With commenting and social media, engaging in community is inevitable for both bloggers and blog readers. When we first launched TBM, we incorporated forums into the site, which was cool in theory but didn’t end up working out in the long run. The plugin we were using was pretty glitchy, so we removed the forums and have been trying to find different ways to build community in this space. One thing I’ve been learning is that engaging in community doesn’t take a ton of effort. If you’re able to put yourself out there, your readers and bloggy friends will readily engage in community with you. Everybody wants/needs it – we’ve just gotta make it happen. Here are a few of my favorite ways to create (positive) community through blogging.
7 Ways to Create Community With Your Blog
1. Create a user-friendly blog design to keep readers engaged. The other day I came across an amazing blog post but couldn’t figure out how to leave a comment. I’m pretty sure the blogger hadn’t intentionally removed comments area. The blog design was just very hard to figure out. When you’re designing your blog, remember to check it out as a visitor (log out of your dashboard) to see how user-friendly it is. You might be missing out on some good conversations!
2. Comment on other blogs in a non-spammy way. I’ll admit, I have a habit of reading interesting blog posts and forgetting to comment. I’m definitely trying to get better at that. Pinning blog posts is great is but engaging in the comments section is even better for community. Just make sure you’re commenting on the post because you love it, not because you want traffic or followers. Nobody likes spam.
3. Reply to comments on your own blog. This is another very simple way to build community! There are so many people out there who are passionate about the same things as you, so why not start a conversation about it and keep it going?
4. Ask specific questions at the end of your blog posts. Do you ever struggle to think of what to write at the beginning and end of your blog posts? I do. I usually begin by talking about the weather and end with “Have a nice weekend!” Ha. So predictable. As much as possible though, I try to end each post with a question. Most of what we write on TBM is subjective and based on our own opinions so we want to hear what other people think about various topics.
5. Make friends, not followers. The other day a random construction company started following me on Instagram. They were obviously just following anyone and everyone in hopes of getting followers back. Welp, I didn’t follow them back and I felt a little weird about having someone that random following me (I’m sure they had no interest in my Instagram feed). That said, I’m not going to pretend that getting new followers isn’t exciting. We are always happy to see that our social accounts are growing. But high numbers can only get you so far. What matters is the engagement and community that comes from followers. Reach out to people with similar interests as you, make genuine connections, and watch your blog grow in a way that’s natural. :)
6. Find blogger meetups or have blogging work dates. Blogging involves a lot of communication but it can still get lonely. It’s a lot of screen time and not a lot of in-person quality time. Check to see if there are any blogger meetups in your town! In Portland, I’ve gone to a few events for bloggers that have been really fun for networking and making friends. Every week or so, I also meet up with a friend and we both get coffee and work on our blogs/businesses. I love it because it allows me to engage in community and get out of my apartment, while still getting stuff done for my blog and biz.
7. Share your personality and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Sometimes I feel like blogging is becoming all business. We’re all successful entrepreneurs with tips and tricks to make money. Right? That can draw people in for sure. But when I see bloggers and biz owners keepin’ it real and sharing their failures along with their successes, I am so inspired and always, always read their content. So whether you’re sharing a DIY fail, your personal views on an issue, or just something silly you love (I’m all about this dog/honeybee video right now…seriously watch it), remember that people out there will be happy you shared a bit of your personal life. You’re awesome as a creative boss lady and you’re also awesome as a regular human being. Authenticity, vulnerability, and imperfection are the building blocks of genuine community. I truly believe that.
What are your favorite ways to participate in community in the blogosphere? What do you think could make it better? Share your thoughts with us!
Kerstin says
This is such a great post! Especially love the part about “friends instead of followers” – you’re so right! The thing I find most interesting and fun about blogging is the constant exchange with my little community :)
Love, Kerstin
http://missgetaway.com
Jennifer says
Thanks Kerstin! So true. The community that comes along with blogging is amazing. :)
STYLEQUEEN101 says
Yes I absolutely agree! For me it is way more important to me when I get a conversation going with one of my subscribers than receiving random followers (that has happened so many times to me too!) so I love commenting and actually having conversations with stylequeen101.com readers and fellow bloggers😊
Yam says
I actually found this really helpful. I read a lot of blog advice relayed posts and lots of them and surprisingly same same. But yours seems to be natural and truthful xx
Thank you so much
Alyssa J Freitas says
I love to reply to comments on my own blog as well as leave comments for others! Like you said, it has to be non-spammy in order to truly build that community, which is what we’re all striving for.
Jennifer says
Yes! I’m realizing that commenting also forces me to slow down and actually read blog posts and responses instead of skimming and moving along (which I’m totally guilty of).
Natasha says
Yes! This! Guilty of skimming…but I’m trying to read more thoroughly and have found that I get so much more out of other blog posts and can connect more to what people are actually wanting to say.
Charity says
So good! I’ve been reading your posts – but totally guilty of not posting comments!
Jennifer says
Aw thanks Charity! MISS YOU!
Elizabeth says
This is such a great post! And I completely agree with all of your bullets and found myself nodding in agreement a lot. When I first started blogging, I had no idea the community that it was. I’ve made so many friends (that mu husband calls “virtual reality friends” lol) that I genuinely consider friends. I love the communication and the relatability. It’s amazing!
Jennifer says
Haha, virtual reality friends. Love it! It’s so crazy how much community you can really engage in via blogging. I’m all about in-person community but it’s so nice to have even MORE community in the blog world. :)
Samantha says
I love having friends instead of followers! Sure, it’s great to have the big numbers, but it means more if you’re connecting with and getting to know people in your audience. My favorite thing is when someone emails me or responds to something I’ve posted!
Jennifer says
That’s such a good feeling! I think connecting with followers pays off so much in the long run. :)
Caroline says
Great post, thanks for sharing! I think commenting on other blogs, replying to comments on your blog and asking specific questions as a call to action at the end of your post are so important! I have found that doing that has helped me grow my tribe more and my community feels so much more connected! I would love to find some blogger metopes to meet people face to face it can definitely get lonely sitting behind a computer screen all the time!
xo Caroline
http://www.calijaedesigns.com
Jennifer says
Definitely! Hope you can find some good blogging community where you live! It even helps me just to go to a coffee shop by myself to blog. You never know who you can connect with out in the wild haha. :)
Amanda says
Caroline- this was very helpful. We are a little over a month in and feel like we have hit our wall of with growth due within our persona circle. We in in the great unknown at this point and you post offers direction. BTW I really like hope clean and sharp your page is! Thanks for sharing.
tonya says
I’ve been trying to comment more on blogs but haven’t seen much interaction. Is it something that takes time? Is there somewhere I can find good blogs with active communities?
Jennifer says
Yeah, I’d say it definitely takes some time! Angela shared a few community-related posts here, including some good Facebook groups for connecting with bloggers: https://www.theblogmarket.co/weekly-resources-community-for-bloggers/
Noemi @ Wealthy in Health says
I love commenting and I like when people comment, it’s always exciting to read others’ thoughts and try to reply them. But as a new blogger it is always so sad that I don’t really get comments. It makes me a sad blogger :D I know, it just needs time but I loooove comments, they keep me motivated and the more comments I get, the more post I’m inspired to write :)
Jennifer says
I agree, it’s so encouraging to see people respond with comments! Don’t feel too discouraged if you don’t get a lot of comments though. Honestly, sometimes our posts get a bunch of comments and other times we’re stuck with zero. I like to hope people are still reading though, even if they’re keeping quiet. :)
Janet says
I would’ve never thought of joining blog meet-ups or blogging work dates! Sounds like a great idea, thanks :)
Jennifer says
No problem, Janet! Best of luck finding that good blogging community. :)
Aneeqah says
Totally agree that commenting- both on other blogs and replies on your own blog- are super important! I find that the best discussions can happen that way, or on Twitter. Meet-ups are fantastic too, and although I haven’t been to a blog meeting just yet, I really look forward to going to one soon.
Lovely post, thanks for sharing! <3
Jennifer says
Thanks for reading, Aneeqah! Twitter really is an amazing way to engage in community. Hope you get to go to a blog meetup soon!
Nicole says
#7 is such a great tip to remember and yet it is the hardest to achieve. The hardest part about pressing publish on a blog post for me is thinking “is there a spelling or grammar mistake? is this concept going to be misconstrued? am I going to end up being made fun of on one of those TV shows where they make fun of things on the internet?”
Thanks for the great post!
Nicole Zeno
http://www.nicolezeno.com/blog
Lexi says
“… don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.” As I turn my attention to creating community for my new blog, I feel that this tackling the fear of being vulnerable is the first step when reaching out to others to “make friends, not followers.” I love that saying!
Thank you for sharing!
Lexi
lexbelivin.com
Tiffany @FittyFattys says
Hi Jennifer,
This is the first time I’m coming across your blog and I love it. The format is so simple and clean and I love your voice! Anyways, thank you for these awesome tips. I’m not a full time blogger yet, but I do spend so much time behind the screen and I really do want to connect with others personally. I will def start looking for some blogger meet ups! Thanks again, have a terrific day!
Tiffany
http://fittyfattys.com/
Jennifer says
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks so much for visiting! Really happy to hear you’re enjoying the blog. I just checked out yours and it’s amazing! All of your recipes look wonderful and the message behind your blog is so important.
It can be really tricky to get out from behind the screen, but it’s so nice to connect with like-minded people out in the real world. Hopefully you’ll find lots of community in your town! :)
Jennifer
Yvonne says
The most I’ve done is interview another fitness blogger. Now that my focus has changed I have re-routing to do. I intend to use some of these tips. Thank you.
Lisa @ This Beautiful Day says
I’m moving to Portland in May and would love to get a coffee with you! Maybe a bloggers brunch?
Jennifer says
Yes! I would love that. Definitely get in touch when you move here! :)
fiona says
Thanks for the tips! I just started a blog and have NO IDEA what I’m doing!
So helpful! This is my first comment on a blog… ever! Thanks!
Jennifer says
Yay! Congrats on starting a blog, Fiona!! It’s looking awesome so far. :)
Kimberly says
Great post!
Sophie says
The point you made about Instagram is so true. I have just started using it and I noticed that sometimes random people would like my page as a like for like kind of thing. It’s honestly a waste of time unless you a whole bunch of things in your feed that you’re not even interested in.
– Sophie
Pam says
I always reply to comments on my blog and ask question at the end of the post, but I still feel like I am talking to an empty room. I’ll be looking for blogger meet ups in my area soon. That sounds promising. Thanks for the post!
Kate says
This is great advice! I think for me sharing my personality & showing vulnerability is key, but it’s also my biggest challenge. I’ve been blogging for over 5 years and even now that I’ve found my rhythm and voice, I still catch myself using impersonal phrasing or talking “at” readers instead of “to” them. Definitely an area for me to work on!
Allie Hofer says
Great advice! Thank you for sharing!
Kari says
Thank you for the tips! I’m new to blog land and trying to do as MUCH research as I can before launching my blog. I appreciate your thoughts and have them pinned! My website is “coming soon’. :)
Jennifer says
Excited to see your website once it launches!! :)
Clarissa says
Love the post! You really gave a lot of good advice here, and I even took notes in my brand new little notebook!
I will definitely try what you said this week! I think I always get the wrong ideas about bloggers. I feel like bloggers can be very individualists and not truly want to like my posts. I often have the impression its an obligation to like my photos, in order for me to like them in exchange! This is why I haven’t really gone on any blogger forums or communicated with bloggers! However, I was in Paris this weekend and met a lot of bloggers for the first time in my life! I would say 2/3 were really nice and social, sharing tips and being helpful. The other 1/3 was indeed the type of person who is very individualist!
Thank you!
Angela says
That’s great to hear! It’s a different world when you finally meet people in real life!
Tiffany Bennett @tiffanykeely says
Thank you so much for this post! It is exactly what I needed to hear, it’s silly but it spoke straight to my soul. I especially loved “watch your blog grow in a way that’s natural”. So often I get frustrated that it’s not growing faster, but I just need to give it some time.
Thanks again!
Tiffany Bennett
http://www.wakingoptimism.com
Sophie says
Coffee shop blogging makes me feel so productive – socialising AND working in one, boom.
Jennifer says
Yes! It’s the best way to work. :)
Takoyacki says
I personally like the engagement on Facebook posts; it’s exciting to see all these comments popping up and I hope someday people will have (deep) discussions with eachother, without having us intervene. :)
Abigail says
Very great info. I’m just starting out in the blog world. I’m a passionate paper craft and DIY-ER. I feel like there is so much info to absorb! I love when I find easy to understand articles like yours. Thanks for sharing.
Chelsea says
What a wonderful way to create community! I always forget it too to comment, but not now! yay :) keep up the post, i love them!
Bria | MondayRebel Blog says
A simple post, but oh so helpful. :) Thanks for writing this in a way that’s very easy to understand!
I already try to implement a lot of these strategies, but reading this post is motivating all over again!
(I’m also SO bad at taking the time to leave comments on quality blog posts – getting better at it, haha.)
kerona says
love this post amazing tips thank you!! i just launched my new blog, i had a blog before but deleted it to have my own domain with the new blog.
have a great evening
Christina says
great post Jennifer! I love number 5! I’ve met so many amazing young women just by commenting their blogs and getting to know them via twitter chats and guest posting! I believe that its so important to build a community rather than followers! Happy I stumbled upon this post! xoxo
Stephanie says
This is some great advice. As someone who is just starting out on the whole blogging adventure Ive been trying to soak up as much advice as possible
Thank you
Sam says
Hey! This is my first time finding your blog and I love this post, great advice! I particularly like the one about making friends, not followers! Thanks for sharing!
Jemima Gregg says
The tip about commenting on other peoples blog posts and asking a question at the end of your blog posts really got me. Thank you for remind me how important it is to reach for a strong community in your business rather than a huge following. :)
http://www.bakytgul.com
Gurki Bhamber says
Guilty of not leaving a comment on a very nice blog post. But I made sure I commented on this, and do for other interesting reads as well. Building a community is so so important when blogging. Not just for business side of it, but for personal well being as well. Just like you said, getting out of your work space and meeting up with your buddies, is so refreshing. Thanks for the nice pointers :)
Cambria Bridget says
Love the idea of making friends, not just followers to create engagement! Such a great post & beautiful blog design!
Momina Arif says
I think the first one is really important because there have been so many times when i wanted to leave a comment and didn’t because the comment section wasn’t super easy easy to find. This blog on the other hand is so simple and neat and extremely easy to navigate. I want my blog to have that quality. great JOb!
Amanda says
I am completely guilty of reading great articles and never leaving a comment. However, after reading your article I will start making an honest attempt at this. Thank for for these great tips for building a stronger community.
Lucie says
I think you’re right about be more personal. Actually, this is one of my august goals – to be more personal. So, I tri to write more ‘my thoughts’ articles. :-)
have a nice day xx
http://www.inbluebox.com
Jennifer says
That’s awesome, Lucy! Personal “life” posts are my favorite kind to read. :)
Laura says
Love the layout of your blog. It’s clean, simple and easy to read and has a lot of great content. Thank you for sharing the information.
Laura Licursi
Ashley Sauls says
Great content. I truly agree about learning how to be vulnerable with your audience. I used to be someone who was “all business” until I realized my pain points could help someone else and helped me to heal. Thank you for sharing!
Trisa Taro says
Thank you for this post! I’ve been struggling a bit with this on my blog and social media so this was really helpful! I especially love the bit about not being afraid to share your personality – I agree that it helps people connect with you :)
Jennifer says
I’m happy you like this post, Trisa! Sharing your personality is such an important part of blogging, but it can be really stressful at first!
Lori says
Hi Jennifer :) I’ve just started blogging (it’s not even all set up yet) and this is something I was wondering about because I’m really looking forward to the “people” part of blogging. Thanks!
Jennifer says
Aw, I’m so glad! Your blog looks amazing so far. :)
Mervi Emilia says
Great tips. I especially agree with the last part. I’ve noticed this same on my Instagram, being vulnerable and personal has been making my followers to leave thoughtful comments on my posts.
If I can could in return give you a little tip, as a weathered web designer, I’d tell you to increase the font size of your content. Small text size looks nice, but is pretty hard to read. :)
Shelby says
I’ve never put most of this into perspective when writing my blog. I’ve always thought about wanting people to follow my blog, but I never thought about the need to respond back to then. I’m only one post in and received on 7 likes and the comments. Feels like it’s not worth it. It’s taking so long. Those responses were a few months ago and got nothing since. Still trying to figure it out. This information might really come in handy.
Vathani Ariyam says
I really like your two posts. thanks
Meredith says
Please accept this non-spammy comment: I legitimately enjoyed this post! I’m in the early stages of blogging and community is something I really hope to gain—and contribute to—throughout this venture. Making friends in hard enough in person; doing it virtually is a different ball game yet.
Thanks for the tips on how to make community a reality!
Jennifer says
Thanks for another great post. Your words of wisdom are so appreciated. As a soon-to-be blogger, I appreciate all the info. I can get before I take the BIG jump into blogland.
Maia says
I feel like I’ve been looking for this post for a long time and I didn’t even know it. I want to build a community with my blog. Friends who help each other. It’s so much better that way!
Erica Marie Statly says
Hi Jennifer!
I especially liked your point about “keeping it real.” It’s so easy to spot a fake and it’s honestly offensive when people are over-the-top fake – it’s like they don’t think you’re smart enough to pick up on those small cues! I cannot wait to start implementing these strategies into my blogging practices.
Jennifer says
Glad you liked this post, Erica! It’s so true that when people are fake online, it’s very easy to spot. I love seeing bloggers who come across as authentic and genuine. :)
Natalie says
I’m starting a blog (still in the process of writing) and I think your advice is so good. I intend to apply many of your suggestions as prepare for my own adventure into the blogosphere. Thank you!
Gabby says
Wow, these were great tips! I read so many blogs but never comment. Consider this one of the first haha.
Gabrielle Alexa | gabriellealexa.com | galoremag.com/author/gabriellenoel
Fehintola says
I really enjoy reading your posts. I found your blog on Pinterest and I love it. Your explanations are easy to understand and I feel like I’m reading a note from a friend. Thanks
I hope to build a community with my blog, create a place where people can come, laugh and learn and generally have fun (like an online party, lol). Where people share their views and opinion (even if they don’t agree with mine, esp if they don’t agree with mine) so that we can learn from each other.
Keep up the good work guys! Cheers
http://www.fehintolaogunye.com
Juliette | For the Sake of Good Taste says
So true! I live in the middle of nowhere, with few fellow bloggers, so the online community I’ve found has been absolutely amazing. I don’t know what I’d do without them!
Stephanie Rudolph says
So, so, so late to the game on this post (just found it down the pinterest rabbit hole), but thank you so much for the very last point. I know I dont let myself come through enough, so I appreciate the reminder and encouragement. 💕
Christy says
These are some great ideas! I am really impressed with how much talent is out there. I’m loving some of the friendships i am beginning within this community!
Kinga says
I am just starting to blog and it feels like I am actually late to the party. But reading your blog I think that there might be still some time to figure it out.