How to Use Linkups in Your Blog Growth Strategy

Get out there and link up! Make some friends, support others, and be a part of the vibrant, encouraging Christian blogging community.

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Everybody loves a good party, right?  Friends hanging out, getting to know each other, meeting new friends while deepening connections. And food.  Lots of good food.

Link-ups (or linky parties) have all the characteristics of a great party.   Some even serve great food (recipes)! But just like life can’t be one big party, neither can the growth of your blog.

So let’s look at the good and the not-so-good ways to use linkups as part of your growth strategy, how to participate, and some of my favorite linkups for Christian bloggers.

What is a linkup?

A linkup is when a blogger provides a way for other bloggers to add a link to their own post to a collection displayed on the host’s site.  Most linkups use the InLinkz platform to manage the links and thumbnail image on the page. Often, the host of the linkup will pick a blog to feature the next week.  Linkups usually come with a requirement that anyone who adds their link will visit other links in the linkup, comment on them and/or promote them on social media.

Good Reasons to Participate in Linkups

To get exposure for a new blog.  When you are just getting started, linkups are one of the quickest ways to get some traffic to your blog, social media shares and comments that will give your blog some credibility.  Because of the participation requirements, it’s almost guaranteed that you will get at least some page views from linkups.

To develop relationships with other bloggers. As you participate in linkups, you’ll find other bloggers in your niche or writing about related topics.  The Christian blogging community is especially welcoming to newcomers and established bloggers alike.  And nobody needs or wants or will be successful doing online ministry or business alone.  Through linkups, you’ll make new blogging besties as you support and promote each other.

To keep your finger on the pulse of your niche.  One of my favorite things to do is connecting people with information and support.  Knowing the members of the community gives me a stash of resources when my audience has needs I can’t meet.  Whether the topic is prayer, wellness, joyful parenting or support for widows or military spouses, I know bloggers who can help.

Not-So-Good Reasons to Participate in Linkups

To generate all of your blog traffic. Yes, linkups will guide some people to your blog who would not find it otherwise, but it is not a huge number and it comes at the price of your time.  Being featured by the hostess of a large linkup can drive a significant amount of traffic, but it is usually short-lived.  Linking up, reading, commenting on and sharing other blogs is time-consuming, and that time may be better spent on other strategies that will grow your reach and influence.  As Lena Gott advises in her e-book How I Went from 17K to 350K Page Views in 9 Months, “If you do participate in link ups, I would keep it to a minimum. Start with a few larger linkups where the potential exposure of a featured post will pay off.”  I generally recommend 3 – 6 linkups per week, maybe up to 8 or 10 if you have a lot of spare time.

To compare yourself to other bloggers. While spending a lot of time reading other blogs, it is easy to compare yourself to them.

“Her blog is prettier.”

“She got 25 comments.  I only got 2.”

“She wrote about the same topic and said it better.”

We’ve all said things like that.  Instead of comparing yourself to another blog, see what you can learn from it.  Why are certain elements visually appealing to you?  What did she do in the post that encouraged or inspired her readers to comment?  Is it really “better”?  Or just “different”?  How can you apply what you’ve learned to your own blog?  Learning is always more productive than comparison.

How to Link Up

Most linkups are based on the InLinkz platform.  It’s pretty easy to use.   At the bottom of a linkup, you’ll usually find a little blue button that says “Add your link”.

It opens a new window.  Enter your post URL in the top box. (Note: You should be linking up a specific post, not your blog home page.) It will automatically pull in your post title and featured image (if you have one).  Enter your email address in the third box.

If you don’t have a featured image or don’t want to use the one you have, you can choose from one of the other images on your post.

 

When everything looks good, click Done again at the bottom to add your post to the linkup.

Go back to the blog hosting the linkup and, on most linkups, you’ll find your thumbnail at the end of the list.  (There are a few linkups that scramble the thumbnails in random order.)

Once you are linked up, go back to your post and put a link to the linkup at the end of your post.  You can do it as a list of places you link up each week, use the button  that the hostess provides, or even keep a separate page on your site with a list of your favorite linkups.

Linkup Tips and Best Practices

  1.  Follow the rules.  Can I say that again, even louder?  FOLLOW THE RULES!!   Almost all linkups have rules about how many posts to comment on, which ones to comment on,  how many posts you can link up, etc.   Linking and running without fulfilling the obligations is rude, unkind and may get you banned from the linkup.
  2. Join as soon as the linkup is open.  The posts on the top couple of rows of the linkup get more traffic than the ones farther down the list.  Most keep a regular schedule and open at the same time every week, so make a note of that time and try to get there early.
  3. Honor the linkup host.  It’s a lot of work to host a successful linkup and these ladies have generously opened their doors to support and encourage others.  Follow, subscribe, comment and share … let her know you appreciate her.
  4. Headshot or featured image? Which is best to use for the thumbnail?  It depends on what your featured image looks like.  If it is a compelling image, and any text on the image is large enough read at thumbnail-size, I think the featured image can draw new readers who won’t recognize your face or name.  But the headshots also draw me to bloggers I know and like to follow.
  5. Stay on topic.  Be respectful of any themes the host has set.  If it’s a homeschooling linkup, it might not be the place for your post about your favorite WordPress plug ins. Some hosts have a very specific writing prompt for the linkup so be sure your post fits.
  6. Be generous to your fellow linkers.  Go above and beyond to support others.  If you are there right when the linkup opens, don’t take up three spots on the top row.  Link up one and leave the prime real estate for other early birds.
  7. Reciprocate where you can.  Many linkups require you to comment on the post linked up just before you to ensure that everyone in the linkup gets at least one comment.  When someone mentions in their comment that they visited from a certain linkup or is your neighbor in a linkup, it’s nice to comment on or share their post as well.

My Favorite Linkups

I link up during the week early in the morning before I go to work and then spend time on the weekend catching up on commenting and sharing.   Some of them I do every week, but others I rotate around.

Tuesday:
Kelly Balarie #RaRaLinkup
Holly Barrett #TestimonyTuesday

Wednesday:
Holley Gerth #CoffeeForYourHeart
Jaime Wiebel
#SittingAmongFriends

Thursday:
Crystal Storms #HeartEncouragement
Suzie Eller #liveFree
Brenda Ottinger #ChasingCommunity

Friday:
Susan Mead #DanceWithJesus
Arabah Joy #GraceandTruth
Crystal Twaddell #FreshMarketFriday

So get out there and link up!  Make some friends, support others, and be a part of the vibrant, encouraging Christian blogging community.

Which linkups are your favorites?  And if you host a linkup, let us know in the comments when and where to connect with you!


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Linking up with Jaime Wiebel at #SittingAmongFriends, Aimee Imbeau at #GraceandTruth and Susan Mead at #DanceWithJesus

23 thoughts on “How to Use Linkups in Your Blog Growth Strategy”

  1. Hi Christa! Awesome info here! I think my favorite part about link-ups is the opportunity they have given me to connect with so many others in the blogging world! I host one, Moments of Hope. I wanted it to be a place where we could all come to start our week off on Monday mornings being reminded of the powerful hope we have available in Christ! All posts that point to Him are welcome ❤ https://lorischumaker.com/category/momentsofhope/

    Reply
  2. Thank you so much! This is so helpful. This may be out of your purview, but how do I find a linkup once I register? I only see information about starting one, not joining one.

    Reply
    • Jill, do you mean you registered at InLinz? You don’t need to register there to join one. You go directly to the host’s site on the day of their linkup and join up using the instructions in my post. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. So glad to read this. When I started out blogging, I decided to start my own link ups because the ones I saw were too big. I founded The Party Bloggers where people can host, learn and post their own link parties. I host a weekly TADA! Thursdays, and 2 monthlies Celebrate the Season and Favorite 5, but we have several others hosted by members of the group and would love to have more linkups and more members if anyone is interested.

    Reply
  4. This was great! I had no idea how to join Link Ups, so I’m excited to implement this into my blog growth, but more importantly, I’m looking forward to meeting other bloggers & finding encouragement!! Thanks for this!

    Reply
  5. Christa, This is excellent! I gained a few pointers. This has been shared in one of my FB writing groups and I’m getting ready to send it out on Twitter. I really appreciate your explanations and thoughts!

    Reply
  6. Christa,
    That’s such a great practical post! I think it will be one of those ‘evergreen’ posts. I started blogging almost three years ago, but only started linking up last April. That has changed blogging for me. I don’t feel alone and that inspires me. Praying God continues to inspire you so you can keep inspiring others.
    Be Blessed & Refreshed today!
    ~Sherry Stahl
    xoxo

    Reply
  7. Christa, I love the relationships I’ve developed with other bloggers through linkups. Even after a few years, though, it’s good to read your list of best practices and be reminded why we even do this. I need to fine-tune where I link up, and you’ve given me some things to think about as I figure out what fits best right now. (Grace & Truth)

    Reply
  8. Glad to connect with you via Sitting Among Friends Linkup. This is very helpful information you’ve put together here for beginners. Trying to work out a schedule for participating in linkups. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  9. Great article. Very informative. I just found linkups and am enjoying them. Getting to know other bloggers. Seeing what other people are doing. Not feeling so alone. But I can see that may be something I do only for a season.

    Reply

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