Blogging For Dummies®, 4th Edition

Chapter 20

Ten Ways of Growing Community

Every online community needs leaders or facilitators to keep the discussions lively, upbeat, and on topic. Playing “mom” or “dad” can be the hardest job in any community, and sometimes, the rewards come slowly. Don’t let this fact discourage you, though. Encouraging growth in any community requires a certain level of patience, persistence, and attention — but when it works, it really works.

This chapter offers ten simple tricks for developing your blog from your soapbox into a real community, with true interaction between you and your readers, and among the readers themselves.

If you’re lucky, in the process of getting people to read and comment on your posts and on each other’s comments, you even discover how to convert readers into community evangelists who can make the community larger, more fun, and more active.

Write

Get writing (or podcasting, or posting photos, or whatever it is you’re doing on your blog)!

Establish a regular schedule for maintaining your blog; a schedule really helps readers know what to expect and when. A regular schedule can even build anticipation and excitement. Be open to ideas, provide a welcoming environment, and keep yourself on topic so that interested, engaged readers get what they’re looking for when they visit.

Write on other websites, as well. See whether other blogs might need a little help with a few additional posts. Also, help keep the conversations going on other blogs that you enjoy. Each time ...