So I’ve started a blog for a bit of fun, and as a creative outlet. It’s pretty much just going to be full of the things i love and my little creative projects (cooking/sewing etc). I don’t expect to have squillions of followers or make money off it or anything like that. But at the same time I don’t want to be the only person reading it, so, what makes a blog attractive to read and how do people actually find your blog to get into reading it?

There is a link for it in my Sig if you have any suggestions

TIA

Oh my.. I just had a look at your blog.. do you make things to order? I will have one of everything!
Your wedding looked stunning too!

Not sure about how to get followers, I can't even think how I found half the blogs I do follow.

Things I like in a blog:
Regular updates. Nothing worse than checking back every week/fortnight and nothing new.
Simple to read. Not having huge paragraphs of information.
Lots of photos. Maybe I'm a kid, but I want to see what you're talking about!

My favourite blogs, which follow the concepts of things I like in a blog:
Super organiser mum
Retromummy
Bakerella

This is just all my opinion only, and my personal taste.

Your blog is right up my alley and have added it to my bookmarks.

Good luck!

(I have now used the word 'blog' so much that it has now lost all meaning)

I will second update the blog!

If a blog hasn't been updated for a few weeks I normally won't go back. If you do have to have a period of time where you don't update it let people know "I'm on holidays with my family I'll be back on the xx of Nov"

Off to have a look at your blog now!

Sorry, I have sigs turned off, but I'll check out your blog sometime soon.

So FWIW I find Pioneer Woman entertaining, she seems to make the most of the things she likes and is good at and seems to be having a lot of fun with it.

I tend to click away from blogs where the writer does a lot of navel-gazing about her emotional issues, IMO there's not much to gain from reading it as we're all so different.

I second the PP about lots of photos, and good photography makes a big difference too.

You now have your first official "follower"

I keep up to date with new posts through my blog dashboard so I don't care how often people post, although of course I love new posts, I love pics, if a person blogs about something that I share an interest in, then that will keep me going back.

Hey there!

Just checked out your blog, very nice! Your wedding looks beautiful.

A previous poster mentioned you might want to focus on an issue and I think that is a pretty good idea. I see you are a foster carer and also trying to start a career, I think writing about the work/life balance might be interesting. How you got into fostering maybe? Why you felt it was something you wanted to do. Also how being a young foster carer impacts your life, maybe other people's reaction to it? Just suggestions.

I hope that last bit didn't come off as judgmental - in fact it's admiration at 21 I was...well let's say not near as responsible as you.

I'm going to bookmark your blog now and will check back soon!

Thanks Rose! feels good to have my first follower

I'll have to check out some of the Blogs suggested, right now i'm loving Bluebirdvintage.





I'm hoping to update weekly to twice weekly which shouldn't be to hard since i'm online most nights after i put the kids to bed.

Do you think the posts so far waffle on a bit to much? I'm really not sure how much is too much.

I'm trying to include plenty of pictures, but i'm no photographer so will need to play around with my camera more and get soem better shots.

Good writing, and photos, because I love crafty blogs and want to see what the writer has been making! The regular updating is a plus, but I use a feed reader, so doesn't overly bother me, but it does make a difference. I've noticed with my blog that after not blogging due to morning sickness consuming my day, my comments went right down, and still haven't picked up again. And the more you comment ob other blogs, the more you'll get.

Oh yeah, and photos that have been resized for the web. Dumping straight from camera to blog results in large files taking ages to load. If I click through from bloglines, I am generally trying to leave a comment, but will give up if it takes too long. I also don't comment if you require a google account. I blog with wordpress, so OpenID at a minimum, and preferrably a name/URL option is appreciated so I can leave some blog love!

Off to check out your blog now!

are you able to comment on mine without one? Sorry, I'm a total newbie

You've been commented

yep, I can comment with my wordpress ID, but you don't have a name/URL option for those people who don't have a blog, or their blog is self-hosted.

Great blog, love your quilt!

I like to read honest blogs and I don't mind if they have no pictures or if they bang on in a self-indulgent way because sometimes it is the most personal, most egocentrical entries that impact the most.

Pictures are lovely but not essential. If you are using pictures just remember that a blog is a completely public forum and you might want to be careful...

A blogroll might help with traffic. Sometimes people reciprocate by adding a link to your blog on theirs. Sometimes not.

Comment on other blogs, leaving your addy in the comment so people click.

You can use BlogExplosion or Aussie Mummy Bloggers to reach a wider audience as well.

I have an expectionally self-indulgent, personal blog and it only draws a small readership (usually about 20 - 50 hits p/ day) but I have a faithful readership and have made a lot of good friends in my blogging years - so i guess you need to decide what you want to get out of blogging. I personally blog for myself - it is a good record of our life and an excellent place to purge and vent.

Write on!

Honesty is what I look for and regular updates.

I love crafty blogs (because I sew )

I like regular posts, lots of pics and most of all, to be inspired! If someone has made something that I love, or inspires me, I usually click 'follow'.

I've also noticed that the people who follow my blog are bloggers who I have commented on in the past. I think they must see my comment, click my username and go through to my blog. Getting out there, reading and commenting on blogs is a nice way to get more involved in the blogging community.

I find blogs through Flickr. I am a member of a few different sewing pools and many people post a pic of their latest creating with a link to their blog for more info. Occasionally I find blogs through google searches.

HTH!

I like a blog that makes me feel like I"m getting to know the person. I want to know what they like, don't like. What's important to them.

I want to hear their opinions on issues as serious as foreign policy and as frivolous as shoes. As long as I feel like I'm getting to know them, and can build some kind of relationship with them.

I like blogs that post about a variety of subjects, rather than just one theme. I get bored easily I also like substance-pretty blogs with lovely pictures but not much else (unless they are photography blogs of course) bore me. I like honesty too.

Thanks all for the feedback (and the followers)

my internet died last night so only got back on now.

I really only read blogs of friends or people from forums that I 'know' I don't really go looking for random blogs. I try and keep mine updated...but I fail miseribly.

Blogs I read have to have...

- Photos. I like being able to relate to what they are talking about through images.
- Interesting. I have to be interested or share an interest in what they are talking about.
- Witty. Just makes it more fun to read.
- Updates. I don't care if they don't daily update. But a weekly update at least.
- Variety. It's all well and good to have a themed blog, but it can get quite monotonous to read.


Just looking at your blog ... I think it looks well presented (though not a fan of that wallpaper, sorry). Your images are not only great shots, but they are collated and arranged beautifully. Great visual appeal.

I have a blog and I read lots of blogs. One way to get readers to your blog is to comment on other blog posts as pp's have said but also remember make the comment something genuine so that the blogger will know you have actually read the post. Also when people comment on my posts I try to email them back thanking them/giving them an answer or something. This encourages people to keep coming back. Also particpate in activities on other peoples blogs. For example there is a weekly "my creative space" thing which happens via Kootooyoo. Ages ago Pip from Meet Me at Mikes did some blog posts about blogging. You may have to search a bit because I can't remember when they were.

I enjoy pictures on blogs too but just something with the christmas ideas pictures you had in one of your posts it would be great if there were links to where the photos came from as a few of them looked interesting but I couldn't find any reference to where they came from.

Cass

You need to go whore yourself out to other blogs. Link blogs you like on your blog. Leave comments on other blogs which will generally get other people clicking on your username and checking you out.

I like pictures. I like humour.

I don't really go much into the long winded creative writing where the wind whispered through the branches and sent a chill through my linen blouse type blogs..IYKWIM

Good Luck

Where did you get married? PM if you like.

Your first made quilt is gorgeous, btw!

I like projects I can be inspired by - and am able to carry out. So simple sewing ideas, home decos projects well explained. Even if I never do that exact thing, I've picked up an idea I can use somewhere else.

Pretty pictures of course.

I also stumble across people I like, and then I like learning more about their lives.

I blog surf, so link from people's blogrolls or comments (esp. if I've agreed with what they've said)

Thanks Ladies, keep the ideas coming



I got married on my parents property in the same spot they got married 25 years before. They planted a tree in that place when they returned from their honeymoon so we got married under that and had the reception in front of the house (i think you can see it in one of the pictures).

Forgot to ask ... where did you get the christmas 'enjoy' jar images from? That looks like a fun recipe for our Xmas eve dinner
It looks like raspberries, mascarpone and meringue? do you have a recipe for it?

eta.....
Nevermind, found it!

Link for anyone else that was interested in it...
http://mycakies.blogspot.com/2010/03/diy-cupcake-in-jar.html

I found it at this etsy store
and will be trying to make it myself. I'm hoping to do a few gift in a jar variations on my blog leading up to christmas.




thankyou!

It's really bad manners to gank pictures of other people's work and not link back to them or acknowledge where they came from. That would put me off reading your blog at all and if you had lifted some of my work, I'd asking you to take them down and to refrain from using them without permission.