How to Maximize Links
Suck readers into your blog
for hours!
Suck readers into your blog
for hours!
What You Will Learn
Last week in How to Maximize Links, part 1 I showed you two tips on how to get readers to stay on your site, digging deeper and deeper into your archives. This week I'll show you two more tips on how to accomplish this feat.
Let's Do This!
Method 3: Indexes
This is similar to a sneeze page and, arguably, the same thing really. As a book blogger, a few indexes are really necessary. I know when I first visit a blog, one of the first things I do is check out their past reviews. A review index is key to making this happen. If a blog doesn’t have a review index, I’m unlikely to click through their past posts searching for reviews. To me, a review index is an absolute must have on a book blog. If you don’t have one, make one and keep it updated (I really need to work on that part!)
There are a few ways you can organize your review index: Alphabetically by title, alphabetically by author’s name, or some arbitrary list (like order in which you read the books or posted the reviews). I prefer by title and have organized my Review Index this way, but by author’s name is equally acceptable.
I personally dislike the arbitrary method because I find it the most difficult way to find a review. If I’m looking for a specific review and you have a huge list ordered in some arbitrary way, I’m not going to spend the time searching through it. I’m going to leave and go to a different blog.
A few other helpful indexes might be a challenge index, a books read in 20XX index, a giveaway index (if you host a lot of giveaways), or a feature index. Remember, you want all of the links in your index to link back to a page on your own blog.
Method 4: Relevant Links in Posts
You don’t want to spam your blog with your own links randomly thrown all over, but relevant links placed strategically across your posts can help both you and your readers. These links increase traffic while also benefiting your readers by pointing them toward posts they might enjoy.
Think about how your posts connect to one another and then link them! If you write a review for book two in a series, find your old post for book 1 and link them. You can see an example of this with my Immortal review and Betrayal review.
If you reviewed two books with a similar topic or if you think readers who enjoyed one book would like the other, then link them up. You can see an example of this where I linked up two books about mermaids with my Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings review and my Forgive My Fins review.
If you’re reviewing a book by an author you’ve previously mentioned (through a past review, interview, etc) or with a feature you’ve mentioned them in, then link those posts. You can see an example of this with my The Adoration of Jenna Fox review and The Adoration of Jenna Fox cover review.
You may notice this is part 2 of a post. If a post gets too long, it’s sometimes nice to split it into two posts. If you do this, then be sure to link up all parts of the series. For an example of this, you can check out my Spotlight List: Gothic Fiction, part I and see how I’ve connected each part of the series together.
If you’re participating in a challenge, make sure you link up all your reviews together and direct people to your challenge page on the review post. Your challenge post can also double as a sneeze page. You can see an example of this with my StarCrossed review and Library Reading Challenge page.
If anyone has any other questions or requests for future How To posts, you can either ask them in the comments or email me. Please don't feel shy at all!
I'm certainly not an expert, but I'll try my hardest to explain what I do know and research what I don't know.
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Thanks for this post! I never think to check for an index on sites or to make one of my own. This has been helpful! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tips! This is definitely something that all bloggers should keep in mind and try to get in the habit of doing :)
ReplyDeleteI should spend some time really looking into this. I like the idea of it and I'm all for anything that will maximize my blog's potential, but I'm also lazy :-(. So I don't want something that involves too much work.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like to link to earlier reviews, if it's a series, or I'm comparing something to another book I've reviewed. It only takes a minute!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a wonderful series, SR! It took me a while to get a review list up on my blog, but once I did, I noticed that visitors were using it!
ReplyDeleteYour tips are always so helpful!
ReplyDeleteI really like your review index! It would have never occurred to me to do something like it.
ReplyDeleteI have a list of books read during the year (I started keeping it last year), but an index as such, not really. I do have quick links to my reviews by their grade :P because that's how I tend to organize my own bookshelves. :)
You have gave me so much to think about :D I love these post you make :D
Great tips!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excellent post!
http://lovelylilbookworm.blogspot.com/
I love these posts. I know I need to reorganize my review index, but I haven't gotten to it yet since I have so few. Thanks for all the tips! I know I'll spend the weekend looking at all my pages now. :)
ReplyDeleteLazy Girl, You’re welcome! Really? I always check the review index. That’s one of the biggest ways I determine whether or not I want to follow someone.
ReplyDeleteNic, You’re welcome!
Stephanie, You’re welcome! Getting into the habit is key. It’s hard to do it all at once, but doing it little by little isn’t so bad.
Alison, LOL, yeah, I hear you about not wanting to do something that takes a lot of work. It’s not too difficult to keep up with once you get into the swing of things. The hardest part for me lately has been keeping my challenge pages updated.
Madigan, Exactly! It’s very quick if you do it when writing the post.
Linds, I’m glad you’re liking it!
Book Geek, I’m happy to hear it!
Alex, Thanks! Linking by rating is another good quick link to have set up. I have that in my table of contents, but I don’t know how visible it is there. I’m glad you’re enjoying this series.
Liddy, You’re welcome!
Logan, I’m glad you like them :) I think finding the time is the biggest hurdle. Good luck!
Great tips, links are important when trying to keep a readers attention.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, Thanks! I agree. I'm constantly clicking on other people's links and getting lost in their blogs.
ReplyDelete