So, I thought those of us with more experience could share how we go about blog hopping. Got any great tricks to share?
My method--
*First off, I have a scheduled time Monday-Friday for visiting blogs. Somewhere between 70-90 minutes. Somedays I might spend less time, 30-60 minutes, if I have other obligations. And, I usually take weekends off. We all need scheduled down time, or we'll burn out.
*I visit everyone who visits me. For example, today I'll start by going to blogs of everyone who left a comment on this post. Then, I'll go to Monday's post and check on the blogs of those who left comments on Monday.
*Then I use dashboard to systematically go through the blogs I follow. I jot down on a post-it where I leave off and stick it to the edge of my monitor. Otherwise I'll forget.
*I usually visit links left by others in their posts
This is the method I came up with to deal with visiting blogs. What's yours?
54 comments:
I'm not that systematic about it, although I wish I were. I do try to visit anyone that visited me plus any new followers.
My method is similar. I have google reader and check blogs in the morning and evening. I try to get to everyone, but I don't have time to leave comments on all the posts. I also make sure I visit those who comment, too.
I'm pretty much the same. I haven't been visiting as many blogs as I used to lately, because I was deep in revisions, but I finished this pass, so now I'll be able to read more of the blogs I enjoy, at least for a while.
I have all of my blogs divided in my Google Reader. I visit blogger buddies first (a very long list) then new followers then other blogs in the file for that day. Then I check those who left comments. If I have time, I visit others.
And you know how long I spend doing that!
sounds good. mine is similar, but i spread that chunk of time throughout the day, during the down time. and taking wknds off has def improved my home life!
i'm also trying to exercise more, so i visit blogs on my ipad while i treadmill =)
We have almost the same method. I'll visit everyone who comments on my posts and then go to my Blogger Dashboard to check blogs there. If I have time, I'll then go onto Google Reader.
I do most of my blogging stuff in the morning, so I can't really wait for people to visit my blog first before I go visit theirs. I just go to the bottom of my dashboard, wherever I left off the day before, and work my way up to the top.
At the end of the day, if someone who doesn't usually comment on my blog stops by, I almost always go visit their blog and leave a comment. I don't spend as much time as Alex on blogging, but it does probably take up two to three hours a day. Less on weekends.
I tend to visit my blogroll list as and when I see a new post...that is when whenever I am blogging...used to post almost daily the first 8 months, of late just 2-3 days a week. Any new commenters, those from my dashboard and blogs I pick up from the commenters profile on the regulars I visit, come next.
Sometimes I bookmark blogs mentioned in others posts and visit when I can and follow only if I am going to visit often.
I have a blog roll on my site which shows me the newest posts from fave blogs I follow - I try to check that first, followed by commenters, followed by dashboard. I'll also use interesting comments left on blogs to find new people to follow.
One thing I find to be a problem is the fact that I pick up new followers, but a few of them don't comment, nor do they have their own blog linked to their profile. It's a little frustrating, because I want to check them out but it takes time to track them down - and time is a precious commodity.
It sounds like you have a great system.
In the mornings when I have to work, I go through Google Reader and star the blogs I want to read/comment on. Then, at work, I check the newest posts coming in and pull up everything I want to comment on. Then, I comment. I hope to get everything done in a quick amount of time (doesn't happen often), and then I'll check here and there for new posts.
I used to visit everyone who commented on my blog, that's how I found some of my favorite blogs that I follow. However, than time became an issue. Now I visit no more than three blogs a day because I just don't have the time for more. I should work in more social networking time into my life. I miss discovering new great blogs and new people.
I like your idea visiting your followers blogs and making a note of where to stop. I might have to start diong that.
I'm like you. I visit every blog that visits me and I respond to them by email. I also try to get to 10 new blogs a day, but I haven't been the best about that lately.
Hi, M.
I post when inspired to do so and visit blogs the evening I post and the morning after to see what everyone's up to.
I have been wanting to schedule my posting to Mondays and Saturdays for several months, now, but haven't managed to stick to that without deviation.
-S
Hi,
I check blogs on my dashboard morning and evening, and specific headlines gab me: simple as that! I know some people moan about writers talking writing all the time, but that's what writers do, don't they? Really! I'm not into when a kid sneezed, when the puppy pooped, etc., though I don't mind posts about where people write, images of where they live, but keep family for a family blog (separate)and I'll likely visit that, too: out of interest and friendship. ;)
Don't miss the Indie Author Tag-Party. http://tgunwriter.blogspot.com
best
F
Hello Mary:
We completely agree that if you wish to establish a real connection with other bloggers then a consistent approach is needed both to your own blogging activities and to visiting the blogs of others. For us, it is the establishing of these channels of communication that is of the greatest interest and yes, it is certainly quite time consuming in order to keep up with everyone.
We are very disciplined about using our Google reader for keeping up with the blogs which we follow, but catching up after time away from the keyboard can be a nightmare!
Bryan and I split up the work. We try our hardest to respond to everyone who leaves a comment, and yes, that gets time consuming. Keeping a schedule definitely helps. We post Monday and Thursday between 6 and 7am, and read blogs immediately after.
Tonja-I try to visit new followers, too. The ones w/o links can be tough to track down if they don't leave a comment.
Miranda, I should look into using Google reader then.
Matthew, I'm not as diligent when my hands are acting up, or if I'm under a lot of work. If something has to give during the day, visiting blogs is usually one of the things that suffers.
Alex, you are a warrior. Like Wayne & Garth, we must bow as 'not worthy'. :) I admire your tenacity at it. I have to look into using Google reader then.
Great ideas, Tara. I let my brain wander when I work out.
Another great method, Christine, and another vote for google reader.
Great method, LG. I do most of my blogging in the afternoon--after my workout. Because I work on weekends in the summers is why I started taking weekends off. Gives me more time to write or edit. I need a few days a week like that.
I used to use my blogroll, Rek and Li. But i started getting virus alerts, which I think came from the blogroll. When I deleted it, I quit getting them.
Yes, Cherie, it's not always quick. I like your method.
Time can become an issue, Angelina. Some days I just can't get to blog visiting.
I'm inconsistent about responding by email, Deana. But I do like connecting that way.
Suze, I like your freestyling. I'm a stickler for my schedules though. Sometimes I wish I would let up a little. lol
It's the writing, information, marketing, what's going on in bloggyland, etc... which grabs me, too, Francine.
Jane & Lance, yes, I like connecting with people. That's what I find the most fun about blogging & makes it worth the time. Consistency is important, too.
Brandon, it's great that you and Bryan split that up. Set times for things really helps me keep on track, too.
Wow - that's organised! But, it's a much better system than I have, which is to panic about how many new posts have been written since I last looked and clicking on them randomly. I also panic about how many people I'm bound to be ignoring at any one time.
I might take on your method.
I'm pretty systematic about it as well. I visit everyone who has commented on my previous post followed by everyone who has left a comment on a previous post.
I also visit blogs that leave comments on blogs that I'm visiting.
I use Annalisa's method...panic.
I go through my google reader, hit the ones I've marked as "daily", throw my hands up in the air at the rest and delete the 400 new posts to start from scratch. This is on a daily basis. I need to find some aspirin now...
I tend to use my memory - which is a total disaster - and try to visit folks who visit my blog. I am trying to get more methodical this year. Have a plan.
With all going on, I have to be organized Annalisa. Otherwise things just don't get done. I've always been so when it comes to my work life.
I visit commenters on other blogs sometimes, too, Damian. It's a great way to find new bloggers.
lol, Laura. The panic method has merits.
If I used my memory, well, let's just say it's often a blackhole, Rusty. :)
I visit blogs of people who commented. Then I randomly go to as many blogs I can from my reader, but I clear anything older than a day. Even then, I have over 400 posts available for me to read.
:-)
I appreciate this post, Mary. I read the other comments, and think I need to check out the Google reader. I was going by my Blogroll, then commenters, then bookmarked favorites. Being able to star things in Google reader, dividing stuff, etc, sounds very useful!
Gosh, I'm not nearly as organized as you. I used to make sure I'd get to visit the blogs I follow and leave comments on their posts. But when I reached 200+ blogs to follow, it was simply impossible. There's not enough time. So I try to visit those who leave comments on my blog, then the ones on my bloglist because they're the easiest to find, and finally, if I have time I scroll down Google reader and visit the ones that interest me the most. Not all in one day--it gets spread out during the week so then it becomes doable.
The BIG question. I visit people who visited me while I was say first too. then I hit Google Reader.
The hard part of getting to all the blogs I follow is that most people post more than once a week, so I get all turned around.
Maybe I should resort them into Mon, Tues, Wed, ... blogs to visit. Hum...
Another good method, Misha.
I deleted the blogroll, Loretta. There were too many problems with it. I just found google reader. You don't even have to do anything if you're already on gmail.
Google reader is popular. I will learn how to organize mine, Southpaw.
I have a blogroll of ppl I visit every day. Then if I have time, I visit ppl using google reader.
I have people I visit every day, then I visit those who visit me, an then I visit as many other friends as I can. I wish I could leave more comments, but I often read a lot more blogs than I comment on.
I tend to write/draw posts through the day and post them in the evening.
Then I check the comments on my blogs and add any new followers/commenter's
Next I use the dashboard to read through all the blogs I follow that have posted since I was last online. I tend to open each in a new tab and comment where I've got something to say.
I do try and find about 10 - 20 new blogs a week...and every few weeks or so I try and prune out any old blogs that have stopped posting.
...it does get time consuming and I've started trying to keep it all to under 90 minutes.
I try to visit everyone who visits me but otherwise I need to figure out a method to the madness.
Your method is similar to mine. First I reply to comments in the thread on my blog and visit/comment on the blogs of people who stopped by mine. Then, if there's still time (which there has been less of lately--sigh) I'll use Google Reader to try and catch up on everyone else.
That's a great system. I adopt the "Shove it into Google Reader and comment in reverse date order".
I think I should take a more prioritising approach, like you. Comment first on those that have taken time to visit/comment on my posts etc.
Thanks for the tips!
Organised!
I just don't have enough time. I usually have 2-3 hours after getting home before I hit the sack. I try to visit everybody who comments on my blog and don't mange much more than that at the moment.
My method is similar. I do always try to visit commenters first.
Great post! Thanks for the tips.
I used to use the blogroll, Michael. Then I started following too many blogs.
I wish I had more time, too, Nicole.
Great system, G. I usually write posts on the weekends, or in the evenings.
Took me awhile to figure one out that worked for me, Susan.
I hear ya on the time thing, Eagle. Much too little of it.
Your method sounds all right, Jamie.
I can understand why, Al. 2-3 hours is not much time. And we all need time to unwind.
Thanks for stopping in, Margo.
I visit blogs when I am avoiding the gym, and stop when the computer shuts down. That means I start often and finish abruptly. Is that still a system?
I think your system is great! I have been much too chaotic, but I'm gonna try to follow your example :)
This was a great idea for a post and I found it so helpful to read methods you and others use. This is something I am struggling with, as I find it very hard to keep up with all of the blogs I want to follow. I need to get a system in place, not just for blogging, but to make better use of social media, too.
I hope you have a great weekend ahead, Mary! :)
These are all great methods. I use my Google Reader. I try to visit several blogs a day. No one is as effective as Alex. Wow.
Your method is very similar to mine... I try each week to visit several new bloggers, but some weeks I just run out of time:)
My methods a bit helter skelter. I blog and visit and comment whenever I can. Sometimes you have to take what life gives you, make adjustments, and go with it.
I like the sound of that system. I try to get to everyone who comments on my place first... then I just go for a potter and let myself get lost... only thing is, I constantly feel like I miss someone... and then the guilt creeps in!
Lx
I always start by visiting everyone who visited me. Then I go to my normal blogs that I love to visit. Then I go back a day or two and visit additional blogs from people who left comments. I wish I had everything in google reader, but some people only have networked blogs to follow them. I've actually started to put blogs in a spread sheet. :) I like to be organized.
I always start by visiting everyone who visited me. Then I go to my normal blogs that I love to visit. Then I go back a day or two and visit additional blogs from people who left comments. I wish I had everything in google reader, but some people only have networked blogs to follow them. I've actually started to put blogs in a spread sheet. :) I like to be organized.
Sounds like a system to me, Plain Jane.
You're a very busy guy, Jon. My system was chaotic before I got a handle on it.
I struggled with it, too, Julie, when my blog went from under 100 followers to several hundred. And I had wished then to know how others handled it. And before the AtoZ and all the other blogfests start up, I thought it was a good topic.
I know, Mary. Alex, wow.
Tania, that's one thing I need to add into my mix, a system of methodically visiting new blogs. Sometimes I just hit 'next blog' at the top and see what happens.
That's so true, Stephen. We all make an effort and busy, hectic lives often intrude.
I hate feeling like I missed somebody, too, Laura. I think most of us understand that it's just hard to keep up.
Wow, Ciara, that's really organized. I put wordpress sites in a folder in bookmarks. And try to go through those. Congrats on your release, Ciara!
ah, this is so hard, and blogging (if you stay at it) can grow to eat up ALL your time. I try to block off one day a week for catching up and going over everyone's weeks. Google Reader helps with this. It still takes half a day, but it's the best I can do for now. :p Good stuff here! <3
I used to be that systematic and then I became forgetful and tired so my momentum changed.
I always reply to those who comment on my posts and try to catch up with those on my followers/dashboard and of course there's the challenges and blogfests.
This sounds like a great method. I need a better way to visit all my blog friends because I tend to get lost in posting and forget who I visit. Sorry I have not been around in awhile. :)
I need to get a system. Once I get all good and moved (many months from now) I can go back to being a good blogging buddy. For now, I go the ones I link to on my site then hit up my commentors then I'm usually out of time. When I get more time, I will use the dashboard again.
Aloha,
Thanks for the follow - *and* the tip about not breathing when doing public speaking :)
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