You probably already know I'm a big fan of blogging. Next to public speaking, my blog is the most effective marketing activity I undertake. I remind myself of this when faced with a blank page or a busy week and I still haven't posted anything. A recent report published by Hubspot reinforced my high opinion of the blog. Their research reported in the Marketing Data Box reveals marketers believe the blog is great value with more than half the companies surveyed reporting the blog is "below average cost" for generating leads. Blogging trumps social media, SEO and PPC (pay per click) in the cost game.
Maintaining a regular blogging schedule is indisputably tough. If you're like me, your blog is something you do in addition to a full-time job. Most business bloggers are dedicating a lot of time and effort without much positive reinforcement especially in the beginning. Inspired by the idea behind SourceBottle and Help a Reporter Out (HARO), I've been thinking about how to help a blogger out (HABO). Based on my own experience, here are 12 things you can do to support your favourite blogger.
1. Comment Every blogger remembers their first legitimate comment. I don't know ANY blogger that doesn't appreciate receiving a thoughtful note on a post. The best bloggers will use your comment to extend the discussion and, quite likely, go looking for your blog so they can return the favour.
2. Proofread In an era where `getting it done' is often the driving force for a busy blogger, errors inevitably creep into copy. Offering to proof a post is one way to receive undying gratitude.
3. Report errors — The great thing about digital publishing is you can easily fix mistakes. If you see an error in a post, let the writer know with an email or direct mail message. I've never met a blogger that wasn't appreciative when notified about a spelling or grammatical error.
4. Vote It only takes a moment to click on a `Like', `Thumbs Up', `Digg' or `Vote' button. Be generous with your praise.
5. Post to Facebook If you've read something that resonates put it on your Facebook page or post it on your wall. Make sure to tag the writer so they know when people are saying good things about them.
6. Share a feed The blogosphere is one huge place and it's impossible to know everything going on. If you see a blog you think would benefit from syndication on a specific website, let the blogger know. We're all looking for ways to extend our reach and some of the most effective places I've registered my RSS feed have come from recommendations of readers.
7. Guest post Even the most prolific bloggers can use a break. If you think you can add to the subject matter of a particular blog, offer to guest post. You might be surprised at how quickly your offer is taken up.
8. RT It's an easy thing to retweet someone's post. Just do it.
9. Provide an image— I'm one of those writers who can crank out copy with no problem but lose the plot trying to find a good photo for a post. One of the nicest things that can happen is when someone points you to a link with good images on the topic you write about.
10. Link out If you're a blogger, don't hesitate to link to a post of another blogger. The blogging rockstars get links all the time but plenty of good content is being written by people unknown to the masses.
11. Subscribe Bloggers often deliver blog posts by email. If you've read a good post, support the blogger by subscribing to the blog.
12. Brainstorm headlines Headlines are the bane of many writers, me included. Helping a blogger come up with a catchy headline can greatly improve the overall readership of a post.
A blog is one of the best ways to reach a wide audience at a reasonable price. Still, it's harder than it looks and requires more than a fair bit of dedication and `stick-to-it-tiveness'. You can help this hardworking bunch of marketers without much effort on your part. If you do, be prepared to be on the receiving end of undying gratitude and a healthy dose of reciprocal good will. It's a rare blogger than won't respond in kind.
How do you support your favourite bloggers?
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