Are you connecting with your readers?

It's easy, if you run a blog, to claim that you're connecting with your readership. A few comments here and there in response to theirs, the odd reader profile post, and it seems like you've got a good enough back-and-forth. Well, unfortunately, this isn't the case - not in the era of the most connectivity we've ever had access to in the history of the human race.

Twitter, Facebook, forums, Skype - there are so many ways to connect with the people who involve themselves in your content and contribute to its publicity and credibility through their recommendations of and comments on it. If you're curious as to how to generate a real bond with your community whether you're running a partypoker tactics blog or talking about fine Italian wine, then you need to gather your tools.  Social media should be your first port of call. Don't force your readers to solely speak to you through your blog. Be available and communicative on Twitter (and tweet your posts), Facebook, LinkedIn, Pintrest and any other platforms you may feel are relevant to you and your readership. If people ask why they've never seen you on a certain forum, visit it and see if it's worth posting to.

Most of all, leave your blog! I don't mean forever, of course, but leave it to go and visit the blogs and accounts of your readers. Talk to them, ask them about their interests, weigh in on their own blog posts, and you'll soon find that people don't see you as a loud-hailer with a keyboard, but someone with a genuine interest in starting a discussion. And why use the internet as a non-arrogant blogger if you're not interested in generating a discussion? Connect with your readers - it'll pay off when they start telling their friends about the friendliest, most technologically on-the-ball blogger they know.