The secret to blogging success
Hey you! Yes, you!
Do you have a blog?
Have you been told it’s the best blog in the world, but don’t see a follower count to match?
Have you been tempted by dubious SEO deals and offers to purchase hundreds of followers?
If you’re tired of putting all your time and effort into awesome posts only to have nobody read or comment on them, then our newest product is just the thing you’ve been waiting for!
Revive both your site and spirits by using Community and Collaboration, the latest innovation in the blogosphere. With its ingenious simple-to-use design, it lets you take control of your blog and increase your subscriber count all in one go.
Step away from those follower purchases – you don’t need them! They may seem like the solution to your problems but trust us: we can all tell when the numbers have been artificially bumped. Those questionable offers you receive via email or social media just cost you money and make your site and look as though you’re not willing to put in the effort.
With Community and Collaboration however, you can improve the popularity of your blog and have the satisfaction of knowing you did all that through your hard work alone! Just follow our effective five-step process to achieve the blog of your dreams:
Get in touch with us today to arrange a FREE, no-obligation conversation with one of our friendly bloggers. Discussion may include finding you have something in common, the sharing of ideas and the building of relationships.
Disclaimer: Later Levels provides totally independent advice. While Community and Collaboration has been shown to be successful, your blog may deteriorate through neglect if you fail to keep up the effort and publish posts on a regular basis.
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Kim View All
Video game lover, Later Levels blogger and SpecialEffect volunteer. Big fan of wannabe pirates and fine leather jackets.
YES! Yes to all of this! haha There is no shortcut to success of any size, and it really takes a village to make something grow into something worthwhile.
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I agree and not only can it be traced in many different areas throughout history, but also if you just look at it from a corporate perspective. Even the biggest companies of today started out, having to commune and collaborate with others before taking off.
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That’s an excellent way of putting it! We can achieve so much more together than alone. 🙂
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Honestly I’d like to know if we can direct message the blogger somehow… To discuss things we may not want to publicize in our blog (either because it’s off-topic or whatsoever). Any way?
This is a good post… but I’m not sure if it fits my blog’s theme to reblog…
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Your blog is your own space and it’s up to you to decide what fits there – I can totally respect that. 🙂
I don’t think I’ve heard of a way to DM via WordPress itself, rather than contacting the blogger through their email or social media. It’s a good idea though so WP should probably get on it!
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I often get too shy to reach out to other bloggers and start a conversation. Your posts always make me feel comfortable and I like this advice.
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hi blaike! let me reach out to you! ~~ im only one blog away!! ~~ … XD
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Kim definitely has a way of making people feel welcome! I completely agree.
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Teri Mae, you are much too kind. *mwah*
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Thanks for stopping by Blaike! Confidence is often the hardest part: even after several years of blogging, I still question myself each and every time I leave a comment on a post. But everyone is usually so friendly and willing to chat, and I’ve met some great people – just go for it. 🙂
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I always feel weird when I’m leaving the first comment on an article, especially on older articles that I stumble upon, but after doing it a few times it feels more natural! It can sometimes feel like wandering into a circle of people who aren’t talking and just bursting out with something off the top of your head.
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Truth be told, I’m usually grateful for those people!
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Me too! It’s like “Finally, somebody’s paying attention!” 🙂
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Reblogged this on Bandicoot Warrior and commented:
Very good read 🙂 and actually makes sense as well :p
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Great post Kim 🙂 actually will try this myself see if i can boost my views :p
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Thanks so much for the reblog! Just take your time and stick at it – the hard work will soon pay off. 🙂
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This is so well written and great advice. For me though it is the same as Blaike Trujillo above about shyness in terms of reaching out, and not being good enough if I did. That said I’m sure the advice is perfect.
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For me, confidence is definitely the biggest obstacle I had to overcome in blogging. It’s still something I come up against now: some days I’ll feel as if I can take on the world and will chat to everyone, and other days I’m more introverted and question every single thing I write.
That being said though, everyone I’ve met along the way has been so friendly and supportive. Sometimes you just need to take the chance and reach out, and who knows what great things could happen? Stick with it – you got this. 😉
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I certainly understand and share the feeling about confidence. Sometimes I look back at stuff I’ve written and say “wow, I wrote that? That’s awesome!”
But much of the time, it’s a struggle to actually feel like I’m writing something good. Or even just to figure out what to write.
It’s a process that I know we all go through. So collaboration and networking is definitely the key.
Great post!
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Every time an idea for a future post comes into my head, I add it to a list I keep on my phone. Then I can dip into it for inspiration whenever I’m struggling for something to write about!
It does take a while to find your voice; whenever I look back at my posts for my first blog from a few years ago, they feel as though they were written by someone else entirely. But eventually you become more comfortable with your words – and that journey is made quicker if we show each other a bit of support. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Officially Gamer, Blogger, Entertainer!!!.
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I’m honestly pretty terrible with with networking/collaboration etc… I don’t really know why either. I think sometimes I just struggle with ideas on what to write about.
But if ever anyone approached me I’m always, ALWAYS! open to it.
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Will, you’re awesome – every time I reach out to you guys, you’re always up for joining in with whatever’s going on! 😀
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This is indeed sound advice.
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Wow… don’t tell me I’m finally becoming a responsible adult? 😉
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Honestly this is something more should be aware of. It is pointed out many times when it comes to other mediums, but not all follow this…or is even aware how it should work.
Fact is, I’m still treading the waters about this but what you are saying Kim is true to the core of what it means to grow, both in size and also personal.
Loved this article, it reminded me of what the road I should keep my eyes on looked like again.
Stay Cozy and have a nice day!
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The whole ‘collaboration’ thing can seem counter-intuitive at times – almost as though by working with other people, you’re driving traffic towards their blogs and away from your own. But in reality it’s completely the opposite: the more you give, the more you get!
Hopefully we’ll see you again soon for the next question of the month? 😉
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Oh definitely, it was really interesting to do and I have met other great bloggers through it 😁
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Awesome! Someone sent in a really good suggestion for the next question: it’s one which is going to get everyone thinking outside the box…
More to be revealed next week!
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What a hilarious way to talk about something that really helps us newcomers. Thanks for the advice and for always being so friendly when I’ve reached out for help.
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It’s my pleasure – it’s always lovely talking to you! And if you’re going to keep coming up with recipes like that carrot cake, then I’m happy to help out! He he he 😉
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Thanks! I’ll do my best… 😊
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Loved this post! So very true.
Simply taking the time to read something, give it a like (if you like it!) and give it a comment (if you have something to say!) makes a world of difference.
None of these ‘Boost your follows in ten days!’ nonesense.
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Emails and followers of that nature absolutely do my head in! They promise the world and quick wins, but nothing’s a substitute for hard work and effort.
A simple ‘like’ or comment left on someone’s post might be a small gesture but it can really make their day. 🙂
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“Welcome new visitors to your blog and say hello when they leave a comment. See your follower count rise and new friendships develop!”
See, you say that, but I’m *still* waiting for “naughtyjen”, “caseybabe” and “trixibelleLeBusty” to get back to me about their favourite Zelda Game. I mean, honestly, I’m starting to think they were just *saying* they liked my post, and now I’m left doubting whether they’ve got any real interest in the franchise afterall.
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Huh… maybe they’re more into Mario? I’ll ask BigBeefcake if he can have a word with them.
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Great advice! Gotta ceep an eye out for those dodgy people trying to tempt you with offers to good to be true.
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You know what they say: if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Just hit the delete button!
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I am the same as Blaike Trujillo above about shyness in terms of reaching out to others. That said I love your writing and this advice. Now to work on the confidence part first! Then the community and collaboration bits. Your blog is amazing though and does make newcomers like me feel welcome which is wonderful.
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That’s extremely kind of you to say, thank you so much. ❤
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Love this! Honestly, I get more enjoyment from reading and commenting on other blogs than I do from writing my own posts. I’ve met people through blogging that I now consider friends, and that is a true blessing for this introvert! 🙂
I also think collaborations have improved my own writing skills significantly. Blogger Blitz and your Question of the Month contests come to mind. This is the most fun I’ve ever had blogging 😀
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Blogging is definitely the introvert’s way to show their extroverted side. I’ve had the chance to meet so many awesome people through blogging – yourself included!
It’s lovely having you on-board with the question of the month. Imtiaz’s answer seems to be kicking everybody else’s butt at the moment… 😉
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Thanks again for having me! 🙂 I can’t believe Navi isn’t winning, haha.
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Did you see Ian’s tweet yesterday where he told everyone to ‘listen’ and vote? Very smoothly done he he he!
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Yes, haha! I noticed Ian and Athena have both been pushing their answers very entertainingly on Twitter 😀
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I’m kind of jealous – I wish I had that level of subtlety but can never think of what to say! 😂
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Yuuuuup, blogger is MUCH more interactive than I knew when I first started. Now that I’ve been in the “business” for a little over two years (?), the best way to get followers is to be a follower, talk to people, not only like but comment, and linking to other blogs is just as easy as linking to anything else. I usually take a note on the address and then when I talk about the topic in question later, just throw up a link.
The biggest obstacle I have is time. It takes a lot of it to keep up with blog subs, which is what I’m currently working on catching up with now 🙂
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Oh I feel your pain! I wish I had more time to devote to blogging but there never seems to be enough hours in the day. The thing I struggle with most is social media; there are some really interesting discussions going on, particularly on Twitter, but I never seem to be able to keep up with them all.
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Reblogged this on Falcon Game Reviews and commented:
I learned this the hard way, but luckily, you don’t have to. Kim from Later Levels has some great advice here, and it’s worth taking note of.
This is how you see organic growth; you reach out. Sure, paying a company a few dollars a month to funnel viewers to your site may make the numbers go up, but those people aren’t going to engage with you.
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Thanks for the reblog Shelby! I’ve got a post going out soon that picks up on our conversation about YouTube, in which I’ve included a few quotes; hope that’s ok. 🙂
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That’s perfectly fine. I’m currently wrestling with the reblog feature to get the post to not show up as Block Quotes. [grumbles]
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The only way I’ve been able to change the formatting in the past is via CSS… let me know if you manage to figure out what the secret is…
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I just had to start over, then edit the slug to be the same as the one in the pingback. Something about sharing the post via the reblog button made it all wonky.
I LEARNED MY LESSON, WORDPRESS! DON’T REBLOG ANYONE! jk
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I’ll bear that in mind in the future!
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I love the message in this post, you make such a valid point. I’ve been so guilty of neglecting my blog and the wider community lately, and, not to get too sentimental, now that I’m starting to read and write more I’m rediscovering what made me want to start writing in the first place. Reading this has reinforced my desire to contribute more to this community, so thanks 🙂
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Sometimes a break is just what you need to get the inspiration going again. And it’s amazing how much you can be inspired by posts written by others – I seem to get most of my ideas this way so I have you guys to thank! 🙂
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I’ve taken two 3-week breaks from my blog just because of time issues and lack of inspiration, but I came back firing on all cylinders (I think…I’ll let the reader decide if that’s true 🙂 )
Sometimes that’s what you need. That’s why I was hoping to have a fellow contributor, but she’s only had time to contribute one post unfortunately.
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Well if you’re ever up for a little collaboration, give me a shout! Do you have any genre preferences when it comes to video games? 🙂
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May take you up on it, though my blog is exclusively (at least for now) board games. So not sure if you’re interested in that. 🙂
I do like video games, but it’s been so long since I’ve played any that I’m not really up on the current stuff.
Though when I was a video gamer, my preferences were strategy games and FPS games.
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I’ve never really had the opportunity to play any board games so if you come up with an idea for a collaboration and need a novice, let me know. And if you’ve ever written a ‘starters guide’, please send me the link!
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I haven’t done one yet, but sounds like a great idea!!!
Oh, and thanks for following the blog as well.
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My pleasure, maybe you can broaden my horizons. Let me know if you do publish a guide and I’d be happy to share it. 🙂
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sound advice! Sharing is one of my favourite parts of blogging here. Re posting/tweeting others articles, or linking in mine to then see people do the same always make me oh so happy!
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I’ve met some amazing people since the start of the year, and have read some amazing posts too! Long may it continue. 🙂
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Well, this was surely an eye-opener. You mentioned five steps to improve blogger’s way to success. I will take up on these and take the to action.
Thanks for popping by on my blog.
(Girl) Gamer Nerd, out. :3
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My pleasure, thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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