Top Ten Tips - Using Blog Carnivals
By Tip Diva | Jan 25, 2008
Categories: Blog Carnival, Blogging, Blogs, Carnival Of Tips, Computer, Conversation, Etiquette, Fun, Internet, Manners, Search Engines, Spam, Tips, Web, Web Search, Websites, Writing
Carnivals, or blogs that host a page filed with links to posts about a particular subject, are a great way to get your voice (and blog) heard. Tip Diva, for one, hosts the Carnival of Tips and submits hers and Tip Dude’s posts to relevant carnivals, which you can see on TipDiva.com’s Carnival page. Here are tips on how to use blog carnivals to your advantage:
- Find A Carnival - This could be done one of two ways: go to BlogCarnival.com, which has the best list of blog carnivals around, or Google (subject) blog carnival.
- Submit Relevant Posts To The Carnival - If you’re submitting a post to a finance carnival, don’t enter one that’s about your kid’s first day of school. Keep it relevant, otherwise the carnival owner or host will probably delete it, which defeats the purpose of submitting your posts to a blog carnival!
- Thank The Host - If a carnival owner or host uses your post in his or her carnival, make sure to stop by and leave a note of thanks. It’s a nice thing to do, and the owner or host will appreciate your taking the time out to come visit the carnival.
- Link To The Carnival - If your post is hosted on a carnival, link to that carnival somewhere on your blog or website. It will further drive traffic to the carnival, and even more people may read your posts.
- Host Your Own Carnival - If you can’t find a carnival on something you love, why not host your own? It’s easy to set up a carnival at BlogCarnival.com. It doesn’t have to be a major time commitment either - you control the amount of posts you will include, and the frequency of the carnival’s publication.
- Thank Submitters - If people submit to your blog, make sure you thank them, and give them a trackback, if possible. One of the best ways to thank them is to go to the post they submitted and commenting on it. But, if you’re going to comment on other’s blogs…
- Be Specific - Don’t just leave a comment like “cool blog.” It will show you didn’t read the blog. Comment on something specific, ask a question and show general interest. If you can’t do that, why bother commenting? If you’re just looking to put your link out, it’s spam. Spam = bad.
- Promote Your Carnival - Your carnival will not go anywhere if you don’t promote it. Talk about it on your blog. Make a specific page just for the carnival. Stay active. If you’re an active or popular carnival, you may even be picked as a Featured Blog Carnival at BlogCarnival.com
- Read Other Blogs - If you submitted a post to a carnival, take time to read what others have submitted. You never know what’s interesting or will serve as inspiration for you. You may even want to invite some of those bloggers to take part in your carnival.
- Post On Other’s Blogs - If you’ve read them, why not comment? Perhaps that blogger will come back and visit your site, as well. But as Tip Diva mentioned before, be specific and don’t spam.
How have blog carnivals worked for you?
Other Tips To Check Out:
I’m thrilled I came across this post and this site. I’m new to blogging and I already have found many valuable tips. I’ve bookmarked this site and will definitely be referring to it repeatedly.
Buffy
I’m glad, Buffy! We’ll be having more posts about blogging in the future, but in the meantime, you might want to check out the trackbacks below this post - they have lots of posts that deal with blogging.
I love blog.carnival! Thanks, TipDiva.
CG
Interesting - I had not heard of Blog Carnivals before today!
I hope you make use of it, Talking… it’s a very valuable tool!
Hi, Your article was accepted in the First Carnival of Tech at http://www.technologymatter.com/2008/02/first-carnival-of-tech.html.
Please vote for it on social bookmarking sites or comment about it in your blog!
Thanks!
Hello Tip Diva:
I found this article a little while back. I thought that I bookmarked it and then couldn’t find it. I’ve enjoyed your blog carnivals. I Stumbled this post.
Darryl Heron
Good list of ideas.
Here’s one more…If you host a carnival regularly or as a guest hoster, let everyone know who submitted when the carnival goes live. that way, they can promote it as well.
So many times I submit to a carnival but never get a message with the host’s carnival main link page.
I love carnivals. I’m hosting my first one tomorrow and will be doing it once a month. In fact, three of your articles are in tomorrows carnival. It’s also a great way to meet other people.
Thank you for your submissions.
Rosemary
http://her-home-blog.com
Jon - I agree. Unfortunately, BlogCarnival.com doesn’t make it that easy. I, for one, receive over 50 submissions each week, and it’s difficult to copy and paste from every e-mail. I wish it were as easy to copy and paste as the trackbacks.
Rosemary - It definitely is a great way to meet people!
I bookmarked your post. Some great tips here.
Rose’s last blog post: Oscar the Grouch Birthday on Donut Day
Thank you, Rose! :)