If you haven’t noticed my new Tots 100 badge I am now the proud owner of a top 500 badge and I’m over the moon! In January I was ranked at 1339 and then dropped to 1427 in February after going self hosted. This means that with my current ranking of 470 I have climbed 957 places in 4 months. My score has gone from 390 to 1610. I didn’t start this blog with a view to being in the top 500 and it’s not something I obsess over. I never thought I would be here and I have had a few people ask me how I have managed to get in to the top 500 of the TOTS100 so here it is.
Blog regularly and post good content
I try to post regularly through the week with a Silent Sunday Photo, my #WeaningWednesdays linky and my Thursday birth story. Around these I join in with other linkies and post other things as they occur in my life. I try to aim for 1 gold post every week but in reality its every 2-3 weeks. By gold post I mean the ones that strike a chord, that get shared by others and Mumsnet and the views snowball. I find the ones that do the best are straight from the heart, something that has happened or that I have read or heard that has made me need to get something off my chest. Gender Stereotypes and Enough With The Breastfeeding Bashing are two of my most viewed posts, along with Sleep Deprivation.
I love Intsagram and find that my followers increase daily without me having to do much. I tend to post at least 1 photo a day and try try to remember to use hashtags which are a good way of finding and gaining followers. Have a look at my Intsagram to get some ideas.
I only recently started my Facebook page and don’t post to it that often but I do try and add a bit of humour to my posts on there and picture posts do well. If you run competitions on your blog adding them to your Facebook page through Rafflecopter increases your likes. It’s worth knowing that page likes don’t count it has to be from someone’s personal page.
Linkies
I love linkies and I’m going to do a post all about my favourite ones and how they work. I’ve recently started my own linky which I think has helped in the rankings as it brings page views and people display my badge. When you are commenting on other peoples blogs make sure that if their is the option you leave a comment by signing in with your url.
Klout
You can check your Klout score easily I try and give a Klout to my bloggy friends when I remember and they usually reciprocate which all helps. One thing that affects your Klout score is Twitter. I use Twitter daily and use it to interact with other bloggers, brands and friends. I tweet my posts and chat about everyday things. I don’t really do anything to help increase my followers, but they rise pretty steadily. I did have around 200 when I first started blogging and now have 2,500+
So that is it. Just keep doing what you are doing and hopefully you will climb the ranks too 🙂
Any questions you have please ask and I will do my best to answer them.
That’s a great jump, congrats! 🙂 I think the charts do tend to fluctuate a bit, and I’m regularly up and down. I find a lot of the time I go down a bit in the charts if I don’t post as regularly. I try to post at least once or twice a week, but when I write two blogs if I’m writing on one, the other one tends to get left out – it’s hard to write several times a week on both! 🙂
I’ve recently added a Facebook page for m blog, and find a steady interaction there.
Consistency is the key. My highest position was around 300, but I’ve slipped outside the 500 now. Need to get myself back in! 🙂
Congrats and great tips! It also reminded me to check my score and whoohoo I’m 469, what are the chances we’d be sitting next to each other! Well done to us both!
Oh wow hello top 500 neighbour 🙂 well done to you too x
Well done on your new TOTS position. I was thrilled to get into the Top 500 too. Although trying to maintain it is another matter! 😉
Thank you, yes I’m not sure I will be in it still next month x
Congratulations! Enjoy your new badge 🙂 #TwinklyTuesday
Thank you 🙂 x
Well done! Some great tips there too. I am over in Australia, so not sure if we have anything like that here (Tots100). I will have to look into it :). #TwinklyTuesday
Thank you, I’m not sure if they do, sorry x
Congratulations on reaching the top 500. That’s quite an achievement. Hoping your rank continues to rise
#twinklytuesday
Thank you, I’m quite happy where I am, would like to maintain it! x
I do think that these things seem to have a way of just moving forwards if you keep your blog up as you say – I’m impressed that you have risen up the rankings so much in such a short space of time though. I went self-hosted back in October and I was ranked about 563 at that time and dropped down by about 375 places. It’s now 6-7 months on and I was ranked 521 this month so my goal of finally getting into the Top 500 is starting to look possible again! I know it doesn’t really mean anything in real terms but its just a little boost isn’t it? A little goal we set ourselves. Thanks for sharing these tips on #thetruthabout Xx
Ooh good luck for this month. It is nice for a little boost especially when you are having a why do I bother day x
Well done! Thanks for the interesting post! #twinklytuesday
thank you and you’re welcome x
Ah I think the Tots charts are such a minefield, I can never work out why on earth I rise or fall! I do think that interaction on social plays a HUGE part. I notice the months when I’m a bit quieter, I go down. Weird huh? Continuing to post great content is the secret to a successful blog, for definite. Keep on keeping on and well done on your Tots score!
Thank you, yes I think social definitely has an impact. I never think I’m going to rise so am surprised every month x
Great post and tips!! I was 578 I think so not far off myself!! I will bear some of these in mind. Well done you though!!! xx #thetruthabout
Aww thank you, so close for you too x
Well done! I was doing quite well and then went on holiday for two weeks, which would have been ok as I had scheduled a lot, but then Moz dropped my DA 6 points! I have no idea why as I was getting more views and a better blog overall. 🙁 Hoping I can get this up as much as I can and get back toward the top 500! 🙂 x
I heard about the big Moz drop think mine only went down by 1 so maybe thats why I wasn’t affected. Hopefully yours jumps back up again x
Congrats on making the top 500! I’ve given up trying to work out how the metrics work!! I added the badge in March for the first time and have climbed almost 500 places in 3 months! Am just outside 500 now — hopefully I’ll get there in the next couple of months 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday — hope to see you again next week! x
Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk
I have no idea how it all works. Well done on your climb! Hopefully we will both be in the top500 next month. x
Well done on making the top 500 🙂 of course now you will want to make the top 250, and then the top 100, it’ never ending lol
I had my first drop this month a whole 11 spots 🙁 first time, just means I need to work harder this month to gain them back.
Haha, I will be happy if I manage to stay in the top 500, at least for the next few months. Good luck on gaining back your places x
Great and informative post, thank you so much for sharing! And congratulations of making it into the tots top 500 xx
Thank you and you’re welcome x
I was super excited to reach 545 this month – but your progress is astounding! That takes some serious commitment! Congrats! 🙂 #brilliantblogposts
Well done honey! Great post x
Thank you 🙂
Thanks, great advice for a relative newbie like myself. I will be following some of your tips. I am starting a linky this week (fingers crossed) I am so scared that no-one will participate.
http://diaryofanimperfectmum.blogspot.nl/p/flashback-friday.html
#brilliantblogposts
Good luck with the linky, what is it? You can tweet me it and I will try and join in x
Very helpful! Thanks for sharing your recipe for success! 🙂
You are welcome x
Well done on such a fab result! As very much a new kid on the blogging block I am always looking for ideas and tips on how I can widen my audience, so this post is very helpful! I’m hoping this time next year I’ll be able to write a similar post 😉 Congrats again x
Good luck, I hope you can. I never thought I would have been writing this post! x
Congrats on the Top 500, I nearly wet myself when I got my first top 500 too 🙂 #brilliantblogposts
Haha yeah I was pretty excited and surprised! xx
Great tips! And very nice post. I can see why you’ve made the jump though, your content is awesome, not just this post, but the others as well. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Aww thank you, that’s lovely to say x
Well done for getting into the Top 500! Some great tips x #TheTruthAbout
Well done. I’ve ony recently fallen out of the 500. I need to get back into a regular routine on posting again. May your route be upwards and onwards! #brillblogposts
As always a wonderful post! I didn’t realise until now I don’t follow you on instagram. Rectified immediately!
Thanks for linking to #blogstorm
Great post! I do all of that EXCEPT Klout…so guess where I am popping over to RIGHT now to check it out and dish some out too. Thanks! x
Feeling very inspired today from reading posts on tips. really want to get involved in linkys so will be looking forward to your post.
Congratulations on being in top 500 🙂 xx
Thanks for the tips – I love it when I write gold! Congratulations and enjoy your new position. Your hard work has paid off. Mel xx #wineandboobs
Congratulations on your jump; you must have been really chuffed! I started in November and I haven’t grown that fast; good job.
I need to work on my posting consistency.
I’m off to read your breastfeeding post. 🙂 #blogstorm
As a new blogger, I love this advice! Thanks for sharing. 🙂