The Pin the Map Project is about two years old now and has come a long way from the day I pressed publish on my first post. Back then my readership consisted of exactly five people: my parents, my boyfriend at the time and my sister (all who I really must thank for being so gracious as I inundated their inboxes with each new post I wrote). Building a blog following takes time and is something that I am still doing on a daily basis-be it pushing out social media posts, connecting with other bloggers, running paid media campaigns or simply brainstorming ideas to grow my website.
The building of a following is a painstaking process where some days will find me on top of the world feeling as though my blog is the next big thing and others will find me convinced that I’m my website’s only reader. Such is the nature of the internet-it’s a fickle place where talented and innovative people are elbowing their way to the top in hopes of simply pushing their photography, blog, film, jokes, stories and social posts into the spotlight. The past two years of The Pin the Map Project has been a whirlwind of highs and lows; yet my passion for this corner of the web I’ve created is something that has me always looking forward to typing away on my laptop at my nearby coffee shop. As a relatively new blogger, I have picked up lessons in building a blog following in the past two years; below are a few of the ways I look to build my traffic and readership both on my blog and social media.
Don’t turn your back on paid opportunities!
I get it, the dream is to go from 0 to 60 with your blog and wake up one day to find you have organically gained over 100,000 new followers simply due to your awesome content and hard work. There are always those bloggers who somehow managed to turn an obscure website into a massive success in less than a year time; these blogging enigmas may scoff at the idea of paid media but as someone who has worked in advertising in New York City for over 3 years, I can assure you paid media is a fantastic way to build a following quickly.
Essentially, paid media allows you to give your blog guaranteed exposure when your attempts at social media pushes and networking just aren’t cutting it. I have helped brainstorm media campaigns for some of the world’s top brands-from Converse to Volvo-and if these globally recognized names are paying thousands of dollars for a paid social campaign or blog integration program then there is something to be said about putting your money where your words are and building your following.
So, what do I mean by paid opportunities?
There are a few different options for paying to gain following. Companies like Outbrain help amplify your content and increase traffic to your website by taking links to selected posts and placing them alongside relevant articles across the web. For example, if someone is on CNN Travel and reading a story about the top destinations of 2015, at the bottom of the story in that “You might be interested in…” section the reader could find a link to your website. You set the pricing, date and content of your campaign with Outbrain and just watch as your traffic spikes.
Consider paid social media opportunities, too.
This is something I was just introduced to by a fellow blogger who incredibly grew his Instagram following from a cool 3,000 followers to upwards of 20,000 in less than a year! Beyond the usual Instagram tips of using the right hashtags and engaging with other people’s posts, he advised me to reach out to some of the larger players in social media and ask them to repost some of my content. I reached out to a few large Instagram accounts that I know to accept posts of these nature (@ourplanetdaily & @theglobewanderer to name a few) and found that to put my photos in front of almost 1 million people costs anywhere between $10-$100. To some this may be considered a waste of money, but it is a great way to make a BIG splash in social media and quickly grow your following. Likewise, Twitter and Facebook offer features to promote your social posts and pages to followers who may find it interesting. So while, yes, it is ideal to be a social media rockstar on your own; it is worth considering paid opportunities to help give your hard work the exposure it deserves.
Now, let’s talk growing your following organically.
If paid ways to grow your following isn’t your cup of tea, I have found success in a few organic ways to grow readership. My biggest tool by far has been my work as a freelance writer, which has allowed me to contribute to some larger publications like VICE, FOOD & WINE and others that always link back to The Pin the Map Project. For tips on freelance writing, check out my guide to BREAKING INTO TRAVEL WRITING 101.
Another way I’ve grown my following is by networking with other bloggers via guest posts and traveler interviews. I launched a series called The Traveler Series, in which I interview bloggers, writers, photographers and editors on their travels and websites. This is a great way for me to not only network but also grow my readership by having more established blogs promote their interview to their following. Similarly, guest posts help introduce you to other blogger’s audience by showing your style of writing and linking to your website (you can guest post for The Pin the Map Project too!).
Have social conversations & refresh your old content.
Social media is huge tool for growing following. Your social media should be treated less like a monologue in which you simply push out posts; and more as a conversation to engage readers. Try and return every comment, make a point of reading and commenting on other blogs and social posts and (most importantly) post frequently! We all know the internet moves quickly and a week without posting can send your blog into obscurity when there are hundreds, if not thousands, of equally talented bloggers putting up new content every day. Now, we’re not all vending machines that can churn out popular posts so when inspiration runs dry, refer to an old blog post to refresh and repost it!
Use blog syndicators like Bloglovin’.
Everything I post is automatically posted to Bloglovin’ where other readers can discover my content alongside that of other fantastic bloggers. I cannot recommend Bloglovin’ enough-both for growing a following but for also discovering other websites and finding inspiration for your own website.
Now, what?
The takeaway of all this is that it is possible to build a following but it takes time, effort, consistency and sometimes money to really turn a blog from a hobby into a potential career that generates money. Whether you’re a novice blogger who just published their first post today (congratulations!) or an established blogger who is a year in and wondering why their following hasn’t blossomed (hang in there!); it is an uphill path we are all walking together.
Make sure to check out my other BLOG TIPS and share your best tricks on growing a following in the comments section below!
