A blogger linky is a fabulous way to get involved in the community and to gain exposure for your blog. I’ve previously written a post explaining the differences between linkys, a blog hops and blog carnivals. If you’re a little further into your blogging journey and fancy setting up your own linky, here are my top tips on running a successful linky.
Top tips to running a successful blogger linky
- Do you have the time? – Running a linky can be time consuming. There might only be a few people linking at the start, but if your linky takes off you could be hosting 50+ linkers and that will take time. Have you got the time to dedicate to it?
- Decide on your link up method – Linky Tools/ Inlinkz / Mr Widget. I prefer Inlinkz, as it’s really user friendly. As a ‘linkee’ it fills in the form for you when you put in the url. If you link up to a lot of linkys, this saves time and is why it gets my vote.
- Do you have an original idea? – There are many different types of linkys, photography based, a writing prompt, recipe etc. Keep in mind that the more open the idea, the more potential linkers you could have. A lot of people like to link one post to a few linkys, and may not want to write a post specifically for a linky. For example, our linky The List. This was originally followed a set format and was called Mums’ List. When I joined as host, we rebranded it The List and so opened it up to any post in list format. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, with almost 100 link ups weekly.
- Make sure you’re interested in the topic – as you will potentially have to comment on A LOT of posts.
- Think about the name – try to pick a name that explains what the linky is about, but keep it catchy. ‘The List’ is a perfect example!
- Design a grab badge – One of the benefits to running a linky is the back links you will gain from all the people linking up. They should all put a link on their post detailing where their post it being linked to. This could be a text link, but most people like to add badges. So, if you design a linky badge and then create a grab my badge button, this will make it easy for people to add to their posts.
- Decide on your rules – how many posts can people link up? How many posts do you expect them to comment on? Don’t make it too hard or people might not bother linking up.
- Schedule – how long it will be open (allow enough time for latecomers). The List is open all week, almost until the next one. Point + Shoot has a shorter window, as it’s for sharing weekend pictures. Think also about what other linkys are going live on the day you pick, will there be competition? Try to fill a gap and it may serve you better.
- Co-host – consider co-hosting your linky. I co-host both of my linkys and I think it works really well. You share workload, give people double promotion (for example in the form of retweets) and draw in people from two blogs.
- Promotion – there are various ways to promote your linky. You could email regulars when it goes live, tweet individuals who joined in the previous week to say it’s open, tweet prospective linkers. Ask all of the people you tweet to retweet for you. The linky badge on linkers posts will be promotion, pop the badge in your side bar or have a page for the linky on your blog. Pin all posts to a special linky Pinterest board.
- Enforce – decide how strict you’re going to be on making sure people stick to the rules. No-one likes a killjoy, but you don’t want the essence of your linky diluted. I usually comment saying I enjoyed the post, but it isn’t really a list (for example if hosting The List). If they haven’t added your badge, then politely ask them to add it or a link back.
- Build a community – As a host you should give value in some way to those linking up. This might be by commenting, retweeting or sharing last they have linked up. For both of my linkys we pick a featured post from previous week to highlight in our main posts.
- An incentive? – You could offer an incentive/way to thank linkers for joining in. In the past I have had a sponsor for Point Shoot who gave free prints to each week’s winner and we have offered a personalised diary and a £50 voucher for a randomly picked Lister!
So here are some ideas which will hopefully help you if you want to start your own linky. Running a linky is a really great thing to do and can really help you build a community, which is a wonderful experience.
Do you have any tips for hosting a linky?
Comments 82
I’ve been waiting for you to publish this! Running a linky is hard work! I have tried one and had a few linkers but as you say I think it was probably a bit too niche and not something people would necessarily want to join each week (a healthy lifestyle based topic) and maybe a bit too hard to write a whole post on it. Back to the drawing board, I think co hosting is probably the way to go and obvs an awesome topic! xxx
Author
Thanks hun. Yes co hosting is good for so many reasons, obviously you may only get half of the back links. But half of a lot is better than all of very little! I think niche will get regulars possibly but it would be harder to grow xxxx
This is great. I started my first link up in January but not much success, no one linked yet, I have looked and can’t find anything similar so I’m hoping it might get better after a couple of months. It’s only a monthly post.
Author
I hope it picks up for you x
spot on advice as always!!! I’ve Only just started but will be back for tips to expand xxx
Author
Thanks, hope it helps and your linky is going well xx
These posts are always so brilliant. Thanks Aby. I’m thinking of starting up my own linky so this post is perfectly timed. You are amazing. Hugs Mrs H xxxx
Author
Ah bless you huni. How exciting! Can’t wait to see what it is about xxx
Love this, super useful, thank you doll! Have pinned it to my Blogging Tutorials board 🙂
Author
Bless you, hope it helps x
Great advice, another great post, I don’t think I am brave enough to host a linky though. I do love to join in with them though =)
Author
Thanks huni. Hopefully you will do one in the future and it might help you then x
Abi, these posts are so useful, and I really appreciate how much detail you go into. Thank you! You’re a natural teacher! x
Author
Oh thank you. I used to teach Dressage and had to retire, so I think I have swapped topics 🙂 So glad it is helpful x
Brilliant tips – I’ve just set up my own linky for monthly roundups (it is, somewhat unimaginatively called My Monthly Roundup :D) and hope some more people will link up to it over the coming months!
I have noticed there has been many new linkies appearing with the New Year (and I guess some people make new year bloglutions about setting up your own linky 😀 )
Author
It is a good idea hun. I hope more people link up x
Great post and running your own linky IS hard work. Harder than I ever thought it would be. But since mine started she has also went from strength to strength and it really spurs you on to keep going with her! Thanks for linking up! #MMWBH xx
Author
It is great when they are successful isn’t it xx
I take my hat off to anyone who hosts a regular link up, it must be so time consuming and it certainly a commitment that has to be maintained. I have co hosted a couple of times and it made me feel quite stressed.
I am sure that the dedication pays off in the end and they are great places to find other bloggers that we may never have come across without a link up.
Great tips!
#MMWBH
Author
It is hard work, but a wonderful things to do, especially when you have such a lovely community x
Since focusing on my blog in the last month, I have really enjoyed taking part in linkys and found lots of new blogs this way. Maybe one day I’ll run one but for now, I will enjoy joining in 🙂
Author
They are great for building your community x
Great post – very informative and generous with your advice as always. I’m thinking of starting one maybe in six months or so, I’m still quite new to blogging but I love linkies and would love the chance to host one. #mmwbh
Author
Ah thanks huni. Hope it helps when the time is right x
Thanks for sharing this these are some great tips!
Author
My pleasure! x
Fab tips, as ever. I have had a linky idea for so long and just keep not having the confidence to go for it in case no one links! But I’d be gutted if someone else launched it!!! Eeek xxx
Author
Thanks huni. You should do it, I want to see what it is! 🙂 xxx
As always thank you! Hope you’ve looked into hiring out your organisational services! I’m just thinking of hosting a Linky so this was perfect timing. Thanks.
Author
I am always open to offers! 🙂 x
A fab post as always! I really want to create a inky, I’ve found a few of my posts on a particular subject have had a lot of comments from people going through similar situations so think it could really help for us all to share posts. This post has given me a bit of a push to actually get moving with it! x
#TheList
Author
Ah thank you. Glad it has helped x
Very useful list as usual!! I also printed out your linky list which is a great source. I’m debating whether to start a linky but, as you say, it depends on whether I have the time to do it.
Author
I am so glad it helps. Just noticed your G+ post, off to read that bad boy. G+ is my weakness x
Great tips Aby, thank you so much for sharing. I’m enjoying hosting my two linkys – my weekly one has some regulars now and hopefully will grow over time and my monthly one which is very niche is starting to get some regulars too which is great. I think one of my favourite things about linkys is the way they help to build blogging communities 🙂
Author
Glad you enjoy hosting huni. Hope these tips help x
Great post! I’m trying to put a list of linkys together at the mo but there’s like a billion of them these days and I never get round to linking up to all the ones I want to. I used to run an expat linky a few years ago actually, completely forgot about it until now. Perhaps I’ll give hosting linkys another go in future.
Author
Did you get my tweet? I have a list with almost all of the linkies on it 🙂 Look in the Blog Club page and you will see the Linky List x
I love running the pinkies I do on my blog. I’ve got a regular crowd who join in with Love Cake each month but I wish I could get people joining in with their photos and Sunday Snap.
Author
That’s great. I think Sundays are difficult as you are competing with two other big picture linkies x
Awesome, thanks! Will be saving this post for down the track! (and checking out a few of the linkies mentioned above). Thanks 🙂 x
Author
Hope it helps in the future x
Thanks for this – I love linkys but my blog is far too little to sustain one on it’s own at this point, handy for the future though!
C0-hosting does seem to be the way to go, so much work if you were to do it on your own!
Xx
Author
My pleasure, I think co hosting is best xx
Much appreciated thank you! I’m always wondering how a person goes about creating a linky so this has actually really helped thank you! Perhaps as my blog grows I can start my own 🙂 xx
Author
Glad it was helpful hun xx
Very informative post – I run a NE linky and we only have about 40 linkups per month and even that takes up SO MUCH TIME. I would definitely say this is something to seriously consider #TheList
Author
Thanks hun, very time consuming but worth it x
Great tips. I think having a cohost would help me if I ran it as like you say, you share the workload x
Author
Thanks hun, hope it helps x
Great post. I’m relatively new to blogging and have thought running a linky will get me more exposure. However I’m struggling just keeping up to date with my blog and twitter at the moment. Maybe once things settle down I will have more time to host one.
Author
Thanks, yes it is very time consuming. I hope things settle down and you can find the time x
Great tips as usual 🙂 love reading your tutorial type posts
Author
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it x
Brilliant tips. Another excellent and helpful post. I love linkies – I’ve found so many new blogs through them and read some belting posts – and I’d quite like to start one, but my concern is the time factor! (As it will be for most people I think)
However you’ve certainly given me much to think about and i know where to come if i decide to go for it! x
P.S Love your linky and Vicki’s too. Mama and More’s #allaboutyou linky is also rather fabulous too
Author
Thank you so much huni and I am glad you like #TheList ! It is quite time consuming, but worth the effort when you establish a lovely community. x
Great post. I’ve had so many more hits on my blog and discovered some great bloggers since I started taking part in linkys. As a linkee, they really are worth the time, so thanks for putting the effort in to make them happen x
Author
Thanks hun. They are great aren’t they x
Great tips, I’ve been thinking about starting a linky for ages now other than sunday stars that is just need take the plunge!
Author
Thanks huni, hope they help x
Great tips hun, it’s definitely time-consuming work and mine only get approx 20 links a week, but because I don’t have a co-host it does sometimes take me a while!xx #TheList
Author
So lovely to have a linky community though isn’t it xxx
Great post. Enjoyed reading this! I’ve always wondered if someone doesn’t follow the rules supplied, can you remove them from the linky? I’d love to try one just don’t like the thought of no one linking up :/ haha x
Author
Yes you can do what you want with your linky. I would usually just comment, but if people are regularly spamming their links then I would remove. Thanks hun, glad you liked it x
Thanks for sharing this. It’s very helpful for all the newbie bloggers out there.
If I may ask, how did you and Hannah meet? Did you know each other in person before you decided to co-host #theList?
Author
Glad it is helpful. Hannah & I met on Twitter, then I used to join in her linky and we got friendly, we met at BritMums last year and are now blogging besties 🙂 x
Great post as always. Thanks for this, I’ve had an idea for a linky for a while, really need to sort it 🙂 x
Author
Good luck with it huni x
Thanks for sharing this post with me. I really want to start up my own linky but don’t want to tread on toes. I have an idea so will look around to see if anyone else is doing one similar. A co-host is a fab idea! xx
Author
I also have a linky list, you can find the link on my Blog Club page. This might help you to find any gaps in the market xx
Thank you so much for all of these tips. Can you help me with a question. If I am looking to co-host with someone else how does it work in terms of the links – is there a way for all of the link-ups to appear on both of our pages? Thank you!!
Author
Glad it is helpful. One of you sets up the inlinkz (or linky tools) and gets the code (which allows people to link and the thumbnails to show up). Then you both put the same code into you own blogs and the thumbnails will appear on both blogs. You can create your own badges to split the backlinks between you x
Great tips as always 🙂
Thanks for the tips and it’s something I’ve thought about doing for a while. There are some bloggers I follow only for the linkies and ironically it’s how I found your blog but some bloggers get the balance between linkies and content wrong (in my opinion) meaning their blog becomes more of a signpost to other blogs rather than content in it’s own right. If that’s what they’re after then fine. Personally I add badges if I’m linking and the linky host insists but I disagree that people like to add them. Many blogs insist on a link *and* a badge. After all these are things going into my content not the linky host and sometimes I just can’t be bothered to link up as a result especially as my content ends up looking messy. Sometimes I’d rather do a link to the blog I regularly link to on footer of the whole blog rather than on each post, after all it will be visible on every page visited. I find some of the people who quibble a lot about how a link should be written “please post a link saying linked to the fab and groovy blog hop on… etc. etc.” I mean yes, your linky, your rules but come on. Really?
Author
The think with that is, that one of the main benefit for the host (to compensate for all the time invested in running a linky) is the link back from the people joining in. We comment, share and help boost the satas and engagement of a linked up post. So I feel that the link back is fair. However, if it is not for you then totally fine. x
Thanks so much for this post. It has been invaluable. I have been slowly planning and preparing to run a travel link party fin the past 6 months and now I’m ready. Your advice about badge codes, linky sites etc has been very helpful as wull as some other great reminders for me. cheers
Thanks for these tips! 🙂
I have just started up a linky my self that runs every sunday to thursday called #Carseatsunday. 🙂
This is great information! Thank you! I am in the planning stages of adding a linky and this article helps me greatly!
I’m starting my own linky in June so I need all the help I can get! Great advice, thank you 🙂
Debbie
www,myrandommusings.blogspot.com
After running a niche small linky on my own to a more general one with a co-host I really enjoy the later. Someone to talk about the posts linked up, spot link droppers with etc! So definitely like a co-host. It is hard work though. One other tip I think which has made our linky (FamilyFun) successfull is our meaningful comments. I’ve stopped linking to some linkys because all I got from the host was a “great post!”, I actually like to read people’s blogs so I am give a good comment!!
Great tips Aby. I’ve just started co-hosting a linky called ‘Snapped Up’ with Lauretta from Home and Horizon who is shopping hauls roundup editor for BritMums, so using the link-ups to help her select the posts. We’ve really relished the tips you have. How would we get our linky included in your list of linkies please?
This is really useful, thank you!