Please take into consideration that these are only my suggestions. You can agree or disagree with them. I’m not saying you have to follow them, and I’m not saying I’m a blogging expert, but I’ve picked up a few things here and there.
Getting Started.
Now that you’ve gotten your page started and the layout tweaked to your preference, it’s time to work on your content. If you are starting a book blog, obviously reviews are going to be a big part of your content.
So, lets address that first. Content.
Figure out how you are going to write your reviews. Here are some questions you might want to ask yourself before you start:
- Are you going to take a professional approach or more personal?
- Do you want to summarize the plot yourself, or would are you going to use the flap summary?
- What length would you like your reviews to be?
- Are you going to have a rating/grading system?
- What about cover art? Do you want to post that with your review?
- Do you want to include other information about the book besides your actual review, maybe a link of where to purchase or how many pages the novel is?
You might find things that work for you further down the line and things that don’t, it’s okay to change your style periodically until you find what fits you. It’s always a good idea to at least mention the title of the novel and the authors name. Since (hypothetically) you’re just starting your blog, and I’m assuming at this point that you’ve started your blog in hopes to one day review ARCs, (although I hope that is not your primary reason) now probably isn't the time to be actively seeking out getting copies. Build up your content, get a few reviews under your belt and go from there.
While book reviews are great, it’s also nice to post other book related content. For instance, you might want to participate in weekly memes around the book blogging community, this will help you network your blog and meet other book bloggers! I actually host a meme called In My Mailbox, basically I share what books I’ve gotten that week in my mailbox, or what books I’ve bought, got at the library or borrowed and then I ask others to share too! And we go around and comment on each others posts. Here are some more memes you might be interested in participating in: I’m sure there are a lot more, but these are a few I remember off the top of my head. But like I said, a great way to network and meet other bloggers! But don't overload your blog with memes! Maybe you can have some relevant personal posts as well. It’s always nice for your readers to know a little bit about you. Of course, some people feel differently about that, a nice balance is always a good idea. And once you get some content going, maybe you can get an author interview and make up your own feature, have some fun!
So, now you have all this great content, but your still not getting visitors? What’s up with that? Let’s get some visitors! Don’t:
- advertise your blog on other people’s blogs. No one likes SPAM!
- go to a forum and list a "check out my blog" post in every thread. Annoying.
Do's:
Network! Here’s what I did when I started out, because no one knew I existed at one time either! First off I made a MySpace page. This is a great networking tool, because 1.) Lots of authors have MySpace pages. 2.) Lots of readers/book lovers have MySpace pages! I hate MySpace now and I hardly ever use it anymore, but this worked for me. That being said... I would NOT use MySpace as a social networking tool today. One of the biggest referring sites to my blog, is Twitter.
You could also do, Facebook, Twitter and Ning, which are other social networking tools. There is also a huge book community to join!
Visit other Blogs Another suggestion is to visit other book blogs! Leave a comment relative to the post for that day. I almost always check out where my comments come from! Ask to be added to a blog roll! There are tons of ways to get your blog name out there. You can also join the YA Book Blog Directory!
Contests
Contest are always a sure way to get visitors, because everyone likes winning! It should be your last resort, as you really want people coming for your content, but contests can be helpful when done tastefully. However contest can get expensive, postage adds up even if you do send media mail! And of course, you'd need some sort of prize too.
Okay, now you’ve gotten some content and hopefully some pointers on getting some visitors. I still have a couple other tips for upcoming posts. If there is something you'd like me to feature let me know. Or maybe you like me to elaborate a little bit more on something I've posted this time, feel free to make a suggestion!
What do you think? Is there something you agree with, disagree with? Maybe you have your own tips that would pertain to this post?
43 comments:
i made my blog just a while ago and those are pretty good tips since i honestly have no clue where to start
As long as a reader comments in addition to requesting I check out her blog, I don't consider this spamming. I do think it's bad form to leave a calling card but fail to revisit a blog regularly and leave comments. In other words, make it clear that you enjoy the blog and that your priority is not getting others to check you out. And about commenting: Comments are the best indicator that readers like what you're doing. jmo
I think it is equally bad form for a blogger to fail to comment to readers. Now if you have a gazillion comments, I don't think it's necessary to comment to each individual poster. A general acknowlegment is always polite and appreciated. If a reader takes time to comment, do respond. This is basic manners. And when you respond, a reader is likely to comment again.
When you leave comments try to say something beyond the generic. If someone says, "love this," I will always say thank you, but I might not be motivated to visit your blog. I'm especially interested in visiting readers' whose comments suggest they are really interested in the content of my blog.
In short- support, support, support. Regularly show interest in others and you'll receive in kind.
How else can you entice readers to check you out? Engage them. I am drawn to bloggers who invite interaction. Ask the reader questions, ask for their opinion, invite them to share something with you. I blog to communicate with others. Bloggers who clearly demonstrate an interest in an exchange are the folks I want to visit most often.
Could you maybe talk about how you made your cool star rating? Is there a website to make those?
Thanks!
andd those are some really good points susan!
i'm am one of the biggest offenders about commenting back on comments! i really need to work on that!
Oh and thanks for reminding me about the book blog tip ning. My Friend Amy told me about it but got busy and never went. I just joined!
My reviews go every which way - I take as long as I need, summarizing and highlighting things that I liked and disliked. I don't know if that is at all helpful.
Will you be discussing how to handle reviews for books you disliked or did not particularly care for?
Thanks!
cecilia
As an author, I'd like to second the suggestion that a person get the blog and up and going and work at gaining readers before contacting authors and publishers. I get quite a few requests from people wanting me to send them a book because they've "just started a blog to review books."
If you're new, go to the library and dive in there! Get some good content up. Meet other reviewers and network. All of that should come before asking an author for a book, I think.
Like Story Siren suggests, I belong to book communities. I am pretty active at Shelfari, paperbackswap, frugralreader and multiple writer-related blogs. Have been for almost two years. Being active means you're visible.
Because I'm active, first time authors have offered me books. I also run a community library so I appreciate book gifts. Luckily for me and our readers, writers know that reviews aren't the only way to promote their books. When I like a book, I tell everybody within virtual earshot. Most recently, I have enjoyed exchanges with Melissa Lion and Nancy Amanda Redd. Ms. Redd's book is already in our library. I wrote her telling her how much I loved her book. She's agreed to give me an interview. I didn't ask for a free book. And several reader-friends have told me they bought her book because I shared how much I enjoyed it. I wrote on my blog that I got a copy of Ms. Lion's book and she wrote me. She's wicked cool, and after I read and review her book, it will be in circulation, too.
After reading at several book blogs, I did add that I accept books for review. My hope is that my notice is acceptable. My thinking was if I am good at what I do, someone might offer me a book. I agree- better to establish readership and ample content first.
I'm not a book blogger, but I love books and I always come here to get ideas for what books I should request at the library.
But I am a new blogger, and these tips are wonderfully wonderful.
just one person's opinion.
-Jenny
Many people who visit your blog and similar book blogs do not live in the US. Thus, we are excluded from both contests and advance reader copies because of this ... this is inexcusable and discriminatory.
Please do not take offence, but I would be interested to hear from you why contests and advance reader copies can't be offered to international readers.
Per capita, Iceland and Australia have the largest reading populations in the world. In the UK, there are entire 'book towns'. Thus promotion in these places means more sales, which I am sure no author or publisher would turn down.
There isn't anything inexcusable or discriminatory about it. The fact of the matter is, I can't afford it. Not many bloggers can. Not to mention most of the contests that I host here are in accompany with a third party. This means that they provide and send out the copies. I don't choose where they are sent.
I do have international contests as well, though not as frequently.
Publishers don't send arcs overseas because a lot of it has to do with international rights. Pubs aren't going to send an arc to a county that won't be publishing the book, what would be the benefit to them?
If you would like to further this discussion please feel free to email me.
Great post, Kristi! You're v helpful, and I can tell you put a lot of effort into this. Rock on, K! :)
Whilst, I am very familiar with publishers' whims on publishing or not publishing in particular markets, (I'm a published author of spec fiction, fantasy and anthropology), I will agree to disagree on blogger-run contests. I hope you didn't take offence at my comments.
At any rate, thanks for this post series and I've added you to my links.
In comparison, I can send a paperback book to friends in California for around $7-8, via airmail from where I live in outback Australia - that's about $6-7 US. Oh well... at least I raised the issue and had it sorted (kind of).
It's $18 to send two paperback books to the UK! Priority mail to Australia for one book is $28!
It's not that I don't want to have international contents, like I said, I just can't afford it.
These tips were all very helpful!
I think I'll start doing weekly meme's.
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