As many of my regular readers are aware, I recently sent a manuscript out to betas and I’ve been thinking a lot about the next steps to take, both in my writing and in my attempts to build a platform and brand.
For a while now, I’ve been amassing a list of agents to query but what I’m really struggling with right now, is traffic. I read a post the other day from a blog reviewing their statistics and the changes which influenced them. One thing they noted increased traffic was commenting on other blogs. I will admit, when I actively search out blogs and comment, it does increase my traffic a little.
From a back door perspective, I love WordPress. It is easy to create content and moderate interactions. However, compared to some other social media platforms, I feel that WordPress is not as network friendly. I struggle to find new blogs I actively want to follow. I recently set up an instagram account in an attempt to generate more interest in my brand and this website. I think to an extent, it is working but instagram’s new we’ll-show-you-what-we-think-you-want-to-see algorithm is probably not helping.
Speaking of brand, the other thing I’ve been considering is a change of name. A(melia). E. Browne is a pseudonym, one I came up with when I was about twelve. The standard advice, obviously, is not to change your pseudonym. Personally, I don’t think it fits either my personality, my vision for my writing brand nor the genre I write in. As a name, it doesn’t stand out. It doesn’t grab your attention. If I was browsing a shelf in a bookstore and saw Browne written on the spine, I’d probably pass it by.
What methods do you use to increase traffic? Do you find it easy to network through WordPress? Have you ever changed the name you write under?
I’d love to hear from you. 🙂
R.E. Navan 
I’ve been thinking about this, too, recently. I think part of my trouble at least is that blogging (on any platform) requires a fair bit of time investment interacting with others, and I just don’t actually have that time. I don’t know if my Instagram generates any traffic across here.A lot of people are on Snapchat but I feel like I already have too many accounts on the Internet and I’m not sure I really need another one?
Yeah, I agree. I mean, I technically have the time but I don’t really have the mental energy to expend building countless connections online.
I use Twitter and Facebook to let people know when I have a new post, and also “simulcast” my blog on Blogger. I use IFTTT to do all this, but you can do the Twitter and Facebook posting through WordPress (I think you’re already doing that). Also, everyone I know in real life knows I have a blog, so there’s some word of mouth.
I don’t really think of WordPress as a networking platform per se. I participate in a number of blog hops and get most of my traffic from them. My followers are split about 3-2 between WordPress and Blogger bloggers, as are the blogs I follow; I use Inoreader for my RSS feeds to simplify matters there.
When I was about twelve, I came up with “Paul Connelly” (my middle and Confirmation names) as a pseudonym, but never thought of it as a pen name. Just thought it would be fun to have a second identity…
I blog on WP, Blogger, Overblog, and Typepad. However, it is difficult reaching readers. I am writing a manuscript and working on two others so I don’t have the time to blog as most bloggers do. Blogging is their passion but novel writing is mine, so my manuscripts come first. I blog under the pseudonym that I write my manuscripts under. So in that respect I am gaining a few readers because when they Google my pseudonym they find my blog entries and snippets from my manuscripts.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
I really feel the same way. The only reason I blog is to try to create an initial audience for my novels. I rarely enjoy the actual process.
I frequently toy with the idea of a pen name, but with mother, wife, homemaker, writer, and blogger also being names, I figured it was easier to just go by my own name. Now, if I eventually write something too steamy for my real life friends and family to handle gracefully, it may pass my mind again.