Now that you already know How To Create A Successful Blog you need to start worrying about readers. Where to get them, how to maintain them and what they are interested in reading. In order to get readers you need to read what other people are reading. Who you may be asking, why other successful blogs of course. Christopher Elliott calls this your sources, because every good journalist has connections and sources, right? By reading other blogs in your niche you can build a community with similar level bloggers and see examples of how the successful stay on top. Leaving worthwhile comments will also bring attention, much more than just a ‘lol’ and a link back to your site. Using a reader allows you to keep up on posts that may have slipped by you unknowingly during the wee hours when you aren’t on twitter or facebook, I know unheard of.
I used to think I could just bookmark my favorite blogs and that I’d keep up with them that way but the realization is that the only way to truly keep up is to subscribe to their RSS feeds and sometimes maybe even their newsletter. Luckily RSS feeds have adapted to link up to your Google, My Yahoo, Bloglines, your email or a host of the many available feed readers based upon how you like to read your blogs. If you don’t already have your blogs RSS feed set up I recommend using Feedburner (Which has recently synced up with Google) as it tracks your subscriptions and offers a variety of options on how and where your reader wants to read your feed.
Once you have your feedburner set up, you’ll want to add some flare. No, really that’s what it’s called. Click on Optimize –>Feed Flare and then start checking off which tabs you want on the bottom of each post displayed in your loyal reader’s feed viewer.
Wondering what the hell XML is or which is better XML or RSS, well neither is better than the other because they pretty much are the same. RSS is written in XML format. Just think of XML as the poo and RSS as the monkey who is flinging it, there now you got it!
Ever see that RSS orange box in the address bar? Want to know how you can put that on your blog to attract new subscribers? Add the HTML code below to your theme’s header, make sure it is in the header coding so that it shows up on every page.
<link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”YOUR BLOG’S NAME RSS” href=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/YOUR BLOG’S NAME” />
Obviously you would switch out the “YOUR BLOG’S NAME” section, but in case that confuses you here is the coding for my site to see how it is done. If you happen to just copy and past the HTML below I won’t be too made because your subscribers will add my site which is OK with me 
<link rel=”alternate” type=”application/rss+xml” title=”MonkeyBrewster RSS” href=”http://feeds.feedburner.com/MonkeyBrewster” />
Travel Blogs You Should Subscribe To
- AlmostFearless.com – Subscribe to her feed
- AndyHayes.com – Subscribe to his feed
- Anthony Bourdain – Subscribe to his feed
- AsWeTravel.com – Subscribe to their feed
- APairOfPantiesAndBoxers.com – Subscribe to her Feed
- TheAussieNomad.com – Subscribe to his feed
- BaconIsMagic.ca – Subscribe to her feed
- BrendansAdventures.com Subscribe to his feed
- TheBrooklyNomad.com Subscribe to his feed
- BootsnAll.com Subscribe to their feed
- CandinceDoesTheWorld.com Subscribe to her feed
- DoSomethingCool.net Subscribe to his feed
- Everywhereist.com Subscribe to her feed
- Everything-Everywhere.com Subscribe to his feed
- Flightster.com – Subscribe to their feed
- FreedoniaPost.com – Subscribe to his feed
- FoXnoMad.com – Subscribe to his feed
- Gadling.com – Subscribe to their feed
- IWishGapYear.com- Subscribe to his feed
- GoBackpacking.com - Subscribe to his feed
- GoNomad.com – Subscribe to their feed
- GotPassport.org – Subscribe to this family’s feed
- HopAndJaunt.com – Subscribe to their feed
- JohnnyVagabond.com – Subscribe to his feed
- ManVsDebt.com - Subscribe to his feed
- MarriedWithLuggage.com – Subscribe to their feed
- MatadorNetwork.com – Subscribe to their feed
- MyBeautifulAdventures.com – Subscribe to her feed
- NomadicChick.com – Subscribe to her feed
- NomadicMatt.com – Subscribe to his feed
- NoPlaceToBe.com – Subscribe to their feed
- OffTrackPlanet.com – Subscribe to their feed
- OnURWayTravel.com – Subscribe to her feed
- RunawayJane.com – Subscribe to her feed
- SkinnyBackpacker.com – Subscribe to his feed
- SpunkyGirlMonologues.com – Subscribe to her feed
- TrailOfAnts.com – Subscribe to his feed
- TravelDudes.org – Subscribe to their feed
- Traveling-Savage.com – Subscribe to his feed
- TravelsOfAdam.com – Subscribe to his feed
- Twenty-SomethingTravel.com – Subscribe to her feed
- TwoBackpackers.com – Subscribe to their feed
- TheJunglePrincess.com – Subscribe to her feed
- ThePlanetD.com – Subscribe to their feed
- UncorneredMarket.com - Subscribe to their feed
- Vagabondish.com – Subscribe to their feed
- wanderlustandlipstick.com – Subscribe to their feed
- YTravelBlog.com – Subscribe to their feed
image from DSLU - Manilla
Non Travel Blogs That will help you stay sane, write well and up to date with the world of blogging.
- ZenHabits.net – Subscribe to their feed
- DailyWritingTips.com – Subscribe to their feed
- Problogger.net – Subscribe to his feed
Some of these great bloggers are doubled up from my list of 50 Women Travelers, but these are people that I follow (Haven’t found too many other blogging primates to follow, have a suggestion?) and if you want to find your way in the travel blogging world or just like to read travel blogs than this is the list for you.
Don’t forget to subscribe to MonkeyBrewster.com while you’re at it! @(^_^)@
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Don’t forget to fling this post to others if you like what you see!
From Everywhereist:
Cornelius, I love you! I do! I want to buy you lots of stuffed bananas!
Wait. That sounds weird. But you get what I mean.
From Cornelius Aesop:
Awww, thanks…although regular bananas are fine too @(^_^)@
From Sasha:
Thanks for the shoutout and linkage!!!
BTW everytime I hear Owl City Fireflies I always think of you lol.
From Cornelius Aesop:
Of course I had to include you! And yay Monkey Flies hehe I need to make another video sometime.
From Natalie:
Hi, Thanks for these two lists. I am always on the look out for new reading material.
From Cornelius Aesop:
I try to share blogs that I follow because to me they are quality blogs with great information and often great people to interact with, online that is. It would be hard to get everyone under one roof, minus a TBEX event.
From Anil:
My humble thanks for including me!
From Cornelius Aesop:
Of course, love your site and the information you share.
From Keith Savage:
Cool! Thanks for including Traveling Savage!
From Cornelius Aesop:
Of course your site is Wonderful…hehe get it savage…wonder years. OK now I feel like I should duck because I’m sure that is something you hear constantly. *FLING!
From yTravelBlog:
Thanks for including us. We really appreciate it!
From Cornelius Aesop:
Of course I love traveling family blogs like yours and Got Passport. It shows that with enough love and motivation you can continue to pursue your passions and help your daughter experience more of an education by doing while other children look at a poster on their classroom wall and dream.
From Anonymous:
Awesome – thanks for the inclusion!
From Cornelius Aesop:
Anyone who posts awesome ‘braindrops’ needs to be on this list.
From Candicewalsh:
Wooot wooot, thanks for shout-out!
From Cornelius Aesop:
hehe how could I leave out the wonderful newfie Candice…wait am I allowed to use that word hehehe
From Andy Hayes:
Hey – thanks for the shout out monkey pal. You forgot to add yourself to the list, though
From Cornelius Aesop:
I hinted towards adding me, plus if you click on the main RSS image or at the very bottom I suggest adding me to your feed. I do think it is important to subscribe to yourself though, that way you can see what your posts look like to your readers…or future readers