5 Ways To Appreciate Your Readers

We all know about the importance of a loyal readership. Loyal readers will provide you with inspiraiton and help foster new topics of thought. I feel it is very important to show maximum appreciate for these readers. Here are 5 easy ways you can show appeciate to your loyal readers.

1. Install the Top Commentators Plugin
The “Show Top Commentators” plugin is easy to install and instantly rewards your readers with a “follow” link to their web site if they leave a few comments on your blog. I highly recommend this for all bloggers.

2. Link to Your Reader’s Blogs
I started a series called “Powerful Posts of the Week” where I scout my reader’s blogs for some of their most powerful posts. This is a great way to expose new blogs and link to similar topics that you cover. The great thing about blogging is that you don’t have to be competitive to succeed, it is mutually beneficial when we befriend and link to each other.

3. Visit Your Fellow Blogger’s Blogs and Participate
I strongly believe in Karma – what goes around, comes around. If you participate in your fellow blogger’s blogs by leaving a few insightful comments, they will most likely take notice and participate in your blog, as well.

4. Send Your New Commentators a “Thank You” Email
The other day I left a comment on Ryan Knuppel’s blog and afterward, I received a friendly email thanking me for taking the time to visit his blog. In the email, Ryan said he hoped I found some interesting posts and provided a link to his RSS feed. He also ended the email with a question asking me about my experience making money online.

Granted, Ryan used the Comment Relish plugin to automatically send this email, but he is clearly making an effort to engage his readers beyond the blog and I applaud that. I installed the Comment Relish plugin today and included all of my instant message handles in the email encouraging my readers to contact me directly if they have any comments or questions.

This is a great way to show your readers you are open to conversation beyond the blog. Through blogging, I have met some very interesting people who I now talk to on a regular basis.

5. Host a Contest
John Chow has done a great job of rewarding his loyal readers by running contests to win prizes. I even won a Nintendo Wii last week. Chow has even put a twist on his contests, by requiring his entrants to link to his blog with special anchor text. Nonetheless, whether you are giving away a prize or not, contests have become an increasingly popular way to not only reward your readers, but provide exposure for your blog. It’s a win-win.

You don’t have to give away a prize to have a contest. Some contests I have seen, as of late, have been banner design contests and merely provide exposure to the the entrants. I plan on running a contest here in the next few weeks. I will keep you updated on that.

I hope you understand the importance of appreciating your readers and that the blogosphere is truly a place where you get what you give.

What methods have you used to appreciate your readers?