Before being blog writers we are blog readers. We do it daily, searching for news, reviews or other information of interest. For every post that we write, we probably read at least ten times more posts. We enjoy some of them, while others we simply put aside and forget over time.
But how do we show appreciation to those bloggers that maintain our interest high, making us come back for more wonderful posts? It’s easy to simply read a good post and then skip to the next one without taking any action, but most times, it’s not the “polite” thing to do. Here’s a list of ways to show appreciation to your favorite bloggers.
Leave a comment
Did you enjoy his/her latest post? Do you have an opinion on the matter? Why not leave a comment. Sometime, even a simple appreciative comment will make the blogger feel even better. Try it, it’s easy.
Link back to the post
If you read an interesting post, why not considering recommending it to your own readers. You know those “link-sharing” type of posts? You could try to create such a series of posts, publishing one every week or month. If you can also formulate a small opinion with each link it would be even greater.
Write follow-up posts
Was the post you’ve just read interesting enough to make you formulate an opinion of your own? Then, start writing, publish your answer and link it to the original post. This demonstrates that the post that started it is of good quality. Yes, sometimes, follow-up posts are not meant as good idea developments, but let’s simply consider the positive ones.
Email the blogger
Even if it’s only a simple “Hello, I’m a reader of BlogName.com and I want to thank you for the interesting things you share with us”, it will make a blogger’s day. Trust me, receiving a confirmation, from time to time, that your work is appreciated means a lot.
Subscribe to the feeds
Even if you think that you’ll only be one in a mass of subscribers, you should be aware that in the end, your subscription matters as much as everyone else’s.
Show some social media love.
Social media has long been a traffic and new readers source for most bloggers. Consider leaving a review/comment and an up-vote for every story you enjoy. It only takes a few seconds, but it matters a lot. Help spread the buzz.
Add the blogger to your friends
On Twitter, FriendFeed, StumbleUpon, Mixx or whatever services you might enjoy using. Following a blogger is a clear sign of appreciation and it is as easy as “one click”.
Add a blogroll link
If it’s a blogger you constantly read, consider adding a link to his blog in your blogroll. For me, my blogroll is some kind of a sacred list and if I add someone there, then I really appreciate the way he/she write and what he/she writes about.
Sponsor the blog and/or buy the books
If you have a big wallet, consider sponsoring (or running ads if you have a relevant business) your favorite blog. Further more, if the blogger is also a book publisher, you might consider buying the book(s) and recommending it/them to your own readers and friends. A review will also be great.
The “unethical” option: Clicking on ads
This is an idea that started with one of Seth Godin’s posts. While Seth explained in a follow-up that the original post was misunderstood, the buzz has spread throught the blogosphere that “ads are the new online tip jar”. Chris Garret and many others rushed in, calling this “sign of appreciation” click fraud, and from my point of view, it is unethical and leads to low conversion rates for ad publishers which in the end leads to lower advertising budgets, less money for bloggers.
Who are your favorite bloggers?
Come on, let’s see who your favorite bloggers are and when (how) was the last time you’ve shown them a sign of appreciation.
List 3 of them in a comment on this post and in a few days, I’ll create a list with all of them, thanking them on behalf of my readers for the wonderful job they’re doing.
Please refrain from spam-links, comments will be moderated.
And to get thing started I’ll list three of my favorite bloggers:
- Steven Snell of Traffikd.com and DesignM.ag
- Jon Phillips of FreelanceFolder.com
- David Peralty of eXtra For Every Publisher (xfep.com)