How to Get Fans and Followers on Yahoo! Contributor Network (YCN)

Does your Yahoo! Contributor Network (YCN) profile need some love? Do you keep checking your fans and followers pages in hopes that more people will appear? If they haven't yet, you're probably going about things the wrong way - or you just joined and haven't given people time to find you yet. There are many different ways to get fans and followers on YCN. The methods I find the best might surprise you.

Just be you. My number one rule in gaining fans and followers is to just be yourself. This should radiate in the comments you leave, in the content you publish, in your forum posts, and on social sites outside of YCN. There is no model form that everyone should fit into. Readers like to see the real person behind the writing.

Don't seek fans. Huh? Yes, that's right. If you want to gain the trust of your readers and writer friends, don't look at them as fans. Certainly don't seek out people, hoping they will fan you or subscribe. So, why is my YCN fan base so large if I don't seek out fans? I consider my readers and fellow writers to be my friends. Some are closer than others of course. But, I do not go around saying "Please be my fan" or "Please subscribe to my work". Instead, I make friends and it doesn't bother me if they choose not to read my work. Not everyone is interested in the same things.

Remember that fans and followers don't necessarily equate to high page views. Most large amounts of page views do not come from having fans and followers. They actually come via the search engines. So, why create friendships inside YCN, then? Well, just for the sake of having like-minded friends and even for networking purposes. This is not to say their views don't count for anything. They absolutely do. Every view counts. But please don't look at your friends as page view insurance. Treat them as you would any other friend. There are real people behind those computer screens - not just numbers to add to your fan tally.

Don't expect people to subscribe or fan you because you did the same for them. Sometimes people will fan you back or follow your work if you do the same with theirs. But don't get hurt feelings if they don't - and as mentioned above, don't ask. They simply just may not enjoy your topics or they may just be too busy to read more often. If someone has good content, I am going to read it whether they read mine or not. I never want anyone to feel pressured to read my work just because I read something of theirs. Of course, I appreciate every view I get. But, the most valuable and rewarding fans and subscribers are those that truly are interested in what you have to say.

Promote. Now, this may seem to contradict not seeking fans. In fact, it doesn't. It's alright to promote your work. Just do it where appropriate. For instance, don't spam message 50 Contributors on YCN asking for reciprocal subscribing or fanning. It would be much more effective (and polite) to post a parenting article link on a parenting site where that's allowed. There's a targeted audience that will be more interested and less irritated with you. Social sites are another great way to get the word out about your work. Just be sure to actually participate and not just throw out links.

Go about your daily routine. Just doing everything you normally do on YCN will eventually lead to fans over time. Comment on articles you enjoy. Subscribe to the work of writers you enjoy. Visit the forums and participate in whatever interests you. People will naturally be curious about you and possibly check out your work. If they like what they see, they may fan you or even subscribe.

By following the advice above, you will soon find yourself gaining more than just fans. You'll be gaining valuable friendships - something much more important than a tally number.

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