It is easy to submit it and forget it when it comes to a blog carnival. Whether you host or participate in one, adding a little extra effort brings bigger returns.

Blog carnival tips for participants

You’ve written a post or two, submitted it to a blog carnival and advertised it on your blog. For many bloggers that is a job well done, but since blog carnivals are a promotional tool consider doing more and increase your success.

Read the other posts submitted and comment on the blogs participating in the carnival.

Advertise if you are a regular participant in the blog carnival and how often you participate.

Link to your blog’s relevant content on the submitted blog post for visitors to read more.

Advertise your own upcoming blog carnival on your site.

Write a future blog post sharing your favorite posts from regular participants from the year.

Blog carnival tips for hosts

A host can make their program a success by welcoming their participants and highlighting them for their readers.

Personalize each entry with a short intro on relevancy of the post to your topic.

Recognize the effort put in by blog participants to promote the blog carnival.

Share milestones by publishing a blogger’s “X” number of posts or “X” number of carnivals they’ve participated in.

Personally welcome carnival rookies and share your thoughts about their blog on the carnival post or page encouraging your readers to check them out.

Add participant blogs to your blog roll.

Read and comment on all posts added by participant.

Solutions to blog carnival problems

Too many post entries
When you’ve received too many post entries, after excluding the obvious, non-relevant content, select one post per blogger with submissions. If you still feel you have too many posts you can either exclude or advertise a second day of posts. They could also be published mid-way before your next carnival or saved for the next carnival.

Not enough post entries
If you haven’t received enough blog post entries link to relevant content at your site. If there are blogs with relevant content to your blog carnival theme leave a comment on a desired post that you are sharing it in an upcoming blog carnival. Invite them to share a link to your blog carnival on that particular post and on their blog. If you’ve been hosting for a while and have a previous carnival on a similar theme, add that carnival or your favorite posts featured at that time.

A successful blog carnival takes time but is well worth the effort with the blog and reader relationships you build sharing your blogthusiasm.