I’ve missed the other topics, but I finally decided to join Geraldine and Joan in their new meme called Conversations! You should join too, you know!
Today I’m talking about some stuff that are most likely to garantee my following a blog.
How I follow blogs
First, I should mention that I have a system for following blogs. Not a very systematic one, but it’s a system nonetheless. I follow blogs mainly in two ways:
- Subscribing via email
- Following in Bloglovin’
If a blog has some, or all the things I’ll mention in a bit, it about garantees a Bloglovin’ follow. Obviously, I’m a lot pickier about receiving you in my inbox. For an inbox follow there’s one main requirement:
The Requirements
Useful/Entertaining content
If I follow, it’s because I want to know what you have to say, whether it’s to laugh, or for informational purposes. I follow a lot of blogs that offer writing, blogging, and recently, also bookstagramming tips.
A good, cohesive design
What? Even though words are the important stuff, I’m still a sucker for pretty things. Give me a visually pretty blog, and that’s one step closer to clicking the follow button.
Of course there are blogs that aren’t that pretty but have tons of followers, and there are beautiful ones that don’t; but personally, I probably won’t stick very long around if I don’t like what I see first.
Engagement
I get it might be difficult to go commenting on the blogs of the people who comment on yours, but I do value people who at least respond to comments on their own posts, especially in discussion posts. I mean, isn’t that the point? Of it to be a conversation? Or at least attempt at one?
Not all Memes or Promotional content
I don’t participate in memes that much, mostly because I just always forget and sometimes it can get irritating to see a lot of the same posts every day. I do check out some of my friends’ posts from time to time though. If a blog is mostly memes and Blog tours, it’s going to be a big red flag. Maybe you’re actually awesome, but I wouldn’t know because this kind of posts don’t let me see that awesomeness!
Something original
Not that important, but when I do come across a blog that has something different from everyone else, whether that is a super awesome blog design, reviews in a certain original way, or just… anything that makes it super stand out from the rest; I fall in love!
Same same same. I love people who engage in conversation and comment back, and I actually do appreciate such bloggers a lot because I know it takes effort. Replying back to a comment is what is expected, but going to the commentor’s blog and commenting on one of their posts takes effort, and I love bloggers who do that! Also, I too love blogs which come up with original content, and interesting discussions 🙂
Wow this is a really awesome post that helped give me some tips on how to improve my blog a little bit more! I recently started posting non-bookish related content every now and then so I’m really happy to know that it can appeal to some people! And I’m the same with the look of the blog, I like pretty blogs especially if they’re pastel pink or blue ❤❤
That’s great! And yes, tidbits of non bookish things are always interesting! It shows who you are, and people are curious people so WIN WIN 😀
I think those are the things that tend to tick my boxes too! I like it best when it isn’t all promotional posts and you can see that there really is a mix of content on the blog. That’s the kind of thing I appreciate most. And originality and voice is something I love when I’m reading too. Those are the kind of blogs that have me pressing the follow button!
I tagged you in this tag as well 😀 http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2016/06/behind-scenes-blog-tag.html
Olivia Roach recently posted this awesome thing…Behind the Scenes [Blog Tag]
Yes! Definitely a good mix for a blog. And yay! Thank you, Olivia!
To be honest, I’m still getting used to having a blog, trying not to fall into the trap of just posting reviews – and I’m hoping it’s enough to get followers. But more importantly – I think most of my reasons for following blogs are the same as yours! Original content is important to me – and an easy to read (and pretty!) blog.
I agree with all of this. Especially the commenting/engaging point. I understand it’s hard to comment back to everyone, especially if you’re someone who gets a lot of comments, but when I see multiple posts with zero replies, it sends a huge red flag to me. The second one on your list that is important to me is original content. I typically don’t read people’s Waiting on Wednesday, Friday Finds or TTT posts. So if that’s all they have, there’s just not much for me to read.
Molly @ Molly’s Book Nook recently posted this awesome thing…Super Informal TV Show Discussions (The 100, FTWD & more)
I have to admit, pretty blogs definitely do catch my eye a lot faster, especially if it’s pink and pastel colored, since those are my favorites. And although I don’t want the entire blog to be filled up with bookish memes, I definitely don’t mind someone who does things like Top Ten Tuesday every week, or a Waiting on Wednesday, because they kind of work like discussion posts as well as memes. Plus, I love doing Top Ten Tuesday myself!
Pastel blogs are so beautiful! I also like the ones which are mainly minimalistic in terms of color, with black and white, or black and gold as their main colors. (This was what inspired me to add gold to my own palette!)
I look for a lot of the same things in blogs too. The content is definitely the most important part, but it really gives a blog that extra edge for me if it looks nice too, and it seems more like the blogger cares about thr blog if it looks good. I’m also not a fan of too many blog tours or memes (I pretty much never visit those kinds of posts), so it does put me off if that makes up most of the content.
Laura recently posted this awesome thing…Review: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
I don’t mind when people add them to the mix, because it’s a good way to discover new blogs, but if that’s ALL there is, then I’ll most definitely not stick around.