If you’ve been a blogger for any link of time, you know how important linky parties are especially when you are first starting out. However, being an effective partier takes time…time that we’d sometimes rather be spending writing quality posts.
While I by no means have it all figured out yet, I thought I’d share with you today some tips that I’ve learned to make my partying more effective as well as save time.
1. Create a plan. Know when your parties go live and set a plan for when you will post to parties each day. For me, I try my best to post to parties in the morning after my morning exercise/devotion time and then again in the evening after the children are in bed. By posting during these two times I can usually post near the beginning of most linky parties thereby increasing my effectiveness while not taking away extra time waiting for each-and-every-party to go live. If a party doesn’t happen to be posted when I sign on, then I just wait to get the party next week. After all, there is more to life than partying.
2. Make a linked list. A couple of weeks ago I shared with you my home and blog planner that I was super excited about sharing with all my subscribers (speaking of which, if you haven’t subscribed via RSS or e-mail yet be sure to do so today so you can get your free copy). As part of the planner I shared a blank blog party agenda. On my personal blog party agenda I have a copy saved on my computer that is hyperlinked. Therefore, each morning or evening when it is time to party, I open my blog party agenda, click on the links to that session’s parties and I’m all set. I don’t have to wait for e-mail reminders or open bookmark upon bookmark. They are all in one place ready to go.
To hyperlink a document in Word, highlight the text you want to hyperlink, select “insert”, and then “hyperlink.” Type in the address of the blog and select “ok.” Next time you want to open your hyperlink just press the ctrl button at the same time you click the link and it will automatically open the link in your internet browser.
3. Know each party’s niche. When I first started partying I always had trouble remembering which parties excepted multiple posts, which only accepted one post, which parties accepted recipes or organization or DIY posts…every party is so different I’d spend half my time reviewing the rules before posting just so I wouldn’t mess up! That’s why I added a description next to my party hyperlinks. Now I can just scan the description quickly before posting allowing me to skip right to the party.
4. Set a party limit. There are tons and tons of parties out there. You could party all day and all night if you wanted too. But again, there is more to life than partying so set yourself a limit. For me, I’ve tried to narrow down my parties to one of my blog party agenda pages. By setting this limit I’ve streamlined my time and also learned a lot about which parties are the most effective for my niche. If you are needing to pair down how many parties you attend each week, check out your Google Analytics which is a free service.
5. Set a visiting limit. Most party hosts ask that you visit at least two other links while at the party and, if possible, leave a comment. While this is not only good party etiquette, it is yet another way to put your name out there. However, just like Pinterest, if you are not careful, you can get bogged down looking at all the other links rather than spending time writing posts or playing with your children. So set a visiting limit. For me, I try to limit myself to two links a party. I search for two links I might want to visit, click on them, comment, and then move on. When done I know I did the right thing, but I didn’t spend my entire day partying either.
6. Create automated link party buttons. I was ever so thankful to Motivated Mommy when she shared her tutorial on this time saving gem. By creating automated link party buttons to appear at the bottom of your posts you don’t have to take extra time copying and pasting your party buttons every time and its’ still a direct link–great for SEO. Be sure to check out the excellent linked tutorial for more info.
7. Have a bare bones party agenda. Some weeks you just don’t have time to attend all the blog parties you would probably like. For weeks like this create a bare bones party agenda based on your Google Analytics (see #4). Set your party agenda to your top 5 or 10 most effective parties and forget the rest. You’ll still get your posts out there but you will also feel freer to enjoy the things more important.
8. Realize that there IS more to life than partying. A few weeks ago life was going crazy at my house. Something had to give and that something was blog parties. What did I learn from that week? It’s okay if you don’t attend parties ALL-THE-TIME. In fact, it’s made me think about doing a bi-weekly blog party agenda, posting two weeks worth of posts at a time and only visiting parties every other week. While I haven’t implemented it yet, it all goes to say, there IS more to life than partying. If you miss a party, don’t stress about it. Just pick it back up next week if its that important to you. Life will go on.
Above all, remember that blog partying should NEVER come before your God, your family, or your work. Some mornings are a struggle because I get up late and I really want to post to a particular party but, if I haven’t had my God-time yet, then the computer is off limits. It’s not worth it. And, on the few occasions where I went against my own limits, I’ve always regretted it.
All that to say, partying is a great way to get your posts out there. My hope is that by sharing these time saving party tips you will now be able to do so with more effectiveness and efficiency than before.
Speaking of linky parties, have you linked up to Titus 2 Tuesday here on Cornerstone Confessions yet? If not, I hope you’ll take the time to link up and consider adding it to your weekly blog party agenda. See you there!
