blogging

The #lbloggers chat: Blogger interactions and enhancement of the blogging community with @Mindofkiwi

I look forward to the #lbloggers chat on Twitter each week and make a point to try and be free in time for the 7pm kick off – if you miss the start it’s hard to catch up! This week’s chat, hosted by Mindofkiwi was all about interacting with your fellow bloggers.

#lbloggers chat

99% of the time, bloggers involved with the chat talk about how incredibly supportive the community is. I haven’t received a bitchy comment yet (touch wood!) and have been surprised and touched by how quick other bloggers are to offer help when asked. Sure, there are still the odd ‘follow for follow’s but for the most part people want to engage in conversation just because they care. And it’s these genuine interactions which encourage more followers in the long run. Read other blogs – and don’t forget to comment and share. It’s good karma and you might learn something! I find loads of inspiration every week from this chat alone.

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

It would be interesting to know how many blog followers are bloggers themselves. And what’s the deal with comments? Sometimes I go to comment on a blog post and find I’m the first one. Other times there are a few comments and sometimes 20+. Are people continuing to read but commenting less? What makes you comment on someone else’s blog? For me it tends to be a situation where the post really speaks to me personally and I feel like I want to contribute to a conversation about it.

#lbloggers chat

The major issue with comments seems to be the inability to post via the Bloglovin app, as this appears to be the way that most bloggers (on the #lbloggers chat at least) follow blogs.

#lbloggers chat

And while we’re on the subject of comments, how do you feel about Disqus? Is it the preferred way to comment on a post? Would you rather everyone used it so you could keep track of comments? When I comment on a blog, I click ‘subscribe to comments’ so that I can see if I get a reply from the blogger and to see what other people have been saying. A comment from me implies that I want to keep talking about it.

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

However I come across a blog, my ‘do I follow?’ method is still the same. Whether I see a blog I like the look of on the #lbloggers chat, browse the categories on Bloglovin or am directed via a URL, I go straight to the homepage and check out the design. If it’s not an eye-sore and is easy to navigate, I’ll check out the first page of posts. If I find more than half interesting, I’ll check out the next page. And if I still like it I’ll follow. But what do we mean by ‘follow’ these days? Well, to make sure I don’t miss anything, I click ‘follow’ if they’re on WordPress, add them to my Bloglovin collection and also follow them on Twitter and add them to my ‘blogging list’. I’ll also check them out on Pinterest and add them over there if they’re addicted to quirky things too.

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

Ah, the dreaded ‘unfollow’ button! I don’t really do this with blogs – I haven’t had a clear out since I started this blog. Twitter, on the other hand… Every now and then I realise I am following a ridiculous amount of people (1,245 at my last count) and go through the list, clicking unfollow if their feed doesn’t suit my interests anymore. Lately I had a bit of a ‘teaching’ cull as I haven’t taught for a couple of years and am not likely to any time soon.

#lbloggers chat

#lbloggers chat

I found this week’s chat really interesting and it was great to find out what keeps readers coming back for more. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one who gets life envy when it comes to reading other blogs! Speaking of which, this week’s new blog discoveries are Love Amybecca and The Little Things. Go check ’em out!

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