Read the blog. Bloggers, especially new bloggers, value every read. Knowing that their work is received by someone is of first importance.
Comment on the blog. Bloggers love to actually receive feedback and further discuss what they have written. This assures the blogger know that not only did you read the blog, it made you think.
Subscribe / Bookmark the blog. On most blogs you can subscribe by email to get new posts. If you use a RSS reader or some internet browsers, you can subscribe to the blog post feed so that each new post will just show up. If neither of those options seems easy, bookmark the page in your browsers. This lets the blogger know that not only did you read the blog and it made you think, you want to hear more.
Like and Plus the blog. While no one knows for sure how it all works, your clicking like on Facebook or +1 on Google Plus means that that post will remain in others feed longer and increase the chance they read it. This lets the blogger know that not only did you read the blog, it made you think, and you want to hear more, you think other like-minded friends might find it interesting as well.
Share the blog. Place a link to the site or an individual post on the social media place you live. Hit share on Facebook or Google Plus or retweet on Twitter. This is the single best way that a blogger can find new readers. It enables a post to go “viral†to one degree or another. This lets the blogger know that not only did you read the blog, it made you think, you want to hear more, and you think other like minded friends might find it interesting as well, but that you think it is good enough to claim it as your own in front of your friends, like-minded and otherwise.
And at least in my mind, these are in order of happy making progressing from reading a post making a blogger pretty happy to sharing a post which can make one downright tickled. If you value a blog, use this guide as a way to show your level of appreciation.
Phil,
As a fellow blogger, I have to say that I’m glad that 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999998% of the earth’s population does NOT know what I write or even know that I have a blog. If posterity remembers me at all, I hope it’s not because people remember my blog and my own meager contributions (if they can be called even that). Nonetheless, it’s always nice to feel appreciated and, in the spirit of good dialogue and conversation and also our friendship which we have enjoyed for over 20 years, I hope to continue to read your blog, comment when I am able and give you referrals when I think necessary.