How do you make your readers provide the content?

• Invite them in for guest posting. Self-explanatory. Chances are they will only be willing to do this if you have a large readership because guest posting is mostly done for publicity/money/favors for friends. In the third case, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Remember that. Oh, and by the way, would anyone like the privilege of guest posting on this blog? If you don’t have an Alexa tool-bar, then I’ll have you know I’m ranked only behind google. If you do have an Alexa tool-bar, then … never mind.
• Do a survey or quiz. This is great because it can be a two parter. The first post invites reader to take part in your survey or quiz. The second part will address the findings. Make sure that your survey is on a worthwhile and important topic – like Carrie Harris’ survey on what she will do in the event of famousness. This is a question that we should all be asking ourselves regularly.
• Simply ask a question.

Do you use a reader to follow blogs, or go au naturelle? Why or why not? What do you like/not like about them?

I read today over at ProBlogger that only 11% of the population use RSS.

Please share with us in the comments section. Let’s all debate this pressing and crucial question.

See? Easy as pie. That was actually three entire questions, not one, although I’m sure you were able to count that yourself. Don’t forget to answer them, either, because this one can be a two parter as well, in the same way that the survey method can be. A following post can address the findings.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series:

• Post #1: Quote Compilations Will Save You Time (And Effort Too!)
• Post #2: Using Holidays to Maximum Advantage
• Post #3: Leveraging Link Love

Link love is a great way to tip readers onto helpful, informative, useful or simply hilarious information elsewhere. It is also a good posting strategy for when you’re lazy/efficient/effective/riding on someone else’s work/dedication/coat tails. So what if you don’t want to put in the leg work to achieve results that keep people coming back for more? Someone else does! Make them feel appreciated by pointing people their way.

Now, I’m going to send out some link love to Millionaire Mommy Next Door. I don’t know what my deal with Mommy blogs is; I’m in my 20’s and haven’t trusted children since my brief stint as a waitress at Red Robins, and a four year term coaching 5 to 11 year olds in ice hockey. Millionaire Mommy Next Door is more about Millionaire than Mommy, and lately I have been reading really insightful posts over there. The post I am referring to specifically today is How to Find Your Zingers. It’s a writing exercise which involves making lists of 100. I like making lists, and if you do too, I encourage you to make lists of 1000, or even 10 000.

Hmmm. If I’m so lazy, why and how can I make lists of 1000?

Well, maybe you should just listen to Jen Smith and try the exercise as she describes it.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series:

• Post #1: Quote Compilations Will Save You Time (And Effort Too!)
• Post #2: Using Holidays to Maximum Advantage