How And Why You Should Network With Other Bloggers

6.1 Why you are more likely to be successful when you work with others

The world of blogging can be daunting, when you are setting up your first blog and learning how your platform of choice works. necessaryYou may be concerned about blogging etiquette, the norms you need to learn and follow within your niche and how you can avoid the most common beginners' mistakes. Fortunately, there is one strategy you can use that will help you find answers to most of your questions and build your website's reputation into the bargain - networking with other bloggers. In this module, you will learn how to connect with other bloggers and in doing so, promote your work. We will look at how you can network both ofβline and in person and consider the beneβits of attending conferences held especially for bloggers.

Here is an overview of why you should consider following others within your niche and making contact with them right from the inception of your blog:

You will be able to learn from the mistakes of others, rather than repeating them yourself

Many bloggers are keen to pass on their knowledge and experience to those new to the community (sometimes referred to as the “blogosphere”). If you have a question about blogging - whether it be related to trouble you are having with a plugin, or a question about how best to structure posts - don't be afraid to reach out to a blogger you admire with a short email, a comment on one of their posts, or a quick message on social media.

Note that this does not mean you should ask them to set aside a significant amount of time to help you with your problems or to promote your blog, merely that people are often flattered by simple questions that will only take them a moment or two to answer. People feel good about themselves when they are given the opportunity to help others at little cost to themselves - and professional bloggers know that when they are seen to offer assistance to those in need, their reputation will receive a boost. Take an hour or two to look through your fellow bloggers' oldest content and take note of how they have changed their blogging style over time.

You may find, for example, that they have made use of more images and videos in recent years, or they may have introduced regular columns or features in response to reader requests. Take note of any recurring themes that come up in the blog comments and note how the blogger deals with negative feedback. If you decide to enable comments on your blog, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility of negative and even hostile feedback. You can learn much from others, when it comes to deciding on a strategy ahead of time for dealing with readers' negative opinions.

Some bloggers like to set out what they have learned about blogging in dedicated blog posts. If your favourite bloggers have been running their websites for a year or more and have been posting on a regular basis, search their site for any posts that outline their thoughts on running a blog. They may well have decided to list their mistakes and how they have used them as a springboard for progress, or they may have written several essays on how they apply general principles of blogging to their everyday writing practice. Either way, you could pick up a number of useful tips from reading this kind of post.

Activity: Learning From Other Bloggers

Time: 15-30 minutes

Search for “mistakes I made as a beginner blogger” using Google. You should find numerous blog posts from bloggers writing in many different areas.

Pick at least three. Make a list of the most valuable lessons you can take away from their experiences.

6.2 Be an asset to the blogging community

Assuming you have the time, try your best to be an asset to the blogging community. As your online presence grows and your blog acquires a reputation, new bloggers may approach you with questions similar to those you asked at the start of your blogging career. Offer as much help and advice as reasonably possible. Even if you receive no immediate reward, you can take pride in knowing that you have tried to assist someone else.

You will gain valuable insight into the issues of most concern to your target audience

If your primary concern is growing a loyal following, you will want to gain an insight into the wants, needs and problems that preoccupy your target audience. There are few more effective ways of gaining this knowledge than by paying close attention to what other people in your field are writing about. You should also read feedback left by their readers and note any themes that come up on a recurring basis. These topics could form the basis for a popular blogpost, or even a series.

You should also look at the products or services being offered for sale. This will give you a valuable insight into how much disposable income your target audience has to spend, as well as the things they are willing to spend it on. If possible, read the reviews they are leaving on other bloggers' products. This will give you valuable information, if and when you decide to sell your own products and services later on.

You will be able to spread the word about your blog

When you communicate with another blogger, whether it be on their website or via social media, you will often have the opportunity to post a link back to your site or your most recent post. As long as your content is of good quality and relates to their work, a blogger in your niche may well draw their readers' attention to your site in their posts. The most successful bloggers do not waste time worrying about the competition reading other blogs, because they are secure in their ability to produce useful content that will keep their audience returning over the long term.

If you contribute comments to a “big name” blog on a regular basis, you will become a known name within that community and so other blog readers will feel a sense of curiosity that drives them to look at your own site. Don't forget to continue making constructive contributions once your blog becomes popular. Never use someone else's site solely as a means of promoting your own. Others will realise what you are doing and may even decide to air their thoughts in public, which could damage your reputation.

If you and another blogger possess diverse skills, you can trade services 

It is possible to create a blog based solely around text, but this type of blog is becoming increasingly rare, as bloggers make use of other media, such as images and videos, to capture their readers' attention. This allows for greater creative expression, but also means that bloggers need to develop an increasing number of different skills, or at least understand how to outsource particular tasks. However, if you network with other bloggers who have a skillset different to your own, you may well be able to trade tasks so that both of you can save time and money.

For example, you may be good at creating tutorials, but poor at capturing engaging images, whereas a blogging acquaintance of yours may excel at taking photographs, but lack the patience needed to put together the kind of tutorial post their readers may enjoy. In this situation, you could offer to write them a tutorial post based on notes they provide, in exchange for a set of photographs taken to your specifications. You could also acknowledge the others' input on your respective blogs, which may serve to drive traffic to both your sites.

You may make new friends, or make contact with potential business partners

When you network with other bloggers, you have the opportunity to meet people who have set themselves similar goals to you. You can therefore encourage one another when your motivation drops and inspire one another to keep going when you run into difficulties. Your family and friends may not understand why you run a blog or how it feels to hit a slump, but your fellow bloggers can be there to offer support. Make sure that you reciprocate and keep the relationship evenly balanced.

As well as finding friends, you may be able to form a business relationship that could enable you to collaborate on projects such as additional websites, an eBook, or a consulting service. Before embarking on a collaboration with another blogger, take the time to get to know them as an individual and a potential business partner. Ask them whether they have collaborated with others and, if so, the degree to which their last project was successful. If you are thinking of investing a significant amount of time or money on a joint project, it is a good idea to draw up a legally binding contract that specifies who will own the end product and how the proceeds will be split.

Talking to a contract lawyer in the early stages could save you from later difficulties. You may also wish to consider working together on a smaller project first, in order to check that you are compatible as partners. Sometimes you may find that an individual is a great asset as a friend or peer, but that their personality or working style does not fit with your own.

6.3 Where to find other bloggers writing in your niche

Look at the blogs you already read.

If you have chosen a blog topic about which you are passionate, you will already be reading blogs on the subject and probably have two or three favourites. Take the next step by following these bloggers on social media. Who do they follow and whose blogs do they read? Follow any links included in their posts. Create a bookmarks folder in your internet browser and fill it with links to the best blogs in your field.

Use search engines, to track down new bloggers

Another simple way of finding relevant blogs is to use search engines. Searching “blog” + “blog topic” will bring you many helpful results, assuming that your interests are shared by others. If you cannot find any other relevant blogs, try using slightly different search terms. If this still doesn't work, it may be a sign that not many people are interested in your topic and that you will find it hard to attract a significant number of visitors to your blog.

Look at author biographies on news and current affairs sites

You have probably noticed that contributors writing for large lifestyle sites, such as the Huffington Post, often have brief biographies at the end of their articles. If you find an article that is relevant to your blog topic, look at the author's biography and check whether they have a blog. If so, read it and consider becoming a regular visitor. If their work is especially inspirational, leave them a few blog comments and follow them on social media. As will be addressed in greater depth later on in the course, writing and publishing articles on high traffic sites is a good way of attracting more visitors to your blog. It is also worth checking whether the authors of your favourite books maintain blogs, particularly if their work relates to your blog topic.

Look for blogging conferences targeted at those in your niche

Some bloggers find that attending conferences is a good way of meeting other writers in their niche. Whilst it is certainly possible to forge meaningful friendships and working partnerships online, making contact with someone in person can strengthen the relationship. Go to Google or any other search engine and type “blogging conference”, followed by your country, or “online blogging conference”, if you would prefer to network online or live in a small country.

Along with large blogging conventions that target bloggers as a general group, there are conferences held for specific niches, such as beauty, fitness, home schooling and current affairs. Once you begin searching for relevant events, you will discover listings for conferences, together with instructions on how to register. Most blog conferences have associated websites and social media pages that will tell you more about the event, including a list of guest speakers and any organisations that will be in attendance. Costs will vary, depending on the length and location of the conference. Don't forget to account for travel and accommodation expenses.

Blogging conferences often incorporate workshops designed to help bloggers excel at their craft and attract more traffic to their blogs. For example, if you attend a conference on beauty blogging, you may be able to attend talks on how to create makeup tutorials, stay abreast of current fashion trends and secure advertising deals with fashion and beauty retailers. Companies often use large conferences as an opportunity to give out free merchandise to attendees, in the hope that they will promote their products via their blogs or on social media. Conferences also offer you the opportunity to meet potential sponsors face to face. This is particularly valuable if you run a blog that features physical products on a regular basis.

For example, if you run a health and fitness based blog that mentions and reviews various exercise supplements or equipment, there may be an opportunity to make contact with a representative from a company who would be happy to compensate you for a blog post promoting their products.

If you go to a blog conference, keep a few business cards to hand. Conferences are designed with networking in mind, so do not hesitate to introduce yourself to other bloggers. Simply asking them for their blog name and address will usually be enough to begin a conversation. Other good conversation topics include the length of time they have been blogging, whether they have attended this particular conference before and which of the talks or workshops they are thinking of attending.

Not everyone you meet will be a potential friend or collaborator, but if you make a commitment to speaking with at least a few other bloggers, then the chances are high that you will make useful new connections. Follow your new contacts online and set aside a few minutes to read their latest blog posts. They will be pleased that you have made the effort to locate their work and are likely to return the favour, as a result.

6.4 Etiquette - how to reach out to another blogger in your niche

Blogging is a social activity and most bloggers will be receptive to brief friendly messages.

However, there are a few guidelines to remember when networking with others:

Do not send overly long or detailed messages

In the blogosphere, brevity is valued. Make initial contact with another blogger, by writing them a brief, positive comment on their blog, or by sending them a quick message on social media. Let them know that you appreciate their work, ideally by complimenting one of their recent posts. Follow them on social media, as appropriate (we will return to the ways in which you can best use social media whilst blogging later in the chapter) and provide them with brief, insightful comments, when they publish a particularly strong piece of content. Do not waste anyone's time by writing long, rambling messages that will take them more than a minute to read. Otherwise, they will become annoyed and will be unlikely to read any more communications from you in the future.

Make it easy for someone to find and review your work

If you use email to communicate with other bloggers, set up a signature that automatically adds your full name, blog address and any social media handles to the end of your messages. Do not assume that someone will remember your personal details the first, second, or even third time you repeat them.

Do not send a message asking for a favour

Just as it is generally unacceptable to ask a stranger on the street for a favour, it is inappropriate to make your first contact with another blogger a request for help. Try to build a relationship with them first, or help them out in some small way - perhaps by mentioning one of their articles on your blog and then tweeting them the link to your post. Most bloggers will not take kindly to requests from someone they have never heard of before. If they are especially popular or famous in your niche, they are likely to be too busy to work with a stranger who has not even offered them a favour in return.

If you do not get a response, do not take it personally

Most people now have multiple demands on their time and as a result, struggle to respond to every email or message they receive. If you get in touch with a blogger and do not get a reply, do not assume that you have done anything wrong. In all likelihood, they are simply too busy and will respond if and when they have the time. It is generally acceptable to send one or at most two “follow-up” or reminder messages, spaced at least two weeks apart.

Always keep your tone upbeat and friendly

Whether you are leaving a comment on someone's blog or sending them an email asking whether they would like to write a guest post for your site, always be pleasant and positive. If you gain a reputation for being difficult or unfriendly, your blog's popularity will suffer and others will be less willing to work with you. Do not bad mouth other bloggers - you never know who is friends with whom in the blogosphere.

Moreover, making negative comments will encourage others to conclude that you are a generally critical or even jealous individual, who is best avoided. The old saying “If you can't say anything nice, say nothing” applies, when you network with other bloggers.

Remember that content you send via the internet will be around forever

Following on from the previous point, remember that the recipients of your emails, blog comments and social media posts will be able to keep copies of whatever you send or publish. Think very carefully, before commenting on sensitive topics or making controversial statements, particularly if you do not know the recipient well. It is hard to convey tone via text and therefore, it is easier to cause offence online than it is in person.

If you want to re-post any content, ask permission first

Linking to someone else's blog post, together with a positive comment, is a good strategy for networking, as it shows an appreciation for someone else's work. However, if you wish to post more than a brief excerpt or quote from someone else's blog, send them a message asking permission first. Most bloggers work hard to put together original content and do not respond well to their posts being reused without prior consultation. They may even have grounds to take legal action against you for copyright infringement, even if you cite your source and link to the original version.

Always ask a blogger before re-purposing their content.

Tell them why you wish to use it on your own blog and reassure them that you will give them credit, as appropriate. Keep a copy of any messages in which they grant you permission to use their material. If they decline to grant you permission, do not press them for an explanation. It is their right to retain control over their intellectual property.

Activity: Who Will You Reach Out To First?

Time: 10-20 Minutes

Make a list of your favourite five bloggers who write about your topic. Rank them in order of how approachable they seem, based on their blog and social media.

Now reach out to the person you ranked first, followed by the person you ranked second and so on.

6.5 Networking with bloggers who write on other topics

You should make it a priority to network with those working in the same niche, because it is an effective way of attracting the most suitable readers to your own blog. However, there is also value in making connections with bloggers who write on different topics, yet aim their content at a similar demographic to your target audience. This is because certain groups typically hold multiple overlapping interests and need answers to more than one problem.

For example, suppose you maintain a blog in a diet niche that is targeted at women in their late twenties and early thirties. Your material would probably centre around issues such as nutritional supplements and exercise routines and you would look to make contact primarily with people writing about similar topics.

However, women in this age group typically have other concerns in common, which could make it worth your while to network with bloggers in other niches. Specifically, many of them will be considering marrying or starting a family. Therefore, blogs about weddings, long-term relationships, fertility and childcare may be of interest to this audience. You could capitalise on their needs, by networking with bloggers who write about these topics. 

For example, you could agree to occasionally promote the others' posts or products, so that you each enjoy a wave of new blog visitors.

FACT

The majority of bloggers are aged between 21 and 35.

Source: Quikrpost.com

6.6 Setting up your own blogging or “mastermind” group

Once you have been blogging for a few months and feel confident that you are going to continue down this path, you could set up your own group for bloggers writing within your niche. A blogging group consists of individuals (usually around 10-20 in number) who would all like to benefit from being able to talk to others in the same blogging niche on a regular basis.

If you have been networking with high-profile bloggers in your niche, they may invite you to join a group of this nature, if they think you could give and receive support to and from other bloggers. However, you may need to be proactive in your approach and set up your own group instead. This allows you to control the overall direction and tone of the group, as well as have the final say concerning who is allowed to join.

Blogging groups can be as simple and informal as an email list of people who blog on the same topic, or they can take the form of a more elaborate setup, complete with regular online meetings and private online message boards. Some groups even meet in person every few months for conferences.

If you would like to set up a blogging group, the simplest way of achieving your objective is simply to ask your favourite bloggers whether they would like to join. Before sending out an invitation, make sure that you are clear on the group's purposes and how members will be able to communicate with one another.

For example, do you need to set up a private message board or password protected website, before trying to establish a group? If you want members to talk with one another on a regular basis, do you need to draw up a schedule of online conference calls? In brief, you need to be clear on what you can offer the members of the group and how much time and effort you expect them to contribute.

Module Summary

From its earliest days, blogging has been a social activity, designed to bring people together and build online communities. Most bloggers are happy to befriend others working in the same niche and can benefit from exchanging experiences and tips. Networking with other bloggers provides you not only with the chance to make new friends, but to gain new ideas for your blog and to learn from the mistakes of others. You can reach out directly to other bloggers via their websites and social media profiles.

Always observe the basics of blogosphere etiquette and remain friendly at all times. Another useful way of networking with others writing in your niche is to attend blogging conferences, which not only allow you to meet other bloggers but also to make contact with potential sponsors and attend workshops that can equip you with practical knowledge, in order to improve your blog's performance. You could also join or set up a blogging group. Such groups allow members to support one another as they build their blogs and act as a forum for networking and collaboration. If you decide to collaborate with another blogger on a project, take precautions by drawing up a clear set of expectations in the form of a contract.