http://kbstyled.com" rel="nofollow”>KBStyled</a>

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  58. thanks for the tips! its so hard trying to get into blogging, but its so fun! i love connecting with other people!

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  59. these are all really great tips!! i need to work harder at sharing through pinterest. thats on my TO DO list for 2016!

    xoxo, Elena Michelle
    www.anewyorkloveaffair.com

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  60. Thank you for sharing this tips! As a new blogger I find it very helpful whenever I read tips to better my blog. I always appreciate the help!!
    www.fashionovermatter.com

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  61. Great post.Thanks for sharing.
    http://www.silvertreedentistry.com

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  62. Great tips, I know I was posting more than 3 times because I felt like I had to but now I know better and am taking a break from blogging several days a week especially until after Thanksgiving. I have been realizing the need to post content I am proud of over quantity.
    Rachel xo

    Garay Treasures

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  63. Thank's for such interesting tips! I helps me a lot! Lot's of inspiration! http://mobilenanny.org

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