There are several posts and several bloggers that could give you much better advice then I can. I’m not an expert in blogging (which is why it’s not my career). I don’t get paid very much (all of which goes towards the diners and coffee). That being said I do blog most days and do enjoy blogging. So who better than to give you advice on how to start and grow your following then a blogger who enjoys to blog?
Step number 1: Begin your blog.
Write about a topic you actually like. Create a jazzy username. There are many templates that you can use:
Healthy food + Unhealthy food (kale juice and cake)
Healthy life choice+ Unhealthy life choice (running & sleeping)
Something, balance and something else (love, balance & workouts)
Phrase that contradicts itself (sugar free sugar cube is a good unchosen one)
Or something that makes no sense to anyone other than you: (fueledbyLOLZ? What is a “lolz” anyways…why is it capitalized?)
This is actually the easiest step because you probably have determined you want to blog and already thought about topics that interest you.
Step number 2: Grow your following.
The easiest way to grow your following is by commenting on blogs that you really don’t care about (but already have a massive following). Using trivial comments such as “oh my stars you are inspiring” or “oh wow, I want to be just like you” works well. Bloggers love to be famous and feel loved online!
The faster you can type a trivial comment when the post is published, the more people will see your blog. For me personally, I sit by the computer and wait until X time when a blog post publishes. I have a master list of the time each “big blog” publishes posts and I sit waiting to comment. Number 1 commenter always baby girl (no).
Another good way to grow your following is using any of these methods:
Having many linkups with other blogs. Always link up to every link up. Your blog should be more predictable then the contents of my canned tuna. Motivation Monday, Throwback Thursday, WIAW Wednesday…it’s like a template every day! Asking people to click to your blog, tweeting to others to follow you, and follow4follow are all other good methods.
Step number 3: Begin to change your voice.
Now that companies notice you have a bigger following you are in the in the clear! Congrats you have made it! This is when your following is large and in charge. This is when your followers actually like you! This is when you are liked by readers and companies are beginning to want to send you things. This is where the fun begins! It is the step you throw a party and tell everyone you are employee of the month and are getting a promotion!
Step number 4: Accept anything and everything sponsored.
Deodorant…trivial (and meaningless to you) crap…whatever, just accept it.
Stuff you know you’ll never use and will end up in a trash can? Accept it.
Do you hate cycling but are getting a free bike? Accept it!
Do you actually hate certain products but they will send you the product for free? Perfect!
Do you have a new favorite thing every minute? Perfect.
If you know nothing about a certain topic (but a company is already willing to sponsor you, then that is a start). For instance, if you go to the drug store and buy deodorant, you are the perfect candidate for a CVS sponsorship. If you actually hate running but have 10,000 followers…then you are the perfect candidate for a Boston marathon sponsorship.
Step number 5: Become sad when people don’t continue to comment on daily sponsored posts
Pink said it the best. She was speaking to us social media users! (You should feel like this)
Step number 6: Find your inner peace.
Either blogging is going to be your career or blogging is not going to be your career. Either way you should stay true to yourself and your voice (something often hard in this world). Blogging is hard, companies don’t want to send you stuff not to be reviewed and readers don’t want to see a bunch of trivial sponsored crap.
But at the end of the day…it’s only the internet…
Question for you: How do you grow your blog?
OMG Hollie I’m DYING! Well since for the past 7 months I’ve been trying to grow this blog-o-mine, I can related and this was hysterical. I love the “timer” thing because man I just can’t compete with bloggers that refresh pages all day waiting to comment…I mean my kids need to eat and get bathed and all that.
To be serious, I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the sponsored stuff. I don’t want crap that I don’t want, you know? I’m not an excessive crap kind of person. Maybe you have advice for me!
you are inspiring! Haha I need to follow these tips for my new blog. Thanks!!
I hope you have success with the greatest products you do not want (and maybe even a few that you do).
Well, I’ve already failed at step one. I have the most unclever blog name, my name. Good thing I’m not trying to be a big blogger.
I’m impressed you make $30 a month. That’s like two pairs of on sale Nike booty shorts! 😉
You could add plastering the site with so many ads that it takes forever to load … and applying for ambassadorships like you do free stuff .. 🙂
But I so totally love this! Thanks for some Friday LOLZ!
It’s funny you say that…there are plenty of sites that have photos that take hours to load because they use such a big file. In these “modern” days, it’s so easy to compress files. I’ve only used 11% of my total library space and I’ve been blogging over 4 years! Granted I use less photos then most but still.
Omg hahahaha this was a riot!
Yeah I fail at blogging in a major way and accepted that a long time ago.
I think I have about 3 people that read mine. Maybe I should have a huge sponsored giveaway of something that really makes sense like…. Anything related to low carb low sugar eating hahaha…. I’m sure that would help! (Or I can be oh so original and review some stitch fix wow!! ;-))
This is brilliant! But don’t forget to use ALL the hashtags too! #fitfam #fitspiration #fitspo #paleo #eatclean #gohardorgohome #hashtagwanker
hashtag wanker made me LOL a lot…thanks for stopping by friend!
This is hilariously on point. xD
So I thought this was going to be a really boring post and almost just clicked “Mark as Read” in my reader. I’m so glad I didn’t. LOLZ! The best.
Was it the pinable photo that drew you in? 😉
This is amazing. Please continue to make pictures on paint because they make my day 😀
I normally save them for my training posts since I’m too uncoordinated to take self timer selfies while running. Ha!
Haha, ditto to above. Almost marked as read and then changed my mind! Well played on the Boston sponsorship 🙂
Hahahahaa I can think of SO many blogs this is applicable to….especially the part about accepting EVERYTHING even if you hate it. This post was hilarious, especially the pinable image.
This post was too awesome. Damn, I hit refresh too late to be first commenter. 😉
I posted it a but early today. I have to keep people coming back by keeping some sort of mystery there. 😉
Sorry don’t have time to comment on anything relevant because I’m too busy organizing my tennis racket giveaway (btw if you can link to it that’d be great!) but I just wanted to let you know that you are so inspiring and you are my bff blend forever.
That old school iMac is awesome. Did you rebuild it yourself? Great post by the way!
Sadly that is a skill set I do not have. My previous job thought it would be funny to pull a prank on me and set that desk and old school computer up for me. LOL
This has pretty much made my day, so I’ll just go home now. 🙂
Yay! Great tips for my new blog 😉
Haha now I realize I need to sprinkle some more BS on my blog to make it grow like the beautiful flower it is! Do you have any tips on how to make “pinnable” images and ways to sneak in dozens of affiliate links in every post?
I think that purchasing a 700 computer program and staring out of your window longingly (waiting for the best shot) are the best options.
The best post ever. Period.
I’m clapping at my desk at work. That is all.
Awesome. Step 3 is sooo true. How sad when good blogs become big and turn into total crap! Thanks for this!
Thanks for stopping by Molly!
Hollie, you win the internets. That is all 😉
Gah, I have to say more. This is pure genius, with just the right tone. I will never get tired of reading this post and I will seriously come back to it every time I’m feeling blue about the state of most blogs. Thank you! I would also use better emojiis to do this post justice if I knew how…perhaps one day I will learn 🙂
Thanks Jess, winning the internets seems to be a big deal. I guess I’ll give myself employee of the month two months in a row.
Does the tone scream used car salesman…because that’s how I feel LOL
Huh? Nope, I meant that when I try to write about these things I tend to cross the line separating cynicism and humour from bitterness and rage. I always take things a little bit too far, whereas you tread that fine line with ease. And that sugarless sugar cube needs to become a viral meme as soon as possible.
Oh shoot – I’ve just realised what you meant now! Sorry for being so dense and easily confused. I obviously need to shut down for the day and it’s only 8:30. How’s that for Grandma status?
I’ve found myself laying in bed watching TV at 7:30 before so that is completely acceptable and actually living the dream LOL.
That last comment though! “Real life is just a bunch of moving internet selfies anyway.” –> dying here.
I genuinely enjoy commenting on other blogs because I love interacting with the community, and it makes me feel good to know I am making someone else feel good! That said, I will never say someone inspires me if they don’t or act like I support something that I don’t. Authenticity = the way to go!
^ I agree with Jess. You win the internets. 🙂
Winning the internets is a big deal. I think I should deserve about 10 emoji trophies! 😉 Tee hee!
LOL(z?)
I think I just peed my pants a little – dammit, I SHOULD have accepted that adult diaper sample – I would be covered!
Seriously funny! That part about a Boston sponsorship really did make me LOL
Hi, I’ve read a few of your posts but I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment. I tend to be very anti- big blogs/ adverting/ too much social media. I try to focus on running faster. 🙂 I do like this post because I think so many bloggers (running or not) tend to get caught up in page views and followers and making money. Also, enough with the constant social media presence! Who has time for that?!
Thank you commenting and stopping by Tia! I agree and that it always baffles me how much time some people have for the media!
Oh my stars, I was literally lolz’ing. It took me a few lines to register that it was sarcasm, but that’s because I’m sick 😛
I don’t know why more bloggers don’t have your kind of voice, their loss.
I’d like to add “force readers to click through to your blog to continue reading your crap to ensure maximum click-throughs for advertisement revenue” to that list.
I need to work on this skill set for the profits!
I laughed so hard at Step One. It’s so true. I think you should start another blog called Sugar Free Sugar Cube. That’s definitely some LOLZ. 😀
I want too. That is my back up blog name. I’m glad someone else found it as humorous.
You forgot to mention captcha! Every successful blog has the oh-so-easy to comment with captcha! And I know the main reason for all my bloggy success is having the name ‘VITA’ which everyone either thinks is my name, or mispronounces like VITAmin instead of VEETA, as it’s intended. So simple, isn’t it?? hahaha – love this one.
This post gave me a good laugh! I am definitely guilty of some of these and posts like this highlight how silly blogging is when you step back and look at it. But it’s still fun and something I enjoy! Gotta learn to laugh at yourself sometimes 🙂
How do you compress pictures?! I don’t know who to do this!!!! I loved your LOLZ comment, haha. Also, I think that you’re the best and I want to be just like you.
DITTO! Share your magic photo compression ways!!
I save them in my computer files as a much lower resolution!
Loving the Boston Marathon sponsorship part. ha
You forgot using bloggy words like “Squeee!” and “Noms”
Omg I lost my sense of humor today because I thought this was legit for a second as I skimmed. I was like “oh I’m a little sad that Hollie refreshes blogs… Really?”
I’m so stupid and now that I put my giggle glasses on, this IS amazingly Lolz filled.
People actually refresh other blogs to be the first to post? WTF?! How do they have time for that? I would personally hate it if people expected me to post…that would give me anxiety and I would have to actually correct my typos. No thanks.
Wow! Hollie, you have such a unique wit and humor about life. I love your “raw and candid voice”!!
I always enjoy your support. Thank you Kara!
Ha – I wasn’t completely sure if you were serious about accepting everything offered but now I’m realizing you aren’t. 🙂 I like the closing about finding inner peace! This was a fun read.
Thank you for stopping by Paulette!
CRAP I AM COMMENTING TWO DAYS AFTER YOU POSTED THIS NO ONE WILL CLICK ON MY BLOG LINK NOW 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁
But it’s okay because you can use emojis in blog posts soon.
This was hysterical to read! Thanks for the laugh Hollie. 🙂
Glad to fill your LOLZ tank 🙂
Haha this is awesome, and the total reason I am trying to to make my blog huge, because the only way it seems one can to do that is by being PHONY. That being said, I do link up to 2 link ups from time to time (not every week) and sometimes visit the blogs on the blog roll of some of the blogs I love… because if I like a blog, I might like a blog THEY like you know. 🙂
Oh my stars, I love you.
Bahaha!!!!! I love this!!!! My husband has told me from the beginning that if I start taking a picture of everything I eat and doing posts about what I do from the moment I get up till the moment I go to bed then he will take away the computer :). I love running, I love meeting other online “running friends”, and I love getting tips from others…so I started a blog…simple as that. Growing it is a whole other ball game that I can’t keep up with 🙂
I’m DYING laughing here, this is awesome Hollie! You totally nailed it.
This post made my day, week, and possibly month. I love the satire of it all. And, I totally relate with the comet section. I’ve always thought that commenting on blogs to gain traffic seems fake.
HA, I appreciate that Kristie!