How to Build Community on Your Blog

Do you ever read blogs that seem to have a “community” feel to them? Where readers are sharing tips and encouragement and appear to know the blogger like a friend?

I’ve read them too, and I want to be one of those blogs! One of the goals for my blog is to build it into a community. Not just a place where people will stop by to read one post and then move on without returning, but a haven for other moms and wives who need encouragement and grace as they move through their lives.

How do we make our blogs into more than just a “rest stop”, if you will? As you’ve probably discovered, building a blog takes time and patience. Creating a community feel will take time as well, but it’s time that is being invested in relationships, and that is what will last! These are just a few thoughts that I’ve gleaned from reading and my own efforts. They are things I am still working on and will continue to as my blog (hopefully) continues to grow.

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• Fulfill a need. To create a community, you want to help meet the needs of the readers who visit your blog. Whether it’s organization, health, spiritual growth, mothering or whatever else you are skilled at, take the time to notice the needs and struggles of those around you and see if you can’t encourage them with your words.

  Notice I said “encourage”. If your blog exists for the sole purpose of fulfilling a “need” to rant or take out your frustration or be overly judgmental, that is not a need that should be met!

• Be authentic. Try to write in a conversational tone {more on how to do that on Thursday!} and write about something you actually care about, not something that will just get you page views but no actual readers.

• Interact on your Facebook page, Twitter feed, etc. This can be a double-edged sword, but a great way to form a community feel is to engage your readers through social networking. It is easier for people to leave a comment on a Facebook page than to do so on your blog sometimes, so ask questions, post a link to a thoughtful article or encourage them with a Bible verse or powerful quote.

  This is actually something I really struggle with. There are many days I don’t have a whole lot to say on my Facebook page and then I read other blog feeds and see how engaging their conversations are with their readers. Then I feel I should attempt to force myself to write, but nothing pops into my mind. I’m slowly coming to the realization that it’s okay not to be a constant presence on Facebook.

  That may not be my strength right now and it may be that God is keeping me off Facebook so often because it’s so easy for me to be distracted by it when I should be pursuing something else. I’m trying to remember to pray for opportunities to encourage and then if something occurs to me or even if I have a funny little story I’d like to share, I can do that and not be overly disappointed if I don’t create a ton of comments. {You’d be surprised though what types of posts have created the most interaction on my page! See recent examples here, here, here, here and here.}

• Include a call to action at the end of your blog posts. Do you want opinions on a topic? Ask for them! Do you want to spend time in prayer for your readers? Ask them if they have any prayer requests related to the topic you’re posting about for that day. Bring them into the conversation, and even if you don’t get a lot of comments, keep at it! Many of my posts don’t get a ton of comments but it’s important to remember that it is blessing others, they may just not have the time to let us know.

• Keep the conversation going. Responding to comments, including some questions about your blog post topic on Facebook and visiting the blogs of commenters to let them know you appreciate their input really helps build a sense of togetherness between like-minded people. You may want to check and see how your comment section is set up. Do people see your replies? Do they know you read the comments? There are some widgets and plug-ins you can install, such as Disqus, that allow readers to get an email when you’ve responded to what they’ve typed.

So, here’s my “call to action”. ;) Do you have any tips for building community on your blog? Any techniques that have helped you connect more with your readers? Feel free to share them in the comments!

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