How I Went from 8 to 800 Subscribers in 5 Months
July 3rd, 2008 by TobleroneAlthough I’ve been writing my personal blog since 2005, I’m rather new to niche blogging. My site, Simple Mom, was launched this past February, and in the first week, I had around 8 subscribers (my guess is that those were friends transferred over from my personal blog). By the end of June, five months later, I have 820 subscribers, and the number continues to grow daily.
How has this happened?
I don’t pretend to know much about blogging, but I am thankful for learning what I’ve learned the past few months. I feel like I was given the right knowledge and resources at the right time, and have been able to apply them in a somewhat successful way.
As I grow my blog, both in size and in depth, I’ll continue to do these things that I’ve been doing since the beginning.
Foundational Stuff
Photo by Puja Parakh
• Find your passion. Write about what you truly love. Hopefully your heart will show in your writing, which readers truly appreciate. I could write about simple living all day, if I had the time, because I wholeheartedly believe in its positive impact on my life. The topic doesn’t get old or boring to me, so neither does blogging about it.
• Clarify what your blog is about. As I’ve already shared, people only take about four seconds to take a first glance at a blog. Can they tell immediately what your site is about? Make it known.
• Hone your personal reasons for blogging. Make realistic goals, and put them in writing. I have three main reasons for writing Simple Mom:
- to be the go-to resource for simple living and productivity in the realm of home management,
- to encourage and motivate people that simple living is not only an ideal lifestyle, it’s a doable one, and
- to make my blogging time worthwhile by bringing in enough income to fund my family’s Baby Step process.
• Honing your personal reasons is useful is because you can then make concrete goals as your build your blog, little milestones or flags that encourage you to keep going. In February, I wanted to have 100 subscribers by the end of April. I had 124 by May 1, so I went big and made a goal of 300 subscribers by the end of May. By June 1, I had 554, so I went for 700 by the end of June. I have 820 as of July 1, so my new goal is 1,000 by the end of this month. This keeps me motivated and encouraged.
• Use Feedburner to handle your subscribers. I won’t reinvent the wheel by writing why it’s a supremely useful tool, so I’ll point you to just one article that describes why it’s a great resource.
Writing
Photo by Robert O
• Once you’ve decided on your blog’s niche, stick to those topics. Use them as the foundation for deciding on your writing topics, and don’t veer away. It’s okay every now and then, but readers subscribe to blogs that will benefit them. They like your blog’s topic, so that’s what they want to read.
• Focus on content. I know you read that everywhere, but it’s true. In the beginning, pay minimal attention to the numbers, advertising opportunities, and fancy widgets, and build up your content. Write great stuff. Pack it with usefulness and sharp word choice. Leave out fluff.
Relationships & Networking
Photo by Millivoj Sherrington
• Engage with your readers. This is one of my favorite parts of blogging. Respond to the comments! People subscribe to blogs that have a sense of community, and it’s your responsibility to foster that. You’ll get to know your readers, which really is so fun.
• Respond to readers’ e-mails. As your audience grows, so will e-mails sent personally to you. They took the time to write you a note, so you should show your readers the same respect and write back. Now, as your blog grows, your inbox will get fuller much quicker, and this will get harder. If responding to e-mails starts distracting you from balanced living, at least put a disclaimer about not getting to respond to all e-mails near your contact form.
• Comment on other people’s blogs, and write useful comments. There’s a chance people will click your link from your comment, but I encourage you to comment just for the sake of commenting. You know how great it is to receive comments, so encourage your blogging friends and let them know you’re reading their stuff. This is another part of building a community - the blogosphere is big enough for everyone to have a place. This will build up your readership, either directly or indirectly.
• Make a point to meet other bloggers. Not only will you make friends, but you can mutually build up each other’s blogs. You never know when you’ll appreciate knowing someone who can do you a favor. Just don’t forget to scratch their back, too.
• Get to know bloggers of all shapes and sizes. There are blogs smaller than yours, blogs around the same size, and big-name blogs that you can consider your heroes. Build friendships with bloggers the same size as you, encourage smaller blogs with your feedback, and don’t be afraid to connect with the big blogs. When it comes down to it, we’re all people, and we can all benefit from each other in the blogosphere.
• Leverage social media sites. I’m not an expert, but I do hope to write about using these resources to your advantage. In the meantime, my favorites are Twitter, Stumble Upon, and Del.icio.us. They’ve really helped me get to know other bloggers and market my writing to an otherwise unknown audience. (Oh, and follow me on Twitter, if you’re not yet.)
Having a large subscriber base isn’t the one mark of a successful blog - there’s also unique visitors, the monetary value of your ad real estate, and being mentioned on large sites within your niche, just to name a few.
But for me, my biggest goal is to develop my subscriber base, because I want a loyal following of devoted readers who really are committed to simple living. I’d rather have a few hundred readers who can truly benefit from my blog than 20,000 that subscribe just for fun. To me, this is where Simple Mom will find its success.
Here are a few more articles that have really helped me strengthen my blogging legs:
- From 0 to 2,000+ Subscribers in 90 Days
- The Ultimate Guide to a Wildly Sticky, Successful, and Outstanding Blog
- How to Get Piles of Links, Subscribers, and Comments
- Who Cares How Many Subscribers You’ve Got?
- 30 Must Read Articles to Help Kick Start Your Blog, Attract More Readers, and Stay Motivated
I hope this article has generated some ideas for you. What about you? What successful steps have you taken? What hasn’t really worked for you? I’d love to know more about your blogging experience.
"Toblerone" is an American mom living overseas with two kids 3 and under, and she writes about life hacks for home managers at Simple Mom. She also has a deeply passionate affinity for coffee made in her French press.
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:02 am
Thank you so much for a great blog post!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
Thank you so much for sharing your insight. I am redirecting my blog and my life; this article gave me the information and inspiration to take some big steps toward that end.
Again, thank you - really.
AmyDe
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 am
Featuring your article on BlogCoach today! So helpful. Thanks!
http://tinyurl.com/5necgs
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
This is a great article. I am in the middle of growing my blog and following the same advice as had Toblerone. I’m delighted to see that her numbers and audience are growing so quickly- her blog is an excellent resource and beautifully written, she deserves to be recognized.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hi! I found you just this week through Google Readers’ “top recommendations.” Congratulations on your success and thanks for sharing your tips!
July 3rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
@Katja, @AmyDe - You’re welcome!
@Angie - Thanks! Your site looks great.
@Kelly - You’re so welcome! I wish you the best in the relaunch of Almost Frugal.
@Bridget - Wow, I’ve never heard of their “top recommendations.” Fun to hear!
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Will definitely come back and reread this. While I’m not blogging for traffic, I have hit a “wall” and it’s leveling off.
I hate the idea of Twittering. I did recently join Digg and I love StumbleUpon, but don’t use it nearly enough.
Thanks for the great insight!
July 3rd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Great ideas for expanding readership, and these ideas apply to new bloggers and those who’ve been around the blogging block for a while.
I particularly like the idea to “get to know bloggers of all shapes and sizes.” I think many bloggers make the mistake early on of trying to attract the attention of blogs much larger than them. And once they become large themselves, they tend to ignore blogs smaller than them. It’s best to maintain a balance of blogs you link to, comment on, and network with.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Thanks for the fantastic ideas and for giving me hope about getting my blog off the ground. I just started blogging this summer and am still learning a lot and trying to figure out what works. I know I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m loving the process, so I guess that’s a good thing. I love the way you put this post together and made it so easy to follow with great links and suggestions. I’m going to follow up on the link resources you left and glean as much info as I can. I’m also heading over to check out your blog, because “simplify” is one of my mantras. Thanks again!
http://psychmamma.wordpress.com
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
This is great advice, thank you. It’s interesting to read about building a subscriber base from your perspective as a “domestic” blogger (for want of a better term) rather than someone from the more technical niches.
I’ve bookmarked the article, because I’m sure I’ll be reading it again and again.
July 4th, 2008 at 5:45 am
As a newbie blogger, I really need this info and grateful that you have shared it! I am in the process of getting a feel for my blog, why I do it, what I love and building my new design. I fully agree on posting comments that have meaning, building relationships and networking. This all goes back to my retail days of something as simple as writing a thank you note!
July 4th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Great information for beginning and intermediate bloggers. I’ve bookmarked it for future reference. Have a great weekend.
Erica
July 4th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
What a great post - good information! I agree that I think one of the most valuable has been to develop relationships with other bloggers - its a win-win! But I have a long way to get to the 820 you are at!
July 5th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Thanks for the great advice! Look, I’m already taking it and leaving a comment!
July 5th, 2008 at 4:08 am
@Jamie - If you don’t enjoy Twitter, definitely don’t worry about it. It’s not worth it just for the blog traffic. I think it’s a blast, so it’s worth it to me.
@Frugal Dad - Amen! It’s so important to not just shmooze the big dogs, and then to not interact with the “little people” when you become a big dog yourself.
@PsychMamma - Glad you’re enjoying it! If you’re blogging to bring in income, there will definitely be days when you don’t love it, because it feels sorta like a job. But hopefully there will be plenty more times when you love it than when you don’t.
@Journeyer - Oh, I am SO not a techie blogger. I peruse some of them just for a few tips here and there, but then my brain quickly gets overloaded.
@Happyathome, @Home Business Success, @Mommy Meryl, @Kay - Glad you enjoyed it! And I’m happy to help in any way.
July 6th, 2008 at 9:55 am
This article rocks. Thank you so much. I am a blogging newbie and looking to make some foundational decisions before I post much more. What blog software do you use? I assume it is self-hosted?
July 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
From 8 to 800 in a month? That is beyond impressive! I think I am following all the rules for successful blogging except for the social networking - I’m on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and CafeMom, but I have yet to get into stuff like LinkedIn, Stumble, Digg, Tumblr, etc. I am learning to make better use of Twitter, though. And…this one is probably a biggie: I don’t do any real ‘niche’ blogging. I’m not sure what my niche is. I just write about my (probably boring to other people) days, life, and the things I love. I can’t see things changing, either. I’ve tried.
I will definitely be checking your blog out, though, because I am always looking for ways to live more simply, and teach my kids to live more simply.
July 6th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Great ideas! I am new to blogging and I need to use your tips to figure out a few things. Thanks!
July 7th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
@Martha - I have a self-hosted Wordpress site with Bluehost, and I love it. Let me know if you’re interested in more info via the contact form on my blog - http://simplemom.net/contact
@Devilish - 8 to 800 in 5 months. One month would most definitely be impressive! That would be one amazing blog.
For more info on finding your niche, you can check out my other post here on BD (search under the “blogging” category), and I also recommend learning more at http://problogger.net/blog.
@Julia - Glad to help!
July 8th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Thanks for all the great tips…I’ve been kind-of down and out lately b/c it seems no one out there is reading blogs (or maybe it is just my blog) and I need to get moving again! I appreciate you taking the time to offer all these great tips you’ve learned along the way.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Awesome tips! Thank you so much!!!!
July 8th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Interesting thoughts. It wasn’t what I expected to see. It was better. After I get some sleep, I plan to check out those links.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I just started blogging in March and I’m up to 800+ hits/day. Crazy! And I have yet to revamp my site in order to make money. Lots I need to do (and learn). Thanks so much.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Oh. I am so bookmarking this. Just started blogging myself in Jan. Started off just talking about aprons. Now I’ve decided that I’ve got more to say & I’m switching more to a Mom blog mode with aprons thrown in 1-2 times a week. Seems to be going well, but there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Thanks!
For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen: http://anapronaday.blogspot.com
July 8th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Thanks for the great tips! I’ve been disappointed that my site meter info says people really HAVE been coming to my blog but you sure can’t prove it by the comments (or lack thereof). Some of your tips really hit home and hopefully will make me a much better and more interesting blogger. Thanks!
July 8th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Oh gosh! I LOVE Simple Mom! I subscribed about a month ago…your writing style reminds me a LOT of the Pro Blogger guy (problogger.net i think it is).
Simple mom is very informative!
I’ve always been really good at getting traffic (I have 3 sites which each average 4000 uniques per month), but building subscribers is a whole ‘nother ball game!
Thanks for the great tips!
July 8th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Awesome ideas thanks!
July 8th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas! I’m just starting out, my 100th post is coming up and I’m really excited about building my readership. Thank you.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Thank you for the great article. I get tons of hits, but no subscriptions. Maybe I just have too much fluff. Maybe my niche is too big. Hmmm. So many things to think about.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
What great tips - thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us!
July 9th, 2008 at 12:06 am
This is such timely information for me. I started my blog 3 months ago and am just starting to feel some confidence in my writing, so now I’m ready to start working on getting more readers. Thanks so much!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Thanks for the info…I’ll have some reading to do should I ever get a moment of quiet!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Thanks for the great ideas, tips and insite! I’ve found commenting on other blogs and participating in the “mr linky” games really helps! I’ve gotten many people stopping by and commenting on my link and the rest of my blog. I love that! Thanks again…your site is great!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Having just started a new blog, these tips came at just the right time. Thanks so much!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Found you on WFMW. Love this article, and I also love how you acknowledge the comments right here! That’s really nice.
My blog is a little of this and that… but that’s sort of how I like it, because that’s just me. I share my stories, some of my favorite things, what works for me, pictures, crafts and so forth.
Thanks for the tips!
July 9th, 2008 at 8:37 am
thanks - great tips!
July 9th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I’ve been blogging seriously for a little over a year. I was blindly happy with my 8-15 readers per day. Had no idea that blogs actually might have 1000’s of readers per day. Then I stumbled upon a blog which I thought was pretty mediocre. Boring content. Too many videos of the mom and her kids’ antics. Yawn. But, what stayed with me was the fact that she was celebrating the fact that she had reached 1000+ readership that week. It was like blinders came off my eyes and my inner competitive spirit and creativity kicked in. I decided to set a goal of 100 readers. Told a friend that when either one of us hit 100 I’d treat at Starbucks. Due to a couple of blog carnivals , I hit 102 on Wednesday of that week. Yes. I went from 15 to 102 because I knew it was possible.
I really appreciated reading this article. My next goal is 200. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ve really got to clarify my passion and purpose for the blog.
Thank you.
Marina
July 9th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
That was a great post. I tagged it on delicious. I’ll give it a stumble later…when I get on my laptop. (Using the kid’s computer right now. LOL!)
July 9th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I started commenting on other’s blogs and have increased my readership a lot. Also, being available every where someone looks for you, is a good idea. You don’t have to interact on every social media site, but at least have an about page that points people back to your main blog.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I found your blog from a blog, from a blog, from a blog and am so grateful to have stumbled upon it! I’m a brand new baby blogger - just a week now, and am loving it! I can’t wait to read and learn from the wisdom you have shared. Thank you for taking your time to help the “little people” along the way. May the Lord bless you… Jennifer
July 17th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Thanks so much for sharing all of this. I have been frustrated at not being able to spread the word about my blog, which I think is a shame -it’s a pretty good blog! Hopefully some of this advice will help, I am coming back to reread tomorrow.
I just “followed” you on twitter. I just signed up today so I don’t really know how it works. We are expats too, we live in Sydney right now but lived in Taiwan and Korea before that. It is always great to “meet” an expat, it seems like you instantly know a lot about each other!
Thanks again!