36 Effective, Clever and Viral Blog Marketing Tips

I’ve recently been working with a client on his blog’s marketing & promotion assets – and put together this simple little checklist for ways to get his blog rolling. These tips apply to all blogs.

Beware. Humor has been injected.

1. Make sure a link to your blog is listed in your forum signatures/community signatures and profiles.
2. Tweet roughly 10-20 times daily. Mix your replies and unique tweets evenly. Make sure you Tweet a link to your posts as soon as they’ve been posted – to let your community know of your new content. On Twitter you’ll also want to share tips, insights, and links to articles you believe are important. Usually I preface articles I like with “Reading:”. This is customary – as it lets your followers know what they’re looking at.
3. Pay a streaker with your blog’s name tattooed to their chest to run through a well attended sporting event.
4. Use Google Reader or another feed reading service. This is a great way to find new content for your Twitter feed, and get more versed in your community.
5. Feature reviews on books and products from your blog’s niche.
6. Get your blog name burnt into the face of the moon.
7. Use Twitter’s Search feature for your use. Search for terms you are familiar with – and find tweets you can offer advice on. As you begin offering advice, thoughts, etc…you’ll become more recognized and trusted in your community.
8. Begin commenting (useful comments) on other blogs in your niche. Find roughly 10 blogs per day you can comment on – and offer good advice to add to the post. This will slowly start to generate more inbound links for your blog.
9. Place your blog URL as a hugely large graphic decal on your vehicles.
10. Include a link to your blog in all outgoing emails. Preferably in your signature along with other contact details.
11. Give your family gift subscriptions to your blog every Christmas. (May have an undesirable effect)
12. Begin amassing emails for a future newsletter offered along with your blog. Many readers enjoy these services.
13. Tell your Grandmother about your blog. You’ll be amazed at how many people she’ll blab to about your latest online adventures.
14. Meet other bloggers in real life situations. I’ve met many great people in my community – only because we were introduced via Twitter. For example – I met Aaron Klein, a local college trustee and tech enthusiast, through him starting to follow my blog. Now – we realize – that we both even go to our local gym at the same time. It’s great to turn virtual – into real, caring friends.
15. Send press releases regarding your blog to local news broadcasting agencies, blogs, and forums.
16. Spend $5,000,000 on a Super Bowl ad. Seems to have worked for GoDaddy.
17. Never alienate blog commenters by not responding. Make them feel welcome by acknowledging their thoughts – and giving thoughts in return.
18. Develop a brand that is recognizable and easy to relate to. This includes brandable logos, and a custom blog theme. Give your content somewhere comfy to live – by giving them a well designed blog.
19. Include social bookmarking options on your blog posts for readers to spread the word of your content. Plugins for WordPress include ShareThis, TwitThis, and many more.
20. Wear clothing branded with your blog address.
21. Although some consider it old fashioned: carry blog business cards. You’ll be surprised at how many people ask about your blog in real life.
22. Name drop. Never feel afraid to quote famous bloggers – and compliment/link to them in your posts.
23. Occasionally take the time to thank readers and people that comment on your blog. Send a sincere, non-automated email.
24. Give away free products and/or start contests on your blog. This is a great way to attract a mass of attention towards your blog and its contents.
25. Be sure that your blog is easy on the eyes, simple to navigate, and inviting to readers.
26. Spend time on your content production. Each week develop a blog post that has many, quality man-hours put into it – as these will return the most links.
27. Start a reality TV show based on your blogging adventures. I’m thinking a TV show of someone typing on a computer for hours might not get the best ratings though.
28. Pay Britney Spears to sing about your blog – or Lil Wayne to rap.
29. Feeds are a huge tool for leveraging readers to new heights. Offer feeds via email, place feed subscription buttons in prominent locations – and explain to your readers why signing up will benefit them.
30. Host your own WordPress or other blogging platform. This is more reliable then free blogging methods – and readers will take you more seriously.
31. Become romantically linked to a famous blogger. You’ll attract attention through association.
32. Never cease building links for your blog in every possible location. Never lower your standards – and build links with non-spam methods.
33. Take a walk through the city – and scream your blog name into passerby’s faces. (May lead to confrontations)
34. Become active in the video community. Create a YouTube account with your brand in mind, and possibly even begin producing your own video blogging posts.
35. Post regularly and on a predefined schedule. Give your readers comfort in knowing new content will be produced.
36. Interview professionals in your industry. These have a high potential of being linked to by the interviewee and will help gain credit for your blog.

How else do you market your blog? Share your tips! They’ll be added – along with credit.

Related Posts:

1. Grow Your Blog With Google’s Expand & Conquer Marketing Approach
2. Blogging Tips For Beginners
3. Building Connections & Marketing Your Blog In the “Real World”
4. Using Interviews to Produce Blog Content
5. Blog Emotion – The Secret of Powerful Blogging

Tagged as: blog marketing, blog marketing tips, blog promotion