Blogging 101 - How to Get Them to LINGER LONGER

So, remember the 

HOTEL CALIFORNIA?

How you could check in 

but you couldn't check out?

Well, I'm not saying your blog has to be like THAT,

but I do think it's great to

make your visitors want to 

relax & stay a while.

HOW?

Well, for one thing - 

make your readers feel like royalty.

{My little granddaughter & her friend with their "chalk crowns"}

I always call the Honey I'm Home readers

my "Blog Friends" & I really mean it!

So, my first tip is -

Make sure your visitors know 

how much you appreciate them.

2nd - Use live links within your posts 

to other, related items 

your visitors might want to read.

For instance,

Click here to read another article I wrote

about blogging tips.

{To make a link "live": go to the page you want to link to, copy the URL, click on the "Link" icon, & paste the URL address in the "To what URL should this link go?" box. 

Then, type something like "Click here" in the "Text to Display" box.}

3rd - Call attention to your 

"GREATEST HITS".

Some do this by making a tab for their

favorite posts at the top of their blog.

{You have to add a page to do this.}

Sometimes I have photos along my sidebar, 

which, when clicked, link to some special content.

{If you use "Blogger", you can do this by clicking "Design" in the top right-hand corner of your blog page. Then click
"Add a Gadget".  A gadget window will pop up. Click on 

"Picture". You can add the picture you want & the link. Then you can move it wherever you want on your sidebar & save the changes.}

4th Tip -

Try "Link Within".

This is a widget that shows related

stories under each of your posts.

In the photo below,

it's the 3 pictures under "You might also like". . .

When readers click on one of the photos, it takes them

directly to the related post.

{I get a lot of traffic this way.}

Click here to get your own "Link Within" Widget.

And finally -

Don't send them away!

Most every blog I read has "buttons" or links

to other blogs. That's great.

However, when you refer a reader to another blog,

it's ideal if ANOTHER WINDOW OPENS

when the visitor clicks on the button or link.

That way, you didn't loose your visitor.

She can now read both blogs!

{Whenever I post a link, I try it first. If the link closes my blog & goes to the new URL, I change it. TO DO THIS:
first, post your live link as usual. Then, go to the 
"EDIT HTML" tab, find the URL & add
"target=new" before the URL address.}

Hope these tips were helpful - 

I've only been blogging for about a year & a half,

so I'm still learning too!