This is the third round-up post of The Blog Lowdown series, and today we’re talking about Linkies…..
1. Join in with linkies. They are a fantastic way to get to know other blogs and for others to find you. But, you will only get out of them what you put in, don’t link dump! Comment, comment, comment! If you engage with other bloggers, they will come and engage with you. Start a discussion, if you love a post share it on Twitter or G+, show the blog love and it will come back to you Try your best to reciprocate comments. None of us have time to comment on every post in every linky, and it isn’t expected, but if you never reciprocate people will stop visiting you… (MumTurnedMom)
2. Make an effort with linkies – I run my own, and I spend a lot of time visiting every site that links up, leaving a comment and tweeting their post. People really appreciate it, and not only do they keep coming back, but they spread the word too. (Family Fever)
3. Don’t just link-dump. Read and comment on as many other posts in the linky as you can. That’s the only way they work and they are pointless if people don’t take the effort to read each other’s posts. It’s not a one way street for you to get readers/comments without returning the favour. Some days I only manage to read a couple of other posts per link up, but on days where I do have a bit more time I try and comment on as many as I can, there are so many lovely bloggers out there that it’s not hard to find ones you want to comment on! It’s nice to reciprocate too, it’s not always possible with everyone but if someone comments on your post, it’s nice to read and comment on theirs too. One other aspect that I guess is a matter of opinion, is replying to people’s comments on your blog. Very early on I read some advice that recommended you reply to all comments. It is very time consuming and takes some effort, but honestly I really think it helps to connect with people and to build a rapport which means readers are likely to come back again. They have taken the time to read and think about a comment to write, and I must confess to feeling disappointed sometimes when bloggers don’t reply to comments. I don’t always have time to go back and check every post I comment on, but I do like seeing that I have received a reply to a comment, particularly if it’s a comment I took some time over! (Becoming a SAHM)
4. Include their badge or link back to the hosts page. I have forgotten this once or twice but it really isn’t fair – good to give credit where credit is due. Running a linky takes time, effort, and sometimes money so I think it’s very important. As a thank you the host will then often tweet out your post, so it works both ways, scratch their back so they scratch yours. (Becoming a SAHM)
5. Find yourself four or five linkies to join in with each week – they will provide inspiration if you are having writer’s block, allow you to connect to other like-minded bloggers, generate comments and provide a routine and focus for your blogging week. (And Then The Fun Began)
6. Link up early. I know linkies are often open for a few days but the best thing is to link up as early as you can. I link up early then go back later in the day to look at all the other posts. I very rarely go back to a linky a few days later as by then I’m on to the next ones. It’s not an exact science of course but I do find the earlier you link up, the more readers/comments you have the potential of getting. (Becoming a SAHM)
7. Check out some of the linkies, and after trying some consider these three questions:
a. Do you enjoy the linky? Is it in tune with what you want to publish, and what you want to be known for?
b. Take a look at the statistics for your page, how are visitors finding you? If hardly anyone is coming to you from the hosts page, then participating in that linky (fun as it may be) isn’t generating any traffic for you. If participating is about networking with the hosts, great, but otherwise, you might want to try a different tactic.
c. Does the host pick out, and highlight some of the contributions the following week? The possibility of having a link to your website from another well established one increases your SEO and google ranking. As well as obviously giving you more exposure!
When you’ve found linkies you like, keep showing up! You’re not making your presence felt by dipping your toes in all over the place. People start to recognise you, look out for you and notice you when you’re at the same places again and again.(Misplaced Brit)
8. Linkies are a fab way to connect with other blogs and encourage people to visit your own. However don’t base the majority of your blog content around other peoples linkies. It’s your blog not somebody else’s so you should be in the driving seat. (Hurrah for Gin)
9. I shared my top tips here on starting a blog linky, if you’re thinking of running one yourself.
10. And finally, from me, use linkies to help you find a community and to inspire you. Do not feel beholden to always join in, if you haven’t the time to post, or comment on others posts – as a host, I really do not take it personally when people don’t always turn up each week! Write what you want to write and share, and then use appropriate linkies to best promote them and find like-minded bloggers. Enjoy them!
To read the full interviews with any of the bloggers mentioned, simply search for them in my side bar and their full Blog Lowdown post will come up for you. Next week, I’ll be sharing top tips for your blog’s appearance, so do drop by for that.
What tips would you add?
Other posts you may like…
10 Top Social Media Tips From Bloggers
My Top 20 Tips for Bloggers
How to Write a Brilliant ‘About Me’ Page
Top 10 Tips on Writing Blog Posts
Great post, thanks for sharing. I love linkies, they are such a great way to connect with other bloggers.
Thanks, Kate. They’re a brilliant way to get really involved in the community and find blogs
I’ve found some fab blogs via linkies but I definitely went OTT joining up to everyone when I started. I’ve now started to focus & only join when I know I can properly partake x
I think you do at the start, and it’s a great way to put yourself out there and connect.
Great summary …Got to check out your ‘running a linky’ tips too!
Thanks for the mention 🙂
Thanks, Steph, thanks for the contribution 🙂
Brilliant post – I run 2 linkies and have enjoyed watching how much they have grown. I love that some of the entrants are now regular readers of each other and love seeing they have commented on each other before I’ve even had chance to get to them. Feel almost like their proud parent!
Yes, I know just how you feel!
All incredibly valid and true points. I have a small handful of linkies that I join in with (when I get time). And when I say ‘time’, I mean when I know I’m able to read at least a couple of other people’s posts. I used to join in with Silent Sunday most weeks, and would comment on the vast majority of photos. I would certainly look through them all. At the time, I didn’t realise that you didn’t have to go through them all, but it started to feel like a chore doing it that way. I love #WotW, but when you see me not joining in, it is because I’ve a) not had a moment to write a decent post (it is arguable whether any of my posts are decent, but you get my drift), and b) I don’t want to link dump. I would be a terrible candidate for hosting my own linky, although I have some great ideas for linkies, if anyone wants some inspiration! (o:
I’m like that with linkies, too, you definitely have to be able to give time to them to comment and not link dump. And your posts are always decent! x
I really needed these tips. I am not always consistent. I have been guilty of linking and running. I like the idea of picking a few and being consistent and interacting weekly as opposed to nothing for a month, and then 15 linkies 🙁 Which is really just not profitable.
Yes, I think you’ll get much more from it by selecting a few and putting the time in with them.
Great tips, thank you for sharing them. I try not to link-dump – sometimes I do link up and then don’t have the time to read and comment there and then although I always try to make sure I do so later (and not just in response to comments on my blog). I found that I went through a patch of feeling under pressure to join in with linkys (from myself though – not because anyone else put pressure on me) and now I have a couple that I join in with pretty much every week and others where I join in if it fits with a post that I was planning on writing anyway. I love the fact that linkys can help provide a prompt for getting started with posts too.
Oh yes, going back to comment is fine, not link-dumping at all. Plenty of people do that, I think. Yes, I did that, too, early on, whereas now I stick to 2-3 and then just pop by when I have something that fits.
Great post. I’ve been trying to get the hang of this for a while.
Thanks, glad it helped.
Great post!! Very helpful! I love linkies….Up until about 6 months ago I used to think you I had to comment on every post that was linked up. How naive of me….lol I still try to comment on everything now but don’t feel so bad if I don’t quite manage it….
That’s a lot of work! Glad it helped 🙂
Some very good advice in here. I think a lot of it is trial and error to find what works best for you, but the advice about whether the linky interests you is a very good one-it’s what I stick with these days.
Yes, it’s a case of dipping your toes in and seeing which ones work for you.
Hi Jocelyn, some top tips here! One of my self imposed rules is that if I don’t feel I have the time to properly participate in a linkup I don’t linkup.
Replying to peoples comments I think is important, although I hold my hands up to running behind on them at times (I don’t know how people keep up with everything; especially hosts of link ups! Hats off to all of you).
One top tip I’ll be taking with me is to join in the linkups early. The linkups I enjoy run almost simultaneously and at a busy time of the week for me, so I only linkup when I have time to read and comment on posts, which means I linkup late….That is something I intend to work on in the future!…Blogging can never be described as boring as there is always something to learn/ change/ work at.
I think plenty of people will link up early, and then return to comment at a time to suit them, so that might help you. Yes, I’m always learning and adapting – never boring!
Fab tips and I am sorry I haven’t joined in with #WOTW, I have a blogger crisis of confidence a while back where I just felt so pressured to join in with a bunch of things, so I have stepped back. I will join in, but probably on a random schedule 🙁 sorry!
Oh no, please don’t apologise, would hate you to feel pressured. Yep, here whenever you randomly fancy it!
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