Blog Hopping 101: What is it?

No. No. No. I'm NOT talking about the movie.

What is it? According to Linky Tools:

A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS.
When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog.
Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides.
Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can “HOP” from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!

HUH? A bit confusing IMO. In Terri's terms, you sign up w/ the blog hosting & you're added to a participating bloggers list. Nabbing the cute little badge button & posting it on your own blog creates that link back to the hosting site, thus the list of countless other blogs involved. Still not getting it??? I wasn't sure till I just decided to dive in & learn by doing.

It's a crash course I took at the beginning of June. I stopped by one of my cyber buds & saw she was involved in one hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, who hosts them every two weeks.

'What's this?' I wondered. 'Looks like fun!' I went to Not A Writer's blog to see what it was all about. The next hop coming up was the Debut Author Blog Hop. I just happened to be helping another bud, Rebecca Hart, with the blog tour she was doing for her debut novel, Call of the Sea, at the same time the hop was going on.

Well, I signed up. HERE is what my blog looked like on opening day. And what fun! I learned how to use Rafflecopter - that giveaway widget I'd seen on dozens of blogs. I also learned the joy of hosting a giveaway - AND I gained over 20 blog followers because of it.

Pretty stoked.

Signed up for another where I'll be giving away a $10 or less book of your choice. Check out the Summer Reads widget to the right. It runs from July 6th - 11th. Click on it to learn more.

Never been involved in a blog hop before? Sign up! It's easy, fun, & you'll get to meet a slew of great peeps.