Blog Hops are all over the place. They are used as a way for bloggers to gain followers. You can find a Blog Hop for every day of the week, and for pretty much every subject. Just do a google search for blog hops, and a day of the week, and you'll know what I mean.
I like Blog Hops I do a couple of them a week I find them fun. I think they are a great way for me to find new blogs, because there are a bunch of blogs in one place, and I can look through a bunch of them in a small amount of time. In the future however I might try Blog Hops outside of the box for me. Who knows what I could find out there.
There are usually some rules when joining a Blog Hop. The idea of Blog Hops is there is the creator of the Blog Hop, and often a Guest Host. The basic rule is to follow the both the creator, and the Guest Host of the Blog Hop, and then link up your blog. You are then encouraged to visit other blogs that are also linked up.
Here are my thoughts on Blog Hops:
~ I won't belong to a Blog Hop that requires me to put up their button. I want people to stay on my blog for as long as possible. I put in the effort, research (okay not much, but I do check things...lol), I write the content, this is my baby if I steer someone away from my blog it better be for a good reason. That being said I will put up links to other blogs, or sites for example ETSY stores I like, bloggers that have done a random act of kindness, blogs that I'm involved in a project with, plus Scavenger Hunt Sunday.
~ Only follow blogs that you are interested in. If I'm not interested in the blog I won't follow it end of story.
~ Once you find a blog you are interested in, and following then leave a comment, but make sure the comment is on topic. Okay I'll repeat that again keep comments ON TOPIC.....lol. That shows the blog owner that you respect their blog. It shows the blog owner that you are not there to just spam their blog. Don't leave the website for your blog in the comments. On another note don't comment as anonymous. Make sure if you are signed in when you leave your comment using Blogger, or on Wordpress add the link to your blog in the form. That gives not just the blog owner a way to get back to your blog, but also others that post comments can check out your blog as well. Do let them know what Blog Hop you are following them from. Don't ask them to follow you back they know what the rules are, and do you want someone following you back because they have to or want to?
~ Now when you get comments on your blog make sure they are good comments. What are good comments? Well they should pertain to your topic. They should be more than 'Great Blog come follow me.' Comments I would say are almost more important than followers. Comments will raise your SEO rank. If visitors see a few comments that are off topic or spam like they may think your content is not worth reading. I personally consider 'Great blog or Great post come follow me, and then their link in the comment as spam, and I will be deleting them.
Okay I think I've rambled on long enough about Blog Hops...lol. So I'll leave you all with some questions. Do you Blog Hop? Do you think it not only brings you followers, but readers people that engage, and leave comments? Do you feel it is a good way of finding new blogs?
12 comments:
This is awesome advice lady!!!!! THANK YOU! I was just going to join a blog hop and I decided not to because they wanted their button on my blog.
I also wish people would leave me more comments! I love when you leave me comments :)
Interesting...I don't think I've done a "hop"...I join up with some linky posts sometimes...I guess kind of the same thing, but I've never had to put up a button. I don't mind a button on my blog if it's for something I'm really supporting but I certainly wouldn't put one up just because.
Hope you're having a nice weekend so far!
@ meeling I put up buttons on occasion Sunday Scavenger hunt being one of them. I think what I was really wanting to do was to get people thinking that every time we do stuff like that we are sending people away from our blogs, and I like you will do it if it is something I this is something I really want to support.
@ Natural Momma yeah comments are great! we all love getting them :)
You have such a great way of writing...and I totally relate to this. I also get annoyed when I read "You must put my button up." I don't want to ha! Okay...I was doing the signing of my name in the comment thing and when people started doing this in mine ... I felt like they were just trying to expose their blog and didn't really even care what my post was about. So I stopped doing that. BUT I did add my blog as part of my name, Which I feel is a little less obnoxious. Thoughts?
Yes comments are good...Natural Momma I will go leave you one now :)
Oh one more thing....I also will be deleting "Come follow me" comments as well. SO RUDE ya know! Okay that's all have a great weekend!
There's some good advice there for people on blog-hopping etiquette.
I do blog hop sometimes, but if I have to do things like become a follower then I stop playing! I have only ever hopped on quilting blogs, and have made some good virtual friends that way.
@ Lindsay glad you like my writing....lol. personally if your profile is there, or your link is in the form on wordpress i think that is enough unless the blog author asks for comment leavers to leave their blog link directly in the comments & some do, but like you said if you make it less obvious that is good too. basically people want to know that you care about what they are writing.
@ quiltsue i also use the comment rule even when i'm not in a blog hop. i call it my blog manners...lol
I used to do the blog hops until recently. I created a random post which had a lot of what you said in it and got my butt jumped big time for it. Especially the part about being sure you comment on the post. That statement got a couple of people all fired up!
I since removed the blog and the only hop I participate in anymore is a Wordless Wednesday hop.
Needless to say, I loved this post! Hope your commenter's are kinder than some of mine were.
@ MoonlightandMagnolias ~ i remember that post & LOVED IT! it was your post that inspired me to rethink how I participate in blog hops, and inspired this post. i'm sorry you got your butt jumped :( really people don't think they should comment more than just posting their blog website gees.
thanks for the visit! following back & great advice!
I love this post! I have contributed in a couple of blog hops and plan to do more. I pretty much feel the same way you do about blogs and hops!
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