Continue to Increase the Reach of Every Blog Post You Write – 9 Things To Do AFTER You Hit Publish

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Last week I shared a list of things to do before you hit publish to increase the reach of every blog post you write. But publishing a post doesn’t mean our work is done. 
There are even more things you can do then that make a big difference in how many people it reaches. This week I’m sharing how to continue that momentum with 9 things to do after you hit publish.9 Things To Do After You Hit Publish1. Check your inbox and make sure your post actually went out on time. I sign up for email updates for my blog as a safety net. That way, I know if a post doesn’t go out as scheduled.
2. Click on your site and give the post a final once-over proofread and format check. I don’t care how many times I proof a post, I almost always find something that needs tweaking after it’s gone live.
Give yourself a +13. Scroll down and give your post a +1 (that’s a Google+ version of a LIKE). I’ve found that this small act is almost like salting a tip jar with money. If no one has given a post a +1, it sits there with a big fat 0. But once there’s 1, people begin to follow suit. Every +1 is another share on the Google+ network.
4. Schedule an update to go out on your social media networks. I try to schedule my updates later in the day because the email notification about my blog posts go out in the morning. By spacing out the announcements, I’ll reach more people.
5. Come back regularly during the day and answer comments. If you’ve ended the post with an open-ended question or call to action, it’s rude not to come back and join the conversation.
6. Keep an eye out for social media updates that tag your post. Thank and/or answer the people who mention your site. If you get a lot of mentions, consider answering them in a single list post like this:
Thanks for the mention @AneMullign @MaryDenman @SharronCosby
Or just choosing one or two like this:
Thanks for the mention @CathySBaker @LoriRoeleveld  and everyone who took time to drop by!
Check the people who share your post on social media
and make sure you're following them.7. Check the people who share your post on social media and make sure you’re following them. If you have time and what they offer is appropriate, look for a way to share something of theirs.
8. Study the comments the post gets and look for any missing information you need to add. For instance, in 15 Things to do Before You Hit Publish, there were several comments asking for a printable list. I went back in add a link to the list (and I’ve done that for this post).
9. Mine your comments for possible future blog post topics. Again, when readers asked for a printable list, they also asked how I did that. Because of that, I’ll be posting a tutorial on how to host a document on Google Drive as an upcoming blog post.
These are things you can do to make sure your blog post reaches as far and wide as possible. What would you add to this list? Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
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