Thanks to Blog Brunch I always look forward to first Saturdays. 

Blog Brunch is "a collaborative network powered by bloggers wanting to share, dream and learn with other creatives in the blogging community" that hosts Twitter chats on various blogging topics on the first Saturday of every month. 

This month's topic was on understanding your readers and increasing your readership. And I took notes for all my blogging babes! 

Here are 10 ways to increase your blog readership:

1. "Remember that your blog is only one part of your brand," said Kristin Tweedale a.k.a. @rukristin. "In order to build relationships, meet readers on multiple levels." 

2. If your readers are fellow bloggers, read and comment on their sites. This will keep those readers loyal and may attract their followers to your blog.

3. Feature other bloggers on your blog.

4. Collaborate with other bloggers.

5. Network offline and keep those business cards handy.

6. Try to get your blog mentioned in a national magazine.

7. Post topics that your current readers will be eager to share.

8. Be active in blogging groups and communities.

9. Host linkups on your blog. 

10. Kristin Tweedale had another great quotable Saturday afternoon: "Be interested in your readers," she said. "If you're not interested in those who are consuming your content, you're not doing it right."

Image by Dean Meyers
via Flickr/Creative Commons

Today’s task for 31 Days to a Better Blog is for those of you who think you might need a change. Maybe you’re considering changing your blog platform or maybe you've been thinking about changing your blog’s title or URL. If you've decided a change is what you need, go for it!

But after you make this switch branding is going to become even more important for you as you try to market your new name. Lucky for you, on Saturday I participated in the monthly Twitter chat Blog Brunch and this month’s topic was Branding 101. Here are a few tips on how to build your brand.

Write a mission statement. I know you’re tired of me telling you this, but I’m not the only one who believes this is a good idea. So does Sarah Tolzmann (@notetosarah) of the blog Note to Self.  During Blog Brunch she tweeted “Your blog should have a mission statement, even if you keep it to yourself. It will help you decide if content is relevant.”  Remember, you can’t send a clear brand message to readers if you’re sure what your message is.

Be consistent. Having a mission statement will help ensure your message is clear, but you need a consistent writing style as well. You also need to make sure you’re consistent throughout your social media channels.  The author of the blog Sarah Hearts (@sarahkhandijan) tweeted “All social media pages should look like you! Your readers should instantly know by the look & content that it’s yours.”  I, for example, use the Twitter handle @writeousbabe and usually tweet about the same topics you’ll find on my blog – writing, blogging, feminism, fitness, and faith.

While consistency is key, don’t be afraid of change.  “I think your brand should maintain a common visual aspect – but it shouldn't hold you back from trying something new,” tweeted Katie (@mspinkandblue), co-founder of Blog Brunch.  Kait Kucy (@yuppielove) advised not changing your branding more than once a year. And most bloggers agreed that when you are making a change be sure it’s for a good reason and not simply just to follow a trend.

Network. Now that you've put all that work into crafting your message and polishing your blog’s look, you need to spread the word about who you are and what you’re all about. You need to network. Several bloggers from Saturday’s Blog Brunch agree that some of the best ways to market your blog and your brand include: commenting on other blogs, writing guest posts for blogs with a mission similar to yours, hosting events, attending conferences and, of course, using social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

I’ve been thinking about branding a lot myself, lately. I've been considering changing the name of my blog, worried that “Writeous Babe” is too silly. What do you think? I’d love to get some feedback in the comments section.

Happy brand building! 

Image by Danny Getz via Flickr/Creative Commons 

A few months ago I discovered the virtual blogger meetup known as Blog Brunch.

Blog Brunch is "a collaborative network powered by bloggers wanting to share, dream and learn with other creatives in the blogging community." Blog Brunch hosts Twitter chats on various blogging topics the first Saturday of each month. 

This month's chat, held yesterday, was about finding your blog's voice and couldn't have come at a better time for me as I strive to do exactly that this month during the #bloglikecrazy challenge. 

Ironically, even though I participated in the chat because I have so many questions about the future of my blog, during the chat I realized I already had many of the answers I was seeking. 

For example, during the chat I began to think about and shared with others the importance of having a clear vision for your blog. This vision will help you stay focused, can help you develop an editorial calendar and regular features, can keep you from being preoccupied with traffic and page views, and can even help you when trying to select the right guest bloggers for your site. I'm going to work on drafting a mission statement this week. 

But even after you've figured out a focus for your blog, you may still have trouble finding your voice. Here are some great tips from other bloggers I picked up yesterday: 

Don't be afraid to show your personality. Write as if your reader is a pal having coffee with you, one blogger suggested. 

One thing so many of us agreed on was the importance of blogging about your passion. If you're just writing on a topic simply because it's popular, it shows. 

If you want to know what's working and what's not, just ask. Several bloggers recommend doing reader surveys. And don't rely simply on comments to gauge if your content is resonating with readers. Pay attention to what they share on Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets as well. 

And speaking of readers, it's important to truly engage them. "I make sure that I end every post with a question or two," said @alliepal. "I don't blog to hear myself talk -- I'd rather hear from readers." 

It's important to engage other bloggers, too. Leave comments on the blogs that you read. Don't be a "phantom reader" one blogger said. 

If you're looking for ways to improve your content and writing skills remember good writers are also avid readers. Read other blogs, books, magazines, and more for inspiration. You may want to try free writing workshops too, @mspinkandblue suggests. 

Work on expanding your vocabulary. Not everything can be "AMAZING!" And remember that sites like Grammar Girl are your friends. 

While reading blogs and other online publications can be helpful, if you've fallen into a rut you may need to unplug.  "Nothing gets unique content rolling like being away from your computer and living in the real world," @thecuisinerd said. 

Others agreed and talked about how writing about local events can really boost traffic. I can say that some of my best content and most popular posts were those written after attending inspiring events, such as the post I wrote after attending a panel discussion on the future of journalism. 

Other traffic tips included using titles that are similar to a Google search, which @stacyandcharlie recommended. And @mspinkandblue offered this great tip regarding post length and SEO: "Shoot for at least 250 words to get Google's attention."

That said, be sure not to get too focused on traffic. "Try not looking at your stats or ad sales for a month. See if that changes the way you blog," said @passionfruitads. Obsessing over numbers, @passionfruitads said, is like "looking in the mirror all night and forgetting to go out and have fun!"


Crossposted at the See Jane Write blog.