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I was recently reading a post from Kelly at The Pursuit of Mommyness about what makes you subscribe to a blog. She posed some really good questions and it made me reflect on why I follow a blog and I would love to take this conversation a step further…
As bloggers, we follow blogs for various reasons; if you are a part of a Blog Hop such as Friday Follow, this may be a good reason to find some new reads and return a follow; there are many platforms that bring bloggers together, such as The Mom Bloggers Club where you can find blogs of interest and follow; there are other communities like SITS that encourage comment love, so this is a great place to find and follow blogs within this group…and the list goes on.
But as many blogs that you choose to follow and vice-versa, what makes you not only follow, but return to that blog again and again?
For example, you could subscribe to over 300 blogs but really only read and comment on 30 of those weekly. This brings me to the question…out of the many blogs you end up choosing to follow, which are the kind of blogs that you return to again and again no matter what? The kind of blog that if you are pressed for time will be one to visit on your list?
I strive to be one of those blogs that you follow and return to, not ever wanting to miss a post. So when I think of the blogs that I follow, I wanted to share my top three reasons of what brings me back to those blogs again and again:
- A blog with well written content that I can relate to: A blogger that posts about topics I can easily connect with is a major draw for me. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about motherhood; any well written post about a topic I can sincerely relate to will get me hooked.
- A clean blog design with easy navigation: I enjoy blogs that are easy to navigate with just a few clicks. If I want to peek into the archives or get to know more about the blogger, I don’t want to have to go searching for it. And easy navigation does not have to mean a fancy blog design, just a clean design that doesn’t take away from the content.
- A blog that encourages support of its readers: I like a supportive blogger who encourages comments and wants to continue the conversation. How boring would blogging be if you never got a response? A blogger that shows support of its readers is what brings me back again and again. And I certainly don’t mean a comment for every comment. In a perfect bloggy world this would be fabulous, but we all know how unrealistic that goal would be. I’ve tried to keep up and it’s impossible. So, how do you show support? It can be displayed in various ways to fellow bloggers: via a reply to a comment, a visit to the blog, a link back to a blogger within a post, an email, a tweet or retweet of a post, the sharing of a post on Facebook, a Stumble of a particular post, a chat on a community message board, a recommendation of a blogger to another, etc… There are so many ways to help promote and show other bloggers support, so I like to return to blogs that encourage this as well.
So now I would love to hear from you! After you choose to follow a blog, what makes you return again and again? And if you are a new follower, welcome! I am so glad you are here at Theta Mom and can’t wait to check out your blog!!!
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Twitter: ethiopiatofargo
February 8, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Hi – the blogs I continue to read are the ones that have similar interest as mine and have interesting blog posts without bragging and writting a novel. I really love your blog as I find your posts interesting and love the look of your blog. It keeps me coming back.
Twitter: felissahadas
February 8, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Stopping by to say hello with Friday Follow. I honestly need a better system of keeping track of blogs I want to return to in order to spend more time checking out. at the same time I don’t want to receive hundreds of emails a week every time a new post is added. Maybe a tool like the lists on twitter that we can break down the blogs we want to keep track of into groups so that we remember who they are and why we are following.
Felissa
http://www.felissahadas.blogspot.com
Twitter: ThetaMom
February 8, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Theresa – Thanks so much for the sweet words about Theta Mom! And Felissa – I think making lists on Twitter is a good idea, I just haven’t gotten to it yet!
Twitter: salt_says
February 8, 2010 at 7:26 pm
I think I’m going to try the Follow Friday this week. Everyone always seems like they are having so much fun with it.
I follow your blog.
For me, I love to follow and read about other Mom’s who are like me. They’re not perfect, and they don’t pretend to be. They’re probably spiritual, but not preachy on their blog. Most of all, they like to laugh and find humor in the everyday things.
I don’t really have a formula for how I decide to follow a blog. I guess the first thing that I notice is the blog design. Is it design “pretty” . I know that’s superficial but if I don’t like a blog design, I probably won’t stay around to read the content. Next is the most important part, the content. Is the content well developed. I’m an English teacher, so I can be really hard on bloggers. When I’m reading a post, I treat it as if it’s one of my students term papers. (I know that’s awful, but I’ve been teaching for 10 yrs. I can’t help it). Third, do I know you in real life. Now this is a tough one because most of the blog I frequent are people that I don’t know. But since going to Blogalicious last year, I met a lot of bloggers and I always go to their blogs and leave comments.
Great post and good points. I think those things like follow friday and what not are great ways to find new blogs to follow.
Twitter: ThetaMom
February 9, 2010 at 7:52 pm
Brianne – I think you are right about that in the sense that some are just looking to increase their following by a “number,” not necessarily a true readership. That’s where this discussion comes into play, when you decide out of the blogs you do follow, which do you really follow?
Wow great post…glad Ive found you…length of post is an issue that makes me follow or not..as time is tight and sometimes Im blogging while working (I know, not good)..also I dont like constant complaining and/or bashing people/things…..yeah sometimes but not on an everyday basis..otherwise Im pretty open to all new and interesting..and funny..blogs..!! Have great day Im following you now..!
Twitter: jadedickinson
February 10, 2010 at 9:57 am
I just came over from The Mother Load. Great post, it really made me think, I primarily write my blog for myself but it is lovely to have followers and commenters. The interaction is important, it’s about the community as well.
Jade
I visit the blog of anyone that comments on my blog. I’m still a pretty small operation so this isn’t too cumbersome for me. I keep visiting blogs only if they are well written. And I know it’s just me, but I’m really put off by cursing. I don’t think the f-bomb adds to anyone’s writing. I have to really enjoy a blog to put up with coarse language.
Twitter: 2monkeysandhubb
February 10, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Six month’s into blogging and I am still trying to find my way, my style. I have taken some of your advice to heart and I have cleaned up my sidebars. You know its too busy when it bugs you! And I have been way into MEme’s lately. Some are fun but I really, really need to cut back on them.
I like to read blogs that are funny. I love a good laugh.
Twitter: thegrownupchild
February 15, 2010 at 8:51 am
Well for me it’s content, content, content. I also like to feel the connection. Answer my comment, reply through email or visit my blog. Engage in some way or else it begins to feel sort of one sided. And that’s not what blogging is about.
Twitter: savvysassymoms
February 15, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I return to a blog that has FUN content, easy and quick to read, Great design layout and interesting views or opinions:)
I will be retuning here a lot!
I follow blogs that interest me and keep me entertained. I cannot stand a cluttered blog, it hurts my eyes. So for the many reasons you listed above that’s what keeps me coming back for more. I leave comments on things I like or relate to in hopes that I’ll have the same returned. So far not so much, any tips on how to attract more people and to get my readers to comment? I would love the interaction with me.
Thanks for these tips. I started blogging about a month ago. These are great suggestions.
I have a list a blogs I love to follow. The ones I read everyday offer things that I do on a daily basis, family/kids stuff, cooking, cleaning/organizing and crafty/scrapbooking.
I love new tips and tricks and when you feel like you “know” the person writing the blog!
Thanks for the tips!!
I just found your blog and I am a new follower
I just started blogging. I enjoy the blogs that relate to raising kids. Some of them are really funny. Some days I need a good laugh to keep going.http://www.AboutOne.com
I just started my blog and this is some interesting information…thanks. Honestly in the beginning when I was blog hopping I looked for the best giveaways but now I just try to find nice people who I may have things in common with. Love your site!
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