Do you still remember GFC? No, neither do I. It's been that long! Bloglovin' has completely took over & shaped the way we follow blogs today. And I'm rather happy about it - it's sleek, it's tidy and it makes sense (mostly). I still feel like there's not enough guidance around the website though - hence I've decided to put together a nifty guide on everything that you need to know about Bloglovin' as a blogger.
🔎 Claiming your blog
For every new or starting blogger out there - please claim your blog via Bloglovin'. Right now. Like genuinely, just minimise this window & go - click here & you're there! There's still so many bloggers (especially non-English ones) that seem to have chosen to ignore that Bloglovin' has become the follow tool of choice of thousands & thousands of readers (literally). When claiming your blog you will first have to set up a profile for yourself (as a blog reader) and then add the blog itself (as a blog publisher). Fully complete your profile - this will then allow potential readers to find you via a blog category and you will also be able to apply for campaigns (more on this later!).
🔎 The follow button
Bloglovin' is great not just for showing off who's got more followers but also at creating long term relationships with your readers. Once someone is following your blog they will see all your new posts pop up on their home feed - if they've set up e-mail notifications they might even get an e-mail with your new post! This means returning visitors & more engaged audience - who in their right mind would say no to this?! There's many different ways to prompt readers to follow your blog via Bloglovin' - the easiest is to install a widget on your blog (click here to see all the different options). You can also add Bloglovin' to your social icons (it looks like a heart, a letter B or a plus). One of the most effective methods I've found is to add a full-width widget across the bottom of your post (scroll all the way down to see what I mean - it's so effective because once someone's finished reading and commented, they can just click away to follow).
Click on the widgets in Bloglovin' & select E-mail Follow Widget (the one below).
🔎 Following a user versus following a blog
One thing that many seem to confuse is following a user versus following a blog. I have followings on both but prefer to follow just blogs as a reader. This was only blogs published by those bloggers I follow show up on my home feed. When you follow a user then you will also see all their activity (posts they've liked & saved). This is definitely down to your personal preference however remember that Bloglovin' blog follower counter only shows the follows of a blog, not of a user.
🔎 Auto-posting
Not the most neat solution but if you're short on time (and who isn't right) then I suggest linking your Twitter & Facebook account to allow for auto-posting. Every time you publish a new blog post it will automatically be shared via Twitter & Facebook - it is just a messy link with the blog post title but hey - better a little messy share than none at all!
🔎 Cover images & blog post titles
Be intentional about your first blog post image - because that's the one that Bloglovin' grabs to publish on your blog feed. I have found that similarly to Pinterest, tall portrait images get better response rate than landscape ones. Being consistent is also important as it makes your feed look neater! Remember - these cover images (and also blog post titles!) are the ones that lure readers to click on the post & read further. Make these two count!
🔎 The novelty of hashtags
These new hashtags are still a little mind-blowing to me - I feel like they are incredibly messy for your blog because you need to add keywords under your labels so they pop up on Bloglovin'. Especially if you have labels integrated into your blog template then it can look terribly messy! I'm not a fan but Fee from Make-up Savvy explains the benefits of using them really well here.
🔎 Loves & Saves
These are quite tricky to get however once you start hitting popular niches with popular images & blog titles (and content, obviously) then they will come rolling in. You can also use the Explore page to find out which topics are the most popular in your niche and then use them as inspiration for your own content.
🔎 Driving traffic to your blog
The blog posts which get the most loves & saves (usually over 100) pop up on the Explore page under their blog category (see, this is where the blog category comes handy!). Explore pages are incredibly popular amongst both readers & publishers and when you blog post pops up on the popular page you get a ton of new traffic - hurray!
🔎 Analytics
Blog analytics on Bloglovin' are not particularly in depth but they give you a good overview of which posts performed the best/worst, how many followers you've gained and what the engagement on your posts is.
🔎 Bloglovin's Influencer Network - ACTIVATE
One of the lesser known features of Bloglovin' is the Activate Influencer Network. You can access it via the drop down on your profile and after filling in a few bits & bobs, linking your other social accounts and completing a short survey you will be able to view campaigns available to you (these are usually across different platforms so you can choose whether you're looking for an Instagram campaign, a blog one etc). This is an easy way to connect with brands looking for bloggers and if you're new to blogging gives you a chance to learn how to pitch in a safe environment regulated by a third party.
If you've found this blog post useful please share it with your blog friends!
Sharing is caring and all that!
'A complete guide to #Bloglovin - all you need to know including the Influencer network & cover images🖥🤓'
PS: The very autumnal hat is from H&M (buy here), the swanky watch is from Kapten & Son (buy here), the motivational AF phone case is from Lalla case (buy here), the Stella-esque handbag is from TKMaxx (sorry, there's no brand on it!), you can buy the NUXE Body Oil here, the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick here & the NYX blusher here.
