What I learned about blogging from 1970’s comic books

Growing up in the 70’s was great. If only to be there at the beginning, the real beginning, of Star Wars. My other vice, in so much as a seven year old can have a vice, was comic books. Of course, at the age of seven I tended to judge most books, and comic books in particular, by their covers.

My cover of choice, and therefore my comic of choice, was Green Lantern.

But the lesson I learned wasn’t about design, it wasn’t about how to catch the eye in a crowded market, it was something that managed to persuade a seven year old to pester his parents to go back to the comic book store and buy Batman and Aquaman.

The art of the crossover. Even though I wasn’t able to take in the political subtext of Green Lantern in the 70’s I understood perfectly the call to action, the urge to follow the adventures of the protagonist not only in their own book, but in others as well.

It’s a lesson in marketing that has lodged itself in my mind. Probably because it’s easy to employ and it gets results.

When someone visits your blog there is only one guarantee. That they will leave at some point, either via a link from your blog or via the close button. The trick is to try and make sure those readers continue their surfing journey, either visiting one of your other blogs if you have one, or following through to a relevant affiliate link.

As long as your blog has relevant advertising, or you have other projects, even if they are still being built, that may be of interest to your readers, your traffic will still be working for you even after it has moved on from your blog. More than that, your readers will remember that your blog is more than just a destination and is a valuable and enjoyable daily stepping stone.

Make you blog valuable and give your readers a reason to click the links that you want them to click. Your traffic will climb and, if your advertising is relevant, so will your income.