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31 Days to a Better Blog--Day 15: Stickify Your Blog

Buildingabetterblog2 Yesterday's task in the 31 Day Project was to "stickify" my blog--that is, to turn one-time readers into RSS subscribers by either driving them deeper into other blog posts so they get hooked and want to subscribe or by getting them to subscribe on the basis of a strong post.

To do this, I headed back into Google Analytics to take a look at my most popular pages. Many of them are on my Best of Bamboo list, but surprisingly, one of my more popular pages right now is my "About this Blog page, which suggests that my earlier audit and re-do is paying off.

I picked out a few key posts. At the bottom of each I added an RSS icon and then wrote "If you liked this article, you may want to sign up to be automatically updated the next time I post new content. Learn more here" (the link is to my RSS page). According to Darren, this addition caused his subscriptions to jump quickly, so we'll see what happens.

Midpoint Motivation (or the lack thereof)
Meanwhile, like Christine, I've reached that place in this marathon where I'm starting to flag. I knew the time would come when I'd feel like I was slogging through the exercises and it's now here. I suspect that for the next few days until I can see the end of this thing, I'll be dreading the sight of a new article in my Netvibes from Darren. At the same time, I can see improvements in my site as well as in my blogging and community engagement, so I keep looking at that to keep me going. Anyone else feeling like I am?

Comments

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Hi Michelle
yep, I feel like this, and I think it was loss of momentum. A couple of days off with sickness, then a tip to look at ads and monetizing which didn't apply, then the "look at the competition" tip, which I suspect immediately turned some of us off till we got what was meant, i.e., read your "colleagues" blogs and appraise their stuff etc. I'm with you; I'm feeling a bit down, but I KNOW the work I've been putting in during this intensive will have a payoff. I just have to get back in the saddle! Stay tuned ...

It's good for you on the re-do part, Congratulations! On the other hand, for me, my efforts are not going good in terms of a re-do. It's not giving me much of the traffic that i need. maybe because i really lack the time to promote and build links to my brother's website on bamboo blinds.

Hi Michele
Yes, know the flagging feeling...although it is making me see deeper into my blog and its purpose. Hopefully the time I am spending getting the background side to it right will have stronger benefits in the longer term!
I'm finding it useful to see how you and others are approaching similar tasks and how we're interpreting them, and the new community it has created within our newly formed group is amazing!
Keep in there!

Well I'm glad I'm not alone on the flagging energy thing. I agree that it can be lost momentum. I also realize that it's what happens in the middle of anything, at least for me. I just have to keep pushing through and finding new ways to be energized. The community aspect helps, as do certain exercises. I do know that it's making me think differently and more strategically about my blog.

And Best Bamboo Blinds--your site looks decent, so I wouldn't beat yourself up! :-)

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