I started Bipolar Burble eight years ago anonymously. And for the vast majority of that time, no one read my blog. Oh, sure, I had a few avid readers and a person would stumble on it now and then, but even after I started producing decent content, no one read it.
Which initially was OK by me. I didn’t write for others, I wrote for myself, so if I had one, lonely reader, then that was fine, I still felt the urge to push pixels around.
Until, of course, it wasn’t fine. Then I had to figure out why no one read me and figure out how to actually get people out there to know about me. And so people ask me all the time: How do I get people to read my blog? How do I find an audience?
Figure Out What Your Blog is About
Ah, you say, but I know what it’s about, it’s about me!
Well, good for you. How many people are putting your name into a search engine? Unless you’re Ashton Kutcher, I’d wager, not many. You might want to alter your focus.
Pick a topic that interests you and that you can stick to, day after day after month after year – like, say, mental illness. And then be prepared to write on your topic and only your topic for a long time. Changing topics (like I’m doing right now) might confuse and fracture your audience.
Make the blog topic broad enough so that you can write many things but narrow enough so that you can identify a group of people who would be interested. For example, My Pet Parakeet, Pete is specific, but may not find much of an audience. Whereas Cheery Chairs is a pretty broad topic but it might be difficult to identify the segments of people deeply devoted to it. Chairs for Parakeets might be something in the middle.
Write Great Blog Content
No matter what you choose to write about, your content had better be stellar. It has to be something that connects with people so that people will want to go back to it again and again.
And make sure that content stream is constant – 2 blog posts per week at a minimum – more is better when building an audience.
Figure Out Who Cares About Your Blog’s Subject
Once you’ve decided to go with a topic, figure out who cares about that topic and target them. Perhaps the National Society of Parakeets? Maybe the International Council for Chair Care? Perhaps Pets for Rest?
And then access those groups. Become a member. Participate in their events. Discuss things with other members. Get the word out that your Chairs for Parakeets blog is the very best.
Get an Audience – Get Loud, Proud and Social
Tell everyone under the sun you have a blog. Tell your family and friends and neighbours and school chums. If they don’t know about it, then they can’t support it or you. You can never tell too many people about your work.
And seriously, start social networking. Don’t roll your eyes at me – Twitter and Facebook have been the major drivers of my audience and they can be for you as well. I can’t go into all the ins and outs of social networking here, but set it up, do it, and use it for promotion every day. (But don’t be obnoxious.) (See how to write a Twitter bio here.) Also, promote sharing and subscribing to your blog.
Learn About Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Yes, this one is last because if you’ve done all those other things, then blog SEO will (sort of) happen naturally. Search engine optimization keys in on keywords (subject focus), connections (networking) and quality content – things you should always be doing anyway. To get finer-grained, you’ll need to start learning about how Google works and that could take some time. For now, just know that those other rules really matter.
Overall Tips on How to Have a Popular Blog
- Talk about what’s in the news – people are looking for commentary on it and they likely have thoughts on it too
- Be controversial (or not) – this always gets readers but you might not like the fall-out
- Answer your comments – this builds community and conversation and keeps people coming back
- Use headings, bullet points, paragraph breaks and images liberally – no one wants to read a large chunk of text
- Create solid, frequent content – oh, did I mention that one already?
- Keep articles to 400-600 words – people don’t have the attention span for more than that
- Link everything together – social networks, to blog, to homepage, etc.
- Guest post elsewhere
- Comment on other blogs or in forums where your audience hangs out
- Care for and about your audience
And keep in mind, becoming popular takes time. I have more than six times the traffic than I did a year ago, but that took a year. So be patient. If you want people to read you – they will – but it isn’t as simple as “build it and they will come.”
Hey Natasha,
Awesome article. Thank you. Some question’s for you. How does one write about a topic that they read about somewhere else ie. another blog or news site. I’m talking about a specific article? How does one do it without copying it word for word but still include the points that were made on the other sites? I want to write and I agree very much with the thoughts and sometimes it would be hard to “put it into my own words”. Quote and elaborate? Is that enough. I have seen different articles from different people and they are basically the same, same ideas, same suggestions. Bipolar II and you bring up a lot that I relate to but if I wrote a post and included what you have said it may come off as plagiarism. That’s a fear.
Hi Sheldon,
I can understand that fear and, as a writer, I appreciate your respect for copyright.
The rules are thus: you can use (copy) up to 20% of an article as long as you attribute (and link to it) it. This is called fair use.
If you are parroting someone else’s points, it’s really critical to say where you got them from and acknowledge their original source.
– Natasha Tracy
For some reason I could literally do cartwheels and my Facebook friends, even family would just ignore any attempts to promote my blog. It made me feel so bad I quit using Facebook all together. I could not get anyone to read my blog or look at my youtube videos, and my topic is very popular. I had a forum once, and ended up abandoning it. I would love to succeed but when my success depends upon other ppl I end up a failure because it’s like no one cares.
Hello,
I just fell upon this blog post. Thank you for the wonderful information. I have just started a blog today and made a post about overcoming shame (posting a blog made me ashamed). I am already anxious about the whole blog process and gaining followers. I have been diagnosed as depressed, OCD, bipolar, and borderline personality disorder. The last one is the most accurate and I am in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for it right now.
Thank you for the post. It is cool to see someone who has persevered at blogging and been successful. 8 years is impressive especially for a bipolar person : D. I look forward to reading more of your posts : D.
What are some tips you have for maintaining the strength to persevere?
-Sebastian
I think this post is very on point – and yes, it’s really important to pick your topic and keep to it. I’d compare it to going to the shops and buying a bag of oranges. You get home, open the bag, and you have apples.
Nothing wrong with apples or oranges, but you have to give people what they’ve signed up for! Having said that – ironically, I’m glad you went off topic and wrote this post… :-) You now have a new fan! I’ve also shared it on blogbods so more bloggers pick up on the points you’ve made. God knows there are enough unpopular blogs in the world…
Great post! As a new blogger myself, I find solace knowing that you’ve been able to build up your audience successfully – all the blog success stories I come across are metabloggers or other internet marketing blogs. It’s nice to see a thriving blog about mental illness!
Just saying hi, just for fun :)
I appreciate the post. Really helpful, yet simple ways to create buzz about your brand. Thanks!
Very good information. You are generous to share. I thought I had focus in the beginning but then found I seriously needed the cathartic process or ‘venting’, I’d call it. It ruined my connections I was building with the food/photography blogging world though. So, you are correct about that.
Hi Stephanie,
Well, might I suggest that sometimes having a place to vent is more valuable that the contacts? It does mental wellness good.
:)
– Natasha Tracy
Hi, Natasha,
Your article is great. Thanks so much as I’m just beginnng a blog, specifically on trichotillomania. I have taught myself how to operate/use the computer, but am certainly not savvy, as you are. However, I love learning and tweaking……and writing~!
These are excellent pointers; targeted and easy to comprehend, thus make application for my own purposes. Thanks!
I’m sure I’ll be checking in very often as you share a plethora of information that is quite informative, interesting and useful~!
Cheers to a happy day~~
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
Happy to help. I haven’t seen a blog on trichotillomania so that would probably be an excellent addition to the writings online. People with specific conditions are always looking for others with which to connect.
Good luck and pop back and comment any time.
– Natasha Tracy
Natasha,
Working with you on my writing, blog and social media has been the best investment of money I have ever used on Coaching. I am learning so much from you.
Thank you
Lee
Lee,
I’m so grateful to be working with you, you are an absolute pleasure and I’m looking forward very much to seeing your future success.
– Natasha Tracy
Natasha, Thank you again for your generosity in sharing valuable information, blogs, posts and tweets. You were truly the inspiration for my blog. I don’t think I’ll ever be the amazing writer that you are, but my goal is to simply create awareness around mental illness and work to end stigma. You’re writing is accurate and professional. Thank you again!
Hi Amelia,
Thanks. I’m glad you’re getting a lot out of the blog and I’m honoured to be an inspiration. I wish you the best of luck in your own writings.
– Natasha Tracy
Hi Natasha,
Just started a blog myself and this article was exactly what I was looking for. The amount and complexity of the advice is a bit overwhelming at the moment (that might just be me) but all very good advice I think. I’m sure I’ll find my way. Will just have to take it slowly and calmly rather than making frantic efforts!
Thanks again,
Jim.
Hi Jim,
Well, you’re certainly right, the amount of advice online can be overwhelming, but if I had to boil it all down to one thing it would simply be this: content is king. Offer value to your readers first, and then worry about the rest.
Hope that helps.
– Natasha Tracy
Hello. Love the newsy blog. I am new to the blogging world, so your tips came at a good time. :-) I was diagnosed bipolar at age 40 and I am 43, so fairly new to it all. I am an avid reader though and feel less overwhelmed than at first. Anyway, back to blogging… Can I add you as a link to my site? I think I now know how to do that.
Have a great day!
Colleen
Hi Colleen,
Happy to help :)
Of course you can link to the site. Not a problem. Happy to see it.
– Natasha Tracy
Hello!
This article is terrific, I should say. Being a blogger myself (although, at times, not much of a frequent online scribbler due to my full-time job of being an instructor) it DOES take some handful of months–even a year or two–to generate lots of blog patronisers. That should not daunt a regular blogger, though: it’s part of the writing process. And as what I can attest to myself, knowing EXACTLY what to write about does the trick. It’s much like concocting ideas for a thesis or research report.
I do not generate lots of traffic myself, and I know that this is mainly attributed to my blogs not that fixed up yet. I plan to maintain three blogs for the meantime–one within my domain that talks about my bipolar disorder saga–and another about my book collection which should comprise mainly pictures, memes and short write-ups (sort of like teasers). Meanwhile, the other one I intend as a photoblog of my food adventures. Thus, in a gist, the latter two do not require conjuring up of paragraphs that much; so at least I could focus merely on one in terms of writing. Additionally, the two photo blogs shall be offsite so at least I would not worry too much on disk space.
Three blogs might be superfluously numerous for some but well, you know how bipolar people are–that is, in my own experience as having manic depression, I’d want to find some outlet that does not merely extrapolate on one single topic or else ideas would jam themselves up my brain. :)
So there. If you want to write, stick to one topic. Never consider a broad topic: always narrow it down by asking “What do I really want to write?” Now, if you still have some difficulty, write down your ideas in bullet form then categorise each as to what you think you’d like to to go in first, second, etc.
And of course, there’s nothing like a catchy title. :)
Hi Shirley,
Well thank-you.
Yup, attracting readers, and waiting for readers is part of the writing process. Kind of an annoying part :)
I totally agree with staying on topic and writing point-form to figure out what that is. I do it all the time. And I jot down points I want to make at random times and come back to them later.
I’m not sure if “Bipolar Burble” is catchy seeing as people tend to call it “Burple” but I like it.
– Natasha Tracy
I just want to say thank you for all the information you have provided. I stumbled upon it this summer when my psychiatrist said when I begged to try another antidepressant that, “You’ve been on so many, they’re all the same, I don’t think I can do anything for you. You’re disease resistant.” I am a 61 year old female, who was given a bipolar II diagnosis at the age of 50. I had taken Prozac for OCD when it came our from 40-50 and it changed my life. Then I decided I probably didn’t need it anymore and quit abruptly.
For the last 11 years, I’ve been on many antidepressants and they all stop working. Incidentally, it was that fact alone that made me accept the diagnosis in the first place. Until a lamictal and wellbutrin addition, my moods were more seasonally related. Over the last 3 years, my good days got fewer and fewer. This past summer I had 6 good days.
So when my doctor handed me such a death sentence, I decided to research a more natural approach. That is when I discovered your blog. I started Omega 3’s, NAC, and green tea, although, unlike meds, it seems more difficult for me to stay so regimented on these things than good old drugs. I also started tapering off everything. I had been on 7 different medications. I researched L-Methylfolate, and though my blood levels were okay, I talked my psych into prescribing it. My insurance will only pay for Deplin (go figure). I began to see a gradual positive effect. Placebo effect, maybe, but I don’t care.
I’d been waiting for Viibryd to come out and again had to persuade my psychiatrist to write me a script. Ten days, later, voila! The apathy is disappearing I bathe most every day now, I clean my house more often, and though I still have trouble getting up, I am going to work. I no longer lave to talk myself into the things you have to do in life. I just do it. Unfortunately, I also have to clean up the mess, months of apathy costs. Specifically, straightening out finances, particularly with the IRS. I got zapped with a $200 penalty because I didn’t open the letter that said, “You have 10 days…
I’ve lost houses, husbands, friendships and thousands of dollars living with this illness. I have never taken a good day for granted. While it’s only been about 3 weeks now, I am hopeful that I may have some days, months or maybe even a year or two of feeling that it is good to alive.
I saw my doctor a week ago and said that I had been on the Deplin for about 2 months and that with the other changes more likely explained the sustained good mood. However, he said the Viibryd can start working after a week or two.
In case you’re wondering why I didn’t fire him, he’s a good, older guy, who wouldn’t take payment for nearly a year because of the financial mess I am currently in. I was close, though. And he thanked me for being so persistent.
At any rate, had he not been so negative, I would not have discovered your blog, all of your research, insight and the host of others like me who write in to you. I applaud your work and congratulate you on your successes. You deserve it.
Hi Shuana,
You’re welcome.
Good for you for not giving up. Even when they say you’re treatment-resistant, there are always things that can be done. Don’t believe anyone who tells you differently. You’re proof that there are always new ways of looking at the problem and new things to try.
I’m thrilled to hear this new medication is working for you. As noted here, Viibryd is known to work after only one week: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viibryd As it’s brand new, we don’t know much about it, but it looks to be a bit novel in the way it works (as you probably know) and similar to aripiprazole (Abilify) which is an antipsychotic (interestingly).
I’m glad you’re finding help here and I’m glad you’re seeing that you’re not alone. Many people forget this, but it’s always true. Thank-you for your comment and the kind words.
– Natasha Tracy
Hi Natasha – Great article. I now have three blogs and feel a bit daft :) I’m stretched to say the least. But one is the one I’m known for: WordsinSync (which concentrates on bookish things) but because I plan on publishing my novel later this year and want to write more about writing and publishing and get more personal, so yesterday I built the blog I’ve linked to here – my author blog. It looks so lonesome right now – it needs some love :)
I also enhance digital photos so have one for that. The latter is more a platform for customers to see what I do and get info if they’d like me to do something for them. I post, but not often and don’t require followers as such. But I do link to it on my other blogs and in email signatures.
You’ve made some great points here as always. Cheers! X
Hi Shah,
3 blogs? No wonder you’re feeling stretched! I know I am and the third I’m launching will make that even more challenging.
I wonder about over-exposure so I guess I’ll find out if that’s an issue. I hope your three work out for your.
– Natasha
The Google profile ought to be easy for me – someone famous shares my name, even down to the initial between the first and last! All true. Seriously though, this is an excellent article (and well written as usual, madam! When it starts to go awry I’ll know you’ve forgotten to take the meds!)
I’m wondering that is the commitment in time you put in each week for the blog. So, I have a question for you: On average, how long does it take you to research and then write each blog?
Hi Graham,
You know, I don’t even know how much time I spend on the blog per week. I can tell you that I work at it every day, all day; as in, I watch stats, moderate comments and answer comments. As for the posts, they take between 1 hour (rarely) and many hours, depending. Plus there is additional time for formatting, linking and images. Additionally, I have to find time to update other parts of the blog, tweak design and fix bugs.
So, um, a lot. But no one says you have to be quite as picky as I am :)
I should also mention that one of the most time-consuming parts of the blog is actually deciding what to put on it. Subject matter choice is very important for audience-building and hit counts. (Although I don’t let these factors drive subjects completely. Often I write what I feel is important regardless.)
– Natasha Tracy
Hi Natasha, I’ll be honest and admit that I just “came across” your blog. This was through Google alerts actually. To me this indicates that you are doing something right so well done.
This post is great. I shall use it as a guide for my blog. I have had a look around. I like what I see. You now have at least one more reader.
.
Ray,
Not to worry, stumbling across is still allowed in these parts. Nice to hear I showed up in a Google Alert.
Glad to hear you like it around these parts. Happy I could help.
– Natasha Tracy
Great guide!! I think that for some people (*raises hand*) figuring out WHAT to blog about is the hardest part. I have so many interests that narrowing it down to one concept that makes sense can be so super difficult. Thanks for sharing!
Meghan
Hi Meghan,
Thanks.
I agree. The beauty of not caring about the number of readers is that you _can_ blog about whatever you want. But if you _do_ care then you have to make some sacrifices. Or start multiple blogs. Which, trust me, I don’t recommend. Making one good one is tough enough.
– Natasha Tracy