IFBs tips for gaining blog followers

A while ago I posted IFB (independant fashion bloggers) tips for blogging.  Here I have for you IFBs tips of how to build a following on your blog.  This is great advice and even though some of it may seem obvious,  it is good to be reminded of why one blogs in the first place. Here is the link to the original page. 

1. Know what you stand for

What are you values? Are they clearly communicated on your blog? While some people tend to think that there are no values in fashion, I beg to differ. Eco fashion, luxury, DIY (crafting), working with what you have, body image, modest fashion… they all have a sets of values which can be applied to their niche. You have your own unique set of values which comes out in your blog content whether you intend to or not, so knowing what you stand for helps your readers identify you values and gives them a chance to align with them.

2. Create meaningful content

Do you create content that’s meaningful to others? Do you give them something they can take away, or are you just asking for them to give you attention. Think about Oprah, no matter what, her content revolves around enriching the lives of her followers. “Meaningful” can manifest itself in your content in many ways, does it make people laugh, does it educate, does it inspire? By creating meaningful content, you continually give your readers a reason to come back.

3. Develop a strategy

You know what you stand for, and you create meaningful content, great! You are well on the way to building your loyal following. But what’s your plan? How are you going to grow? Developing a strategy helps you identify what works for your blog and what doesn’t. Your plan might go off with out a hitch, but chances are, it will be in constant evolution. Knowing what you want to achieve, and mapping out a plan to make it happen will help you stay on track.

4. Be consistent

One day you’re talking about the joys of fast fashion, then the next you’re criticizing it. One day you’re working with a lot of brands, then you write a post about not wanting to work with brands anymore, then a week later you’re working with a brand again. Yes, I’ve seen this a lot. It’s hard to be 100% consistent 100% of the time. We all evolve, but there is a line. Stick to your values, your direction and show up on a regular basis. Readers love consistency so make sure you are there for them.

5. Give your followers a name

I’ve not personally done this… do you all want me to give you a name? But I have seen this done, Lady Gaga has her “Little Monsters,” Leandra Medine has her “Repellers,” Clare Sulmers has her “Bombshells” and it’s cute, it’s catchy, it gives your readers base a sense of comradery and belonging to something larger than themselves.

6. Make your followers feel special

Always ask yourself what can you do for your followers. Whether it’s making you followers feel smart, cool, or just plain good about themselves, do what you can to make your community feel special when they come to your website. This can be done with clever content, opportunities to do cool things, or win prizes, speak to them in a friendly tone. However most rings true to you.

7. Engage with your most engaged

Some people advise to engage with everyone who comments on your site or tweets at you. I have tried this, and it works for a while, but there becomes a point where you have to decide if you want to spend your time engaging with everyone or spend your time creating quality content. Since a majority of your readers are silent (even the most loyal and engaged can be silent lurkers) do not sacrifice your content for engagement. However, you can engage with your most engaged, you most loyal followers, the ones that speak to you, or create meaningful interactions. You certainly want them to feel special!

8. Promote your followers

There are a lot of ways you can promote your followers. Here at IFB, we have Links a la Mode and the IFB Project, two things that help promote our community. You can do an interview, post their thoughtful comments to the rest of your following, promote them on social media… there are loads of ways to share your audience with your audience.

9. Give your followers what they don’t know they want (yet)

Sometimes it’s good to ask your readers what they want to see on your blog. I’ve tried giving readers what they say they want… more often than not, it’s not what they really want. What always surprises me is when I put together something that hasn’t been tried yet, and it goes extremely well. The readers never asked for it, and probably didn’t know it was what they were looking for. Chances are, if your readers are asking for it, the information can be found a million other places on the internet. Your goal is to be the one who surprises them with something they never knew they wanted, until they came to your blog.

10. Don’t be afraid to drop what doesn’t work

Maybe calling your readers a name goes terribly wrong. Or inspiring people is just not your style. Maybe your readers hate it when you feature another reader, or worse, they don’t care. If it’s not working for you, drop it. Try it again with a different angle, or better yet, try something new. Building a loyal following takes time, and it continually evolves. My only real advice is to continually think about what you can do for your followers and put it into action. You’ll be surprised how that alone will build a loyal following.

IFB's Tips for Blogging

Keeping a blog is a fun thing to do.  For me it is my hobby to share what I like on my little piece of the internet.  However, at times, blogging can become something on your to-do list.  I think starting a blog is a bit like getting married (not that I really know what getting married is like):  Its so exciting at the beginning.  You put a lot of energy into getting it right and the first few months are like a honeymoon period where you cannot wait to share everything.  Once the honey moon period has worn off and you become busy with other things (AKA finding a job, or university work) blogging can take a back seat and not be the most exciting thing to do. Like a relationship, a blog needs spicing up a bit now and again- you need to keep the relationship up. Here is IFB's (Independent fashion bloggers) tips on blogging.

M a k e   b l o g g i n g   a   h a b i t

You’ll hear a lot of bloggers advise to only blog when you have something to say. However, I disagree. Waiting for inspiration is risky. Developing a habit where you can find inspiration on command is more valuable. One of my artist friends once told me that the secret to his success is that he treats his painting like a job. Every morning he gets up and paints. Some days it’s good, others could use more work. But it’s the action of showing up which enables him to be ready when inspiration strikes. This I find to be true with blogging. I decided to wait for “inspiration” with my blog Shoe Kitten. And you know what? I haven’t posted since last year. When I stopped writing on IFB, it was hard to cough up posts every now and then. Now, I am writing every day, it’s a lot easier. Habits work. Make blogging your ritual. You’ll find that it becomes a part of you, and you’ll be more open to inspiration.

M a k e   y o u r s e l f   a c c o u n t a b l e

The world isn’t going to end if you don’t blog. Seriously. So how do you stay accountable? If it’s your job, then you have to pay the bills. That’s accountability. If it’s your dream to make it as a blogger, there is another path to accountability. Making your consequences for not blogging compelling enough to make it a priority could be one way to make sure the work gets done regularly.

B e   g r a t e f u l   f o r   b l o g g i n g   ( s t a y   e n t h u s i a s t i c )

Gratitude goes a long way when it comes to blogging. When you are grateful for the opportunity to share your creative endeavors with an audience (no matter what size) it makes you happy. When you are happy to do something, when blogging give you joy, it’s easier to do the work. You don’t have to force yourself to blog.

Don’t say, “I have to blog every day.” Say, “I GET to blog every day.” That little mind shift makes a massive difference when it comes to making priorities and keeping up your energy to get the job done.

S e t   a   s c h e d u l e   a n d   s t i c k   t o   i t 

I love schedules. For some strange reason. Consistency gives you parameters of when you work can be done. I write my posts by noon, and spend the rest of the day working on other blog related tasks. When I worked a full time job, I set aside time after work and Sundays to do all my posting for the week. Make your schedule clear and part of your routine and it will help you maintain your blogging habit.

G i v e   y o u r s e l f   d e a d l i n e s

Whether it be a daily deadline, or a weekly deadline. Deadlines give you a sense of accountability, a sense of urgency, and they can be incorporated in your schedule. Many bloggers will tell you there are optimal times for posting to ensure success of the post. Maybe your audience is awake at 2am? Or maybe you’d want to hit that Europe 5-6pm/East Coast noon/West Coast 9am slot which seems to work for several time zones.

C l o s e   y o u r   e m a i l ,   T w i t t e r   a n d   F a c e b o o k   t a b s

If you’re anything like me, and you’re probably not, but do you have a lot of tabs open in your browser? Do you check your email 50 times an hour? Facebook and Twitter are productivity time-sucks as well. When you’re writing, you need to stay focused, so unless you are digging out a quote from your email, close that email tab, or quit your email program. Your email will be there when you’re done.

P l a n   y o u r   e d i t o r i a l   c a l e n d a r s   a h e a d   o f   t i m e 

Nothing is a bigger time suck than sitting down and thinking…”What am I going to write about today?” I have wasted MANY hours “researching” topics (ie. wandering around the internet) when usually it takes me about 40 minutes (maximum) to create an editorial calendar once a week. I may change my mind about what to post about, but I will always have that backup idea every single day. Editorial calendars will keep you focused, and save you time.

O u t l i n e   y o u r   p o s t   s t r u c t u r e   w h e n   y o u   s t a r t   y o u r   p o s t

I learned this in college, when writing an essay it is suggested to outline your points before starting. This can be done in posts as well. I just use bullets, and write down my key points before beginning. It can be as easy as a list with a few words. It makes it easier to stay on track and ensures that you don’t leave anything out. Plus it saves you time because you already know what you are going to say.