Reach a Wider Audience

We're not in this for the popularity.

But some good numbers would be nice. Just like we don't use the key indicators for recognition and advancement, hits and comments will mean nothing if we're just trying to be popular online. However, higher numbers reflect the work we're putting into our blog and the people who can be touched by the message of the Gospel.

Networking

You have friends. Use them: A blog's popularity is based on the number of people that look at your blog, stay there, and leave comments. Start out by sharing your blog on your Facebook page, and even sharing posts with specific friends. Then ask your friends to share your blog with their friends. Get your ward involved too. In Clayton M. Christensen's The Power of Everyday Missionaries, he describes the roles of different online missionaries. Some wrote the blogs, some commented on them to create discussion, and some shared the blogs with other people. We need all three of these roles to make blogs successful.

Participate on Other Blogs: Help out your fellow missionaries by sharing their blogs on your Facebook page as well. You can even help the discussions along by leaving comments. As you help others, others will be willing to help you.

Gadgets and Widgets

These are the little applications to the side of the posts that are kind of fun to use. I'm trying to find and use as many gadgets and widgets as I can find on this blog. Don't use that many. You don't need to overwhelm your page. A few will help your readers interact a bit more with your blog. I've put as many as I can up so you can get some ideas or just take the ones you want. If you have a widget that I haven't used, please let me know in the comments.