Guidance for the Next Step?

[Dan Porter]

I've had my blog - The Chaotic Reader - up for a little over a year now and have been posting on a regular basis for about five months. So far, I've posted only reviews. I've had light but steady traffic and slow increases in followers. To help improve those stats, I'm considering participating in blog tours, doing some author interviews, and sponsoring some giveaways. I have no idea how to get started with any of those. Anyone have any advice or suggestions?

[Irene Helenowski]

Hi Dan,

I could email you some sample interviews that I have received from bloggers if that would be helpful :)

[Dan Porter]

Thanks, Irene. That would be great. My e-mail address is [e-mail].

[Luke Abaffy]

Hi Dan, There's a ton that you can do. Here's what I learned from my experience:

First you just need to find your motivation for doing what you're doing. Why are you doing it?

If it's that you love blogging/writing/reading then keep doing reviews, and reach out to some authors on here for interviews. If it's that you want to increase traffic, then find a super-niche in this book blogging world, (a niche that's close to your heart, so that you'll love what you're doing) and fill it. Become the go-to guy for that niche. Without the niche, it's quite difficult to make yourself stand out amongst all the thousands of book bloggers. And if you love it, and bring your own unique personality to it, you'll stand out and drive traffic. 

That's the best advice I can give. 

I think I found mine. Holler me with questions.

Luke

authorfeast.com

[Dan Porter]

Thanks, Luke. You've made some very good points. I'm off now to reflect on what my blog does for me. I'll probably also be deciding how to control it instead of letting it run my life.

[shelly blomker]

Hi, I thought I'd help you out a little and become a follower of your blog. If you want to follow mine here's my blog address for you. 

www.shellysbookclub.blogspot.com

If you join blogging forums and places like that it will help you get more followers. I'm working on my 4th year or so of reading and blogging the books I've read on mine. 

[Dan Porter]

Thanks, Shelly. I'm following your blog now. I've joined a few blogging forums and am trying to be active on them. I probably just need to be a little more patient.

[shelly blomker]

Yeah, maybe. I'm very patient when it comes to my blog. I've joined a few other places for book bloggers and forums that just talk about books. I did try facebook for awhile but I seem to be doing better with twitter and here they have twitter. I think that sometimes following other blogs that your interested in also helps. I just love to read and its a great way to keep track of what I've been reading.

[Jericho "Jack" Aleksandr Wootton]

Hi Dan,

If you haven't already, I suggest you join this group, start following other blogs, and make your own blog known!

Also, make sure to duplicate your reviews on other sites that will get you other followers, especially Goodreads.

I believe that Black, White, and Read Tours is looking to recruit more bloggers, so be sure to check them out.

Lastly, I'm now following your blog. You can follow mine back or, better yet, if you'd like to read my book, let me know and I'll send you the Nook version. I'd be happy to do an interview for you and/or provide you an additional free copy so you can do a giveaway.

Good luck!

----

www.jackwootton.com

[ManOfLaBook.com]

Dan,

the best ways I found to increase followers is to comment on other's blogs and to participate on those big multi-blogs giveaways.

I followed your blog as well.

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Joyce S Sherr]

Hi Dan.. I've been blogging just about a year . I review contemporary fiction and non-fiction, have occasional guest reviewers but haven't participated in any blog tours etc. as yet. My page views are now over 17,000 and I have over 100 followers. I attribute this to my lighthearted approach to reviewing. My style is conversational, my reviews are short  and I'm not afraid to be brutally honest..So here goes.. I am now a follower of your blog but I'm not sure if I have the concentration to read lenghthy reviews especially with a black background. You write well and have a lot to say but I got distracted..Possibly you need to add more graphics..and yes, try all the blog activities out there, if you have the time and inclination. But most of all, keep at it. This is a great site and I've learned so much from the members.

Good luck,,,Joyce at Joyce's Choices at http://www.jssherr.blogspot.com

 

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[Kristen Elise]

Hi Dan,

With respect to the need for a niche, I feel your pain.  However, I recently had a *major* breakthrough so I thought I'd share my experience and see if it helps out: what I did was start searching for other forums/websites/blogs that focused on the specific genre of interest to me (i.e. the genre of my own books, which happens to be thriller...) and I was completely shocked to find almost nothing out there.  So I decided to let my own blog be the go-to site for this genre.  Try doing the same.  If there are already a ton of forums dedicated to your genre, well, then, you have just found followers to start personally inviting to your site :)  If not, you can truly carve out a niche for yourself by creating this resource for others who are interested in the same things you are interested in.  Good luck!  BTW, if you follow my blog I'll return the follow.  If you actively participate, I'll promote your blog and other stuff that needs promoting.  Cheers,

Kris

www.kristenelisephd.blogspot.com

[Henry Circle]

Blog hops are great for getting readers. Google Blog Hop Spot for one place to get started. Twitter links to your posts several times a day. Join facebook groups. You can just search in the search box for your genre of choice like, "Mystery" or you can type "book blog"  under groups. In those groups you'll get a lot of offers from authors and for hops and giveaways. Read and comment on other blogs! There is no better way to get people to stop by!