Promoting your Blog

[Ryan Parsons]

From Church Blog Theory
Promoting your blog to others is key to sharing the truth and developing spiritual relationships. In consideration of these strategies, one should never skip the easy or moderate levels. The easy and moderate levels are the most vital to participating in one-on-one evangelism. The advanced strategies center primarily on making your blog more global.

- Personal Invitation
- Include your blog link in your email signature
- Email an invitation to your contacts
- Put blog address on your business cards
- Link blog address on your family homepage

- Leave flier or business card directing people to your blog in your favorite coffee shop or local hangout
- Comment on other blogs ***VERY IMPORTANT - especially if you are able to identify bloggers in your own community***
- Integrate your blog with Facebook
- Ask your church to post links to member’s blogs on their website, in the bulletin and/or in the Sunday morning announcements

- Start a Facebook Group
- Join blogging communities Technorati and Blog Catalog
- Join StumbleUpon and stumble each of your blog posts

Church Blog Theory

[James Nored]

Thanks, Ryan, for the info. I'll try out StumbleUpon.

One of the keys in using these tools for outreach would seem to be linking up with people who are local and people who are within one's real social circle. For instance, I just friended one of our neighbors on Facebook. We need some insights that we can share with our members on these things.

[Ryan Parsons]

Hey James,
In the past I have had other blogs on blog catalog and BC did drive some traffic to my site. However, it requires some networking, joining groups and making comments to get rolling. I have been thinking of starting a group on BC to help Christians facilitate this better.

Something I have been experimenting with is StumbleUpon. I stumbled a couple posts this weekend and got over 100 new readers within a few hours. Due to the specific nature of the content of CBT they probably won't stick around, but this could be an effective little strategy for a blog focused at meeting people where they are at spiritually. With good content, an effective author could really let some light shine and get a strong readership just stumbling each post.

[James Nored]

Ryan, I joined Blog Catalog. Have you noticed increased traffic due to this site?

[James Nored]

Ryan, great ideas here on how to use blogs. I have been blogging since 2006, I believe. One of the ways that I think that it has helped the most in outreach is by giving those who are looking for a church some insight into the values of the church (or at least of the preacher). My blog has always been worked into the front page of the web sites of the churches which I've been a part of, so this helps give a voice to the church. While this obviously hits Christians too, I think that it has hit some seeker types as well.

A less direct but still important way that blogs have helped us in outreach is by promoting missional concepts and ideas. This is a way to bring about missional transformation in a congregation.