I spend a lot of time thinking about blogging. I read blogs. I write this blog, plus 2 others and co-own one. I’m no expert, but you could definitely say I’m into it. It occurs to me that there are a lot of people out there who have no idea how the business of blogging actually works. People are always asking me, “How do you make money on your blog?” Well, the answer for me is slowly. But there are a few things blog readers can do to help support a blogger’s business, and they’re all pure fun.

I’d love to become a professional blogger one day. It doesn’t seem remotely likely. I’m not going to let that stop me. If you love a blog or a blogger, and you want to help that blog take off, there are a few simple things you can do to show your love.

1. Subscribe or follow that baby

Whether you subscribe by email or follow on your favorite blog reader, make sure you never miss a post. Traffic is a big deal in the blogging business, so for goodness sake, do the fun part, and read that puppy every dang time.

2. Leave a lovely comment

Views are important, but engagement is also key. If you see something you like in a blog post, let the author know by leaving a comment at the bottom. No need to subscribe to the comment feed. Just saying you think something is awesome can be great, but it’s even more fun for us if you share a thought or question that occurred to you while reading. Interacting with readers is one of the awesomest things about blogging.

3. Share links every-freakin’-where

If you read a post that you really love, you can help by sharing the link with your friends. Tweet it, Facebook it, and especially pin it like crazy!!! This is a great way to help bloggers grow their audience and gain new readers. If you enjoy a blog, chances are your friends will like it, too. There’s no point in keeping it a secret.

4. Show some Facebook love

Facebook keeps making it harder and harder for bloggers to reach their fans on Facebook. They want us to pay to promote our posts, so now they only show our updates with about 10% of our followers. If you want to see the posts from your favorite bloggers, make sure you’re liking, commenting, and especially sharing things from their page. The more you interact, the more you will see.

5. Go ahead and click an ad

It won’t hurt. If you see something in an ad that interests you, go ahead and click it. Blogging isn’t free. There are hosting fees, equipment and supplies to be purchased, and countless hours expended in the creation of the blogs that you love. Advertising is one of the most common sources of income for a blogger. If you want to help them keep it going, just go ahead and give those ads a clickety click every now and then.

See? Wasn’t that easy and painless? If you’re a fan of a blog, don’t hide in the shadows. Bloggers want to get to know you. Go ahead. Reach out and show some love!