Networking is a key ingredient for growth of bloggers. No man is an island of knowledge. People, businesses, and brands need to network at one time or the other.
With a strong network, you will not just build an audience but you will also have a trusted group whose contributions can help you make informed decisions about your blog. You don’t have to learn from your mistakes, you can learn from mistakes people in your network have made.
Why should I network? It is the lifeblood of your blog. Of course, it will take time and energy that you’d rather invest in creating content for your blog, but the fact remains; the gains outweigh the pains, so it is worth the try.
A good network with other bloggers will keep you updated with industry trends and can open doors of collaboration and promotion of each other’s works.
Perhaps, networking for you as a blogger isn’t as difficult as it sounds. As a blogger, your blog comes as a handy tool in finding and making those first connections.
your network as a blogger
There are 2 groups of people in your network that are important for the growth of your blog: Your blog readers and other blogs.
Now, you want to know how to network with your Blog Readers?
Your blog readers are your audience and they are the reason you’re in business in the first place. Whatever success you will get from blogging is dependent on the loyalty of your readers. Your visitors are the most important part of your network because they are the ones who will read & share every post, listen to your podcast, and recommend your blog to their friends. They are the ones who will give you honest feedback on areas to improve upon to help you succeed.
So how exactly do you build an audience knowing they are your most important asset?
1. Offer Value in your blog posts
Building a good blog will help you generate views. But you can offer e-books, cheat sheets & guides in exchange for visitor’s data. When you collect visitors’ data you can personalize their experience by communicating directly through e-mail marketing.
2. respond to comment
It’s fulfilling for a reader when they know their recommendation or question was acknowledged by a blogger they follow. It creates the illusion of a power-shift to the audience when in the real sense as the blogger, you retain control over all of the comments.
Monitor frequent commenters. Some may own a blog of their own and could just be spying on your work. This can spark a good partnership and can lead to your building backlinks; which will help improve SEO ranking. Comments can also be a creative force for a blogger. A comment can be the inspiration you need to start a new post or lead to new research.
3. Comment on other blogs
You don’t have to talk always, but when you find something that arouses your interest, catches your fancy, or sprouts a question on your mind, use the comment section. And if you enjoy the blogger’s content, you can try to connect with them. But ensure you do not litter comment sections on other people’s blogs with links to your blog. It is called “spamming”.
4. Stay Social
Do you have to be on all social media platforms? No, you don’t. Except you have a team, you may find it difficult to handle all social media platforms effectively. But be on at least two and make them as engaging as possible. Ensure you pin content from your blog to your social media profiles. Also, include links to your social media channels on your blog too.
Networking With co-bloggers
The tips shared so far in this post can be applied to co-bloggers too. This is because most bloggers check out other blogs to see how they compare. However, the following steps can assist in improving your bloggers-network experience.
5. Join a blogger network.
As long as you’re on the internet, there’s most likely a community of bloggers around you. It is an easy way to know and meet bloggers in your niche and those in other spheres. You can check Facebook for blogger groups in your community or places near you. Find out their requirements and join accordingly.
6. Attend blogger meet-ups
Make sure you make time for blogger workshops and writer meet-ups. These gatherings represent a rare opportunity to learn and unlearn tricks of blogging from other bloggers. Don’t forget to share a post about any interesting event you attend. Most likely, engagements on such posts will be from other bloggers, and you can build a relationship there.
7. Use Your Blog Effectively
Get comfortable talking about your impressive numbers, a new achievement, or a new milestone you reached on your blog. The numbers from your blog are perhaps the greatest index that will be considered when you talk to potential investors or clients.
Don’t rest on your laurels. If there are people you will like to see your work, don’t hesitate to link them to your work or send a mail to them politely asking them to read your content.
If you sell information products on your blog, you can run a preview for your potential customers in your archive. If you get featured on another blog or have a new product to launch, ensure you dedicate a post to inform your audience about it.
Now that you have a strong blog network, where do you go from here?
Let the connections transcend the digital world. Meet some of them physically. Create bonds. Take time to know each person and ensure to keep up with them. Appreciate them and go for a drink when you can. These connections can be a game-changer not just for your blog but also for your life. Who knows, one day it could save a life.
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