Sometimes people are leary of clicking ads and affiliate links or purchasing products they see on blogs. Blogging is fun if your doing something your passionate about, but it’s a lot of time and effort to build it. Most bloggers quit. I was going through a list of Wesleyan blogs the other day and found that most of them were no longer there or hadn’t been updated in over a year. The first blog I ever started had one post. I don’t even remember where it is. I got fired up about something, wrote about it, and posted it for the world to see. Then I went back to my life. I don’t even know if anyone read it. I’ve learned a lot about life and blogging since then. Here are some cool and free ways you can support your favorite blogs, keep them going, and help other people find them.
1. Install the Alexa toolbar or status bar. Here’s a little about them and their partnership with Amazon. Why do this? Alexa ranks websites based on traffic and visits made to the site by people using the Alexa toolbar. For example, when I first started Chase Your Lion dot com it was unranked by Alexa. Now, I’m ranked #937,145 out of all the sites in the world(google is #1). Alexa helps people find out more about sites while providing site owners with valuable information that will help them reach their target audience more effectively. I have the status bar and it takes less than 10 seconds to download and install on your browser.
2. Comment on posts. Whether you agree or disagree with what’s said please join the discussion. Sometimes, as a blogger, it’s just nice to know someone’s reading.
3. Subscribe to the feed. Look for this symbol 
. This insures you don’t miss any posts. Many blogs also allow you to sign up for email updates/newsletters. This normally requires you to confirm your subscription and doesn’t lead to spam. My feed is located on the handy dandy toolbar at the bottom.
4. Tweet it! Most blogs now have the option for you to tweet/retweet their posts. This is kind gesture that shows your reading and that you feel others would benefit from the post. The button is normally located beside the post title.
5. Share It! There are lots of other places to share posts! Facebook, Digg, et. I have a share/save button with each post. It’s quick and easy to get the word out about your favorite posts.
6. Link Love. If you have a blog of your own then write about and link to posts you’ve been reading. Incoming links give a blog credibility and help generate buzz and discussion. I don’t recommend the blog roll and here’s why. How many people on your blog roll actually keep up with their blogs? What does it say to your readers that you’re linking to people who may have dead sites and old news? Plus, adding a link in a post gives a more personal stamp of approval.
7. Join the Facebook page/community. The wibiya toolbar has a button for people to join my Facebook group. It’s quick and shows your support. There’s also a place for more discussion there. No, I will not ask for your help with Farmville or other Facebook games.
8. Word of Mouth. I’ve tried to make my domain names easy to remember and easy to share. If a blog has been helpful to you then it might be helpful to others. Share the love. PS: I even bought a domain with a common misspelling of my last name so people looking for Heath Mulliken will actually find Heath Mullikin.
9. Give suggestions. Does my layout make your head spin? Is stuff too hard to find? Is there an herb you’ve found that will help a person get taller?
10. Last but not least…pray. Pray for bloggers to have wisdom and integrity in what they write. Pray for their families. Pray for their health. Pray for their churches and ministries. Pray that God uses the words they write to make a difference.
Thanks for your support! Blogging buddies, what did I leave out?
Currently Reading:
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Lost Art of Disciple Making
By LeRoy Eims “Every believer in Jesus Christ deserves the opportunity of personal nurture and development,” says LeRoy Eims.But all too often the opportunity isn’t there. We neglect the young Christian in our whirl of programs, church services and fellowship groups. And we neglect to raise up workers and leaders who can disciple young believers into mature and fruitful Christians. In simple, practical, and biblical terms, LeRoy Eims revives the lost art of disciple making. He explains:
“True growth takes time and tears and love and patience,” Eims states. There is no instant maturity. This book examines the growth process in the life of a Christian and considers what nurture and guidance it takes to develop spiritually qualified workers in the church. |
Currently Listening:
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Ocean Eyes CD
By Owl City From the quiet backroads of small-town Minnesota comes Owl City, the one-man project of keyboard wiz Adam Young. Ocean Eyes is awash in breezy electronics, light melodies, and crisp, sparkling textures, and includes the single “Fireflies” plus “Hello Seattle,” “Umbrella Beach,” “Vanilla Twilight,” and more. |
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