Last week I discussed how to start your blog or website. This week I want to talk about how to keep it going and build a fan base who will follow your content. There’s one thing you must be in order for your site to succeed: loyal.

Loyal: adj., (3) faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product

(Source: Merriam-Webster.com)

In order for a blog or site to succeed, contributors must be loyal to their content, fans, and themselves. If you decide to write, you must commit to the cause – whether it’s to make a name for yourself or share your creativity with the world – writers must put in the time and effort.

Felder recommends challenging yourself to stick to a schedule. When RevPub started, we decided we would each do a post a week, make it the best we could, and have fun. Whether it’s a post a week or a post a day, a schedule will help you find and make time to add content.

Building a Fan Base

One you’ve created a topic list and set a schedule, how do you build a fan base? Here are some tips from the book and a few others we recommend:

• Be a credible source. One new tip: don’t overload your writing with keywords. If you write naturally, your keywords will be there.
• Keep content fresh. Don’t reuse your content. If you run out of ideas, try writing exercises or guest bloggers.
• Include a bio with photos. Your readers want to know who you are, so tailor your bios and photos to the type of page you want.
• Have an About page. What is your site about and what are you trying to accomplish?
• Encourage feedback and comments. Negative or positive, comments help you gauge your readers, make improvements, and get people talking.
• Be passionate. Give 100 percent every time you post. Use your passions to fuel your creativity, or keep an open mind so you find new ones. The results are up to you.
• Use social media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pintrest, etc.; it doesn’t matter. I suggest starting with one, and as your site grows and you make more time, take on more social media platforms. You may even find people who will help you push out your content.
• Talk about your site with peers, coworkers, and family. The support we receive is overwhelming, and I learned this is just as effective as social media. People can see your excitement and thrive off of it.
• And most importantly, commit. Make a commitment to yourself and your readers to make each post as awesome as it can be. The Avengers grossed $1.5 billion this year, and at one point, that was just an idea. Loyalty can go a long way.

I learned a lot from chapter 12, and I look forward improving our site and adding a new category, which will premier this month. What do you think? Is there anything you would like to see on RevenantPublications.com?