You have found and vetted your niche and now you are ready to start building a community of followers. Notice I used the word “community.” The fastest way to build followers is to engage with them. Act as if they live on your cul de sac. Treat them as if they are your peeps or community. Why? Because they are and also because nothing makes me want to come back and read about what you have to say more than you responding to my comment, tweet, Facebook post, etc. One other thing about constant engagement?
Your next post is right around the corner. Most of my ideas come from comments, tweets, suggestions or questions from within my community.
The following are your…
Community Creating To Do’s
1. Building Your List of Potential Community Members
You need to find the people who are interested in your niche and create a list. Your list should include as many details about each person as possible. Their Twitter handle, Facebook info, email address and any other details that are relevant. For example, I asked each person the age of their tweens/teens. Decide what info you would like to collect and then start a spreadsheet. I tweeted, creeped other’s Twitter lists, Facebooked and made note of comments on my site to find people I would like to add to my list.
Create a private Facebook group for your community where you can share frustrations, accomplishments, posts and get to know each other better.
On Twitter, add a column devoted to your ever growing list so that you can be connected daily.
2. Getting Others to Guest Post
Having bloggers guest post allows you more time for the Business of Blogging (that will be the next post in this series) and allows you to expose your niche to other bloggers’ communities. When other’s guest post ask them in advance to tweet the post at least twice on the day it goes live as well as to share it on their Facebook page.
Create a page on your site called “Guest Post” with all of the details such as number of words, who provides the post photo, what you need in the bio, that they need to include a photo of themselves, etc. Here is a link to my page for reference. http://www.ooph.com/submit-a-post
Create a list of potential guest posters both by name and by any profession you might be interested in. For example my list contains pediatricians, psychologists, sports docs, technology experts and more.
3. Creating a Monthly Newsletter
We get busy and forget to check our favorite blogs. Unless, of course, you remind us to check every month with a newsletter. There are several sites out there you can use. I am a fan of MailChimp.com. Create a PROMINENT place on your site that says, “JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER and start collecting email addresses. Choose your best posts from the month prior and include them in your monthly newsletter.
4. Your Social Media Presence
- You MUST have an RSS feed and it MUST be prominent on your site
- Your Social Media Icons Need to be FRONT AND CENTER. NO exceptions.
- Create a Facebook Business Page for your blog and update it daily with a question or quote of the day.
- Create a Google+ Page and do the same as with Facebook.
- I am sure I don’t need to say this, but have a Twitter account and use it. Often.
- Finally? Your new best friend will be Pinterest. Every post that is on your site needs to have a pinnable photo and you need to pin it. Nothing and I mean NOTHING will grow your community faster than a viral pin on Pinterest. I know that from first hand experience.
Please leave any other suggestions you have below.
Look for my next post titled, A daily guide to maintaining your blogging business.
About the Author:
Stefanie Mullen is the co-author of Chicken Soup for the Girlfriend’s Soul and owner and founder of Ooph.com, a site devoted to the parenting of tweens and teens. She is the co-host of Your Family Matters on WSRadio.com. Stefanie has been featured in the New York Times and has appeared on NBC, Fox, KUSI and NPR. Connect with Stefanie on Twitter @Ooph.
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Twitter: BlondeDuck
says:
How do you create a monthly newsletter? I’ve been wanting to do that but have no idea how!
Blond Duck recently posted..Wings 35
Twitter: ooph
says:
It really is a great way to remind your readers to check in. Here is the link to a MailChimp tutorial on creating a website. Good luck! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjya9gtjgY
For me, the community I found was such a surprise and maybe the very best thing about blogging. I had no idea such a thing and such amazing people existed out here in cyberspace. For me, the best way to build it was to be totally authentic with my writing and to visit and comment on other blogs with that same authenticity. It is getting to know each other and connecting that makes it so wonderful, IMO.
Karen@WaistingTime recently posted..Thumb-thing’s Missing
Twitter: ooph
says:
Whatever works Karen. I am glad you have a great community!
Twitter: hinessightblog
says:
Great advice. Thank you.
Leigh Powell Hines @Hinessightblog recently posted..Fears, Tears, and the Peep Show at Scruffy Duck
Twitter: ooph
says:
My pleasure.
Twitter: FamRamblings
says:
This is fantastic advice! I’ve been working on building my community a lot as of late and these are some tips that I absolutely needed. Thanks for posting them.
Felicia recently posted..Abuse in the Family
Twitter: ooph
says:
You are welcome Felicia. I am glad they were helpful.
Community really is key!
JDaniel4′s Mom recently posted..Outside Play- Water: Old MacDonald’s Beach Trip
Twitter: ooph
says:
Clearly I agree
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Great Tips! I love the idea of a newsletter. I will have to check that site out.
adrienne recently posted..Show other parents kindness not judgment!
Twitter: ooph
says:
In case you are interested I looked up a newsletter tutorial on MailChimp for another commenter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjya9gtjgY. It’s really easy and a great community builder.
Twitter: MsWhit62
says:
Great advice, I must get my Facebook page together. Thanks!
Whitney recently posted..Comment on Trying to Control The Stress by Latorsha
Twitter: ooph
says:
My pleasure Whitney. Tweet me your Facebook page so I can Like it!
Twitter: ksluiter
says:
These are all such good suggestions! BlogFrog is another way some people have had huge success with community building.
Kate recently posted..so you’re going to BlogHer…or not.
Twitter: ooph
says:
Yes. BlogFrog is a GREAT tool as well. Thank you for including it!
Twitter: thedosetweets
says:
This is another very helpful article! Thank you so much!
thedoseofreality recently posted..The Part of Oprah Today Will Be Played By Me
Twitter: ooph
says:
So glad it is helpful to you. Thanks for the comment
This is some great advice!!
Barbara recently posted..Dear Nathan
Twitter: ooph
says:
Thanks Barbara. Really appreciate the feedback.
Twitter: hippiedogco
says:
The idea of building a community sounds so wonderful, but I know I am scared and unsure of myself as to how to approach it. Some of the bloggers that I really admire and would love to community with already seem very vetted in their own communities. Not sure how to start. Great article though, good suggestions.
Lauren – @Hippie Dog Company recently posted..Blind Dates and Rings
Twitter: FamRamblings
says:
I know exactly how you feel, Lauren, I’m the same way! I’ve found, though, that taking a deep breath and diving in there is a good way to go. There was one blogger that I really admired when I first started and was so scared of trying to join her community. When I took the plunge and just started interacting, I found out it wasn’t as hard as it seemed.
Felicia recently posted..Abuse in the Family
Twitter: ooph
says:
Great advice by Felicia. Blogging is like life, for the most part everyone is wonderful and welcoming. If you stumble across the small percentage that aren’t, move on. You don’t want to be in a community like that anyway.
Twitter: princesspruning
says:
The idea of using mailchimp for a newsletter was new to me. Great idea. Thanks.
Laura @ Pruning Princesses recently posted..Reading Together: One Hundred Dresses
Twitter: ooph
says:
Here is the newsletter tutorial by MailChimp if you are interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjya9gtjgY Hope it’s helpful.
Twitter: jmroubinek
says:
Building community really is key. I really never thought my blog was big enough for a newsletter but taking the approach that people are too busy to read everyday tells me a monthly newsletter would be good for those people! Thanks for the great tips!!
Jamie @ Roubinek Reality recently posted..DIY Bow Holder
Twitter: ooph
says:
Exactly. Glad it was helpful!
Twitter: Semperfimomma
says:
Excellent advice for both new and experienced bloggers!!
I love this post and the advice given. It would have been great had I had advice like this available when I first started blogging, but its never too late to learn and a blogger can always work on their community building.
laura recently posted..Chicken Salad Battleship Sushi
Twitter: ooph
says:
Exactly. I am still learning new things daily.
Twitter: martinisandmini
says:
Great advice. I get so much from the SITS updates and posts. This is a great one. I write as if I’m talking to a girlfriend in my blog so now it is time to work on developing more of a community in that same regard.
Martinis and Minivans recently posted..Baby Proofing Gone Bad…
Twitter: hippiedogco
says:
“I write as if I’m talking to a girlfriend in my blog so now ” – that’s a great idea
Lauren – @Hippie Dog Company recently posted..Blind Dates and Rings
Twitter: ooph
says:
That sounds like my kind of community.
Twitter: Organizedisland
says:
Thank you for this helpful post! I am actually having my first guest post tomorrow! I never thought of creating a separate page for it. I have a spreadsheet I use (I have to as there are so many great blogs out there that I need a list, plus I love lists).
Raquel recently posted..Scheduling Downtime During Summer
Twitter: ooph
says:
I too am a list lover. Whatever works
Twitter: kimulmanis
says:
I’ve had trouble with community unfortunately. The one community I was a part of in Vegas didn’t exactly like me questioning their leadership (I had good reason to by the way) and as such I was booted.
These are all excellent tips. Some I’m more likely to od than others. The newsletter is probably not something I’ll do at this juncture but who knows? Maybe eventually. I need to work on guest posts…both on my blog and me writing for others. My social media presence is decent. I’m not on Pinterest all that often or G+ but I do make the effort as much as possible. Same with Twitter. I still have work to do and I think I’m finally reaching the point where I feel comfortable and truly ready to promote, discuss, and engage with readers. I’ve had a hard time with in my 2 years of blogging (personal reasons).
Kim @ Coffee Pot Chronicles recently posted..A Changed Perspective
Twitter: ooph
says:
Just keep looking, it took me a while to build my community and find others I wanted to be a part of.
Twitter: moretobe
says:
I really appreciate your tips. Thanks so much!
Lisa recently posted..A Pledge That Makes A Difference
Twitter: ooph
says:
My pleasure. Glad you found them helpful.
Twitter: Sarah_J_Evans
says:
Great tips
I can say I have ticked all of these boxes except for the newsletter one. That is clearly my next step
Sarah
http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.co.uk/
Sarah recently posted..100th Follower Giveaway plus 10% Discount Code
Twitter: ooph
says:
Nice! On to the newsletter. Here is a tutorial by MailChimp if you are interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjya9gtjgY
Twitter: CleverPirate
says:
Thank you for your post, Steph! I have been wanting to do guest posts on my blog and I love your page for bloggers to submit content. I haven’t interacted on Twitter in a while, I need to get back to that as well.
Also, I can’t tell you how many times I have been frustrated in finding people’s Social Media buttons. They should be the first thing I see when I am looking at the sidebar. That definitely makes it hard for people to continue to follow if they can’t find those buttons. The average length of a first time visit is only seconds, make those seconds count!
Sara @ CleverPinkPirate.com recently posted..DIY Upcycled Bottle Cap Magnets
Twitter: ooph
says:
I know Sara. The social media icons are a big one. I am amazed when they aren’t there. It’s your best marketing plan, they should scream at you from the home page. P.s. I miss you on Twitter.
Twitter: disneyinsiders
says:
Great post! I love the idea of creating a page for guest bloggers (because I am always looking for them)! I also need to start a newsletter because people are always interested in finding out about the new attractions and rides at Disney!
Kristi at Disney Insider Tips recently posted..Don’t Miss the Magic Kingdom Parade
Twitter: ooph
says:
That sounds like a fantastic newsletter!
Twitter: TheWineabe
says:
Great ideas! And, THANK YOU for stating them simply and all organized in one article!
I’m printing and sticking to my {real} pin board for a daily reminder!!
Suzanne @The Wine{a}be recently posted..Estancia Pinot Grigio {2011}
Twitter: ooph
says:
So glad they were helpful!
Hi Stefanie! Thanks for the great advice and helpful tips. A monthly newsletter with favorite posts from the previous month sounds like a great idea! Something I haven’t done yet is to guest post. I need to take time to do that as well. I’m glad I found you through SITS the other day and getting connected!
Tina – mom of 4, author and blogger of 5 blogs
The post I’m linking has to do with teenagers and text messaging.
Christina Morley recently posted..Text Messaging
Twitter: ooph
says:
Glad to be connecting with you too Christina.
This is such fantastic advice. I’ve been blogging on and off for almost two years now, but feel like I’m just NOW starting to get the hang of it. Community is such an important part of the process, and probably the biggest reward of blogging, and I need to be better about encouraging one on my own blog and being part of one for others.
Thanks for the encouragement!
michelle @ this little light recently posted..The House That Built Me
Twitter: ooph
says:
My pleasure. Glad it was helpful!
I’m always looking for ways to build my community. Thanks.
Tanya recently posted..A Great Home Organization Product
Twitter: ooph
says:
Glad it helped.
Twitter: ThebusyMomsDiet
says:
I love the idea of the blogging friends list and the newsletter. Anyone have any good tools for the newsletter?
Emily TheBusyMomsDiet.com recently posted..Tutorial Tuesday: The Anywhere Chair- Fabric High Chair
Twitter: ooph
says:
MailChimp is my favorite. It’s free under I believe 500 subscribers. Here is the link to their newsletter tutorial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSjya9gtjgY Hope that helps
My Pinterest boards are my own, personal pinnings. Now, I’m wondering…do I need to set up a separate profile that goes with my blog name, or is it alright to just link to my personal profile and boards from my blog?
Twitter: paintbrushnco
says:
Leanne, for what it’s worth, I ended up setting up a separate Pinterest for my blog. I know it probably breaks the rules at Pinterest (call me a rebel!).
Lisa @ Paintbrush & Screwdriver recently posted..She’s Ready For Her Close-Up
Twitter: ooph
says:
Mine are combined. I have created boards like Business of Blogging and Parenting for my blog pins. I needed one less thing to manage. I don’t believe there is a right or wrong, just a preference.
Twitter: littlevictorian
says:
I realize I’m 6 months late to the conversation, but for what it’s worth, as a pinterest addict, I prefer if bloggers use one account. Its more personal and less promotional and you get to know each other better.
Twitter: MyPixieBlog
says:
These are all such great tips! Thank you so much… will definitely start to repin the pictures on my post more often.
Charlotte recently posted..Musings of a bridesmaid
Twitter: ooph
says:
Don’t forget to use add wording so that your pin instantly defines your post. Here is an example. http://www.ooph.com/topics/table-talk/758/table-talk-would-you-rather
Twitter: Chasing_JOy
says:
Great tips. I have a FB page for the blog but had not given much thought to a FB Group.
Chasing Joy recently posted..Life Lessons From Tina Fey, The Joy of Bossypants
Twitter: ooph
says:
It’s a great place to bounce ideas. I love it.
Twitter: grechie20
says:
I have always wanted to have some bloggers to guest on my blogs. I wanted to learn that newsletters as well. Thanks for this blog.
Ma. Teresa Grech Q. Racal recently posted..Uniform For Amaya
Twitter: ooph
says:
You are so welcome
Twitter: osvme
says:
As much as I try, I totally fail at building community. Seriously I’ve given up, but this is an awesome post for people still working on it and actually getting results.
Jenny recently posted..A trip through the gardens~
Twitter: littlevictorian
says:
I’m about to be in the same place. Feels pretty hopeless at this point. I never understand how some bloggers have these great, giant communities after a year or less, even advertising, meanwhile I’ve read every article I can find and attended every class and no growth.
Christina | Little Victorian recently posted..Gutting the dollhouse
Twitter: ndnspeechmom
says:
Thanks for the great tips! I’ve thought about making a blog Facebook page but what if nobody joined lol
Skye recently posted..That time today when my parents were talking about ass
Twitter: ooph
says:
Always the fear. I get it. Just remember it’s probably going to be a slow build. Don’t get discouraged and actively recruit people to join.
all great suggestions, when you say you “asked each person” does that mean you asked when you responded to comments or did you post a survey or poll?
zeemaid recently posted..Sometimes Family Can Suck
Twitter: ooph
says:
I individually asked them via Twitter. Took some work, but worth it.
I have recently started working on building my blog ‘community.’ These suggestions are great. I recently joined Twitter, and I have to be honest, I find it SO confusing! I am sure I will get the hang of it eventually, but it is a bit overwhelming right now. Any Twitter tips are more than welcome! Facebook is easy, of course. I would like to get into the Pinterest thing, but I just feel like if I add that, my plate will be too full. I have lots of time for Blogging during my months living in Denmark, but when I go back to Canada and work 60-80 hour weeks, I just don’t have the time. Does anyone have any tips/suggestion for how to make time for writing your blog, reading other blogs, and keeping up with all the social media?
Lindsay recently posted..Monkey Business
Twitter: ooph
says:
Here are some helpful Twitter tips. http://www.twitip.com/13-twitter-tips-and-tutorials-for-beginners/
As far as time, like with money, you have to set a budget. Figure out how much time you want to devote and then set up your daily To Dos and spend that time plugging away. My final post in this series is what to do daily. I think it will help you budget your time.
Twitter: caramelrell
says:
Great Advice! I’m on it.
Twitter: ooph
says:
Fabulous!
Twitter: Wellroundedhome
says:
I like the idea of including a recap of posts in the monthly newsletter. I’ve wanted to send one out but always got stumped at what to actually included in it.
Kacey recently posted..How Blogging Has Changed My Life
Twitter: ooph
says:
It’s the perfect way to fill it. Most people will not have read at least one of the posts you include in the newsletter.
Twitter: http://pediatricsafety.net
says:
Excellent post… and btw – love how you spell your name
Stefanie recently posted..5 Strategies to Conquer Your Kid’s Doctor Phobia
I really enjoyed this series, both on finding your niche, and community building. Thanks so much for the informative articles!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..The Fit Mom Controversy
Twitter: TheSIPproject
says:
I have been procrastinating figuring out RSS feed but just got it on my blog thanks to you! If it weren’t’ for my passion for what I do on my blog, I would not be learning and fumbling my way through all this stuff.
DeAnn @ TheSIPproject.blogspot.com recently posted..SIP Summer Camp – week 6
Twitter: copilotmom
says:
More wonderful suggestions! I am learning so much from your posts.
Thank you!
Co-Pilot Mom recently posted..Night and Day
Twitter: BusyMomofTwins1
says:
Thank you for this! Some really great tips.
BusyMomofTwins recently posted..Toddler Times
Twitter: defininghope1
says:
great tips. I’m fairly new to blogging and the amount of info out there seems overwhelming at times, but I like that you break your tips down into a series…its easier to chew. Thanks for the post…off to part three
Hope recently posted..What a Day!
Just getting started myself…great tips!! Thank you
http://www.yo-yo-mama.com/
yo-yo-mama recently posted..PMS
Thnk you for the great tips! Just getting started
yo-yo-mama recently posted..PMS
THanks so much for this information! I have my twitter set up and Facebook page on my website. Now I just need to get out there and get hooked up with Pinterest and the google+ page!
Susan Marie recently posted..Raw Baltic Amber
Twitter: Camping4Fams
says:
Hey, thanks for this list (and all your other tutorials. I’ve been printing some out and adding in the tasks that I haven’t already been doing. I want to create the monthly newsletter, but I have a question – do you also have a FeedBlitz-type email subscription that sends out daily updates of new posts? Or do you forego the daily auto-post subscription in favor of the monthly more-polished newsletter?
Cindy @ Camping for Families recently posted..BetterOats Instant Oatmeal Review & Giveaway
Great tips! Thank you!
Julia Gibson recently posted..Silence