…Promote your personal blog

By Levi Sumagaysay

Your blog is, of course, absolutely riveting. But what if you’re still writing for an audience of one -- namely yourself? Well, that’s about to change. Check out these ways to build an audience for your personal blog.

1. Broadcast info about your blog

• Send an email blast to everyone on your email contact list and tell them about your blog.

• This is not a time to be shy. Ask everyone you know to forward information about your blog to everyone they know.

• One clever trick is to add your blog’s URL to your email signature, business cards, and stationery. You may even want to invest in T-shirts.

2. Enter the Blogosphere

• Search the Internet for blogs on topics similar to yours. Join the discussion and add your insights and commentary if possible.

• After reviewing similar blogs, add your favorites to your blogroll. Ask those bloggers to do the same for you. When bloggers link to one another, it helps to publicize everyone’s work.

• Do a search on the topic you’re blogging about and find discussion forums, billboards or groups. Whenever you post a comment, include the link to your blog.

3. Get listed on a directory

• It only takes a few clicks if you are using a blog platform such as TypePad or WordPress. Go to Technorati, which says it currently tracks more than 112 million blogs, and make sure you’re listed.

• If you’re a woman and have been blogging regularly for at least a month, ask to be listed on Blogher, a blogging community for women.