How did you spread the word when you started blogging?

[ses5909]

What did you do right after you launched your blog to spread the word about it? Did you just put it out there and hope for the best? Did you actually try to market it? If so what worked for you?

For my personal blog, I started commenting on a lot of relevant blogs using the url in my comment. I also put it in my forum sigs.

For a niche blog I have, I commented on related niche blogs using the url in my comment, and joined a ton of webrings. This really helped get traffic to that blog.

[Dan Schulz]

I didn't do a thing, because technically mine hasn't launched yet (the My Opera "bump on a log" is standing in as a stunt double of sorts for now).

But when I do, I'll link it to my signatures on various forums, and proudly include it in various blog comments I make (using the form input, of course).

[Jelena]

As soon as I launched it, I did nothing except put it in my signature on forums. I did post few comments but that's about it.

My stats really suck, but I do have some regular readers now.

[t(-.-t)]

I told some friends, then they told some friends, then I started commenting and linking.

[pbradish]

Purely forum sigs and social networking. I knew that the organic search engine traffic would kick in within a couple of weeks. :)

[CompiledMonkey]

When I started CompiledMonkey.com I didn't really do anything to get the word out. I showed it to friends and they checked it out. As my writing became better and my topics appealed to more people, Google started to pick me up and traffic started coming from there. Fast forward to 2005ish and I started just putting a link in my sig, etc, and it has grown from there.

[Dan Grossman]

Signatures and search for me. Another reminder that I need to read Blog Marketing (http://www.amazon.com/Blog-Marketing-Jeremy-Wright/dp/0072262516) some time soon. I bought it, but haven't gotten around to it yet... and there's another book I want to read first.

Jeremy Wright who wrote it was very active on forums when he started blogging. The sale of his blog might've been the first high profile sale of any large blog... now he runs an entire (successful!) blog network.

[pbradish]

Sounds like a good book. I might have to pick that one up after I finish this. (currently studying for my MCSA).

[Cedric]

As for me... I joined bloggers gathering and get to know more bloggers. And if you can maintain your style of blogging and you often come out with interesting and good posts, people will tend to remember. Active in forum helps too! This is my first time talking so much in a forum. What to do? The people here are awesome.

[Jeremy]

Just a lot of active participation with other blogs already established in my niche. There were a few blog directories I submitted to, but the main benefit from doing that was simply to get some inbound links. Gaining regular readers came from commenting on other blogs, writing solid content and participating in a few blog carnivals.

No tricks, no gimicks, just the slow and steady route. I'm closing in on 1 year and the results are finally starting pay off.

[HAWK]

I put it in my signature on one forum and it took off from there. Quite a few people find it by searching for random terms.

[Calypso]

I try to find at least five writing-related blogs per week and leave comments and links back to my blog. So far, it seems to be working pretty well. At least I'm starting to get a *few* comments that aren't spam.

[Harrison]

Hmm.... when I started my blog, I keep submitting my posts to relevant blog carnival. Only recently I active participation in other blogs and forums.

[millzee11]

I submitted my blog to social bookmarking sites, and made a few link partners and let the search engines do the rest.

[dojo]

I placed a link and an announcement in the forums. On the domain the blog is also hosted. The blog is a part of my bigger project, so that was the first place I bragged about it :D

[malique]

i started off by word of mouth, to friends and family.

[davemcnally]

Some great tips in here, should be helpful when I get things moving

[doorlight]

I just commented on other blogs with my URL. That's it.