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8 Sure Fire Networking Strategies for Blogging Success

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Blogging Networking

Blogging is not a standalone business. You always need people in the blogosphere to survive and succeed as a blogger. One of the pillars of blogging success is Networking. Sadly, not all bloggers pay enough attention to it, and even those who realize the importance of networking, they don’t care to do anything about it.

They miss the point, I tell you. Networking is not a joke when it comes to blogging. Many bloggers think that they may waste their time if they indulge in building relationships. Their concern is valid. However, networking doesn’t mean that you have to read 2971 updates in your Twitter dashboard. It doesn’t mean that you have to read 571 friends’ updates in your Facebook either. But don’t miss the point…

Networking is the golden treasury which ensures your blogging success.

Having said that, I wouldn’t encourage you to jump into all social media sites and start interacting with people. That would be lame. As with anything regarding blogging, you should have a plan to build this pillar of networking. I am not going to tell you about my plan because it is personal ;). The plan may vary depending upon who you are and what your blog is about.

One of the important aspects in your networking plan should be to identify with whom to network. You cannot just jump into the web and wave a big HI to everyone. You need to be specific. You don’t need everyone, but you do need those people who matter for your business.

I am going to tell you 8 types of tribes you need, and this will not vary depending upon your blog. Whatever your niche, you will always need these 8 types of people to succeed. So let’s dive in.

Friends

Yes, this one may seem obvious, but I have to mention them because they form one of the most important tribes which you earn without much effort. Friends in the blogosphere need not be new friends (of course, we make new friends everyday) but they can also be your buddies who have already been friends to you for many years.

These are the easy-to-approach ones, and they can do favors for you when requested. It is simply nice to have a group of casual folks. This can be a good moral support.

Socializers

These are the people who exist in the blogosphere. They are good at promoting stuff. I mean, they don’t promote for money or anything. But they have a good base of friends, followers or connections. They find stuff on the internet and if they find it useful, they just share that stuff with their friends.

Socializers are great assets. If you manage to gain a handful of them as loyal readers of your blog, you can get a great amount of exposure.

Readers/Audience of your blog

Of course, readers give life to your blog, so you need them. Period. Develop successful relationships with your reader. Stay close to them but not too close. You can reply to all of their comments. You can notify them that you have replied to their comments by using the Comment Notification plugin. This will ensure them that you are open and interacting. They will come back.

You can send quick tips or strategies by email. You should send these mails in between your “regular” newsletters or updates. This will help you to stay close to them. But don’t send too many emails and annoy them.

Newbie Bloggers

Newbie bloggers are those who have just started out and they are the ones who need support. You may ask why you need them, but they are equally important to you as every established blogger.

It is somewhat easy to earn the friendship of newbie bloggers. Comment at least once in a fortnight on new blogs. Reply to emails by helping them with their questions as a newbie and you can have a handful of friends who are newbie bloggers.

You will still have their connection and mutual friendship once they become established bloggers, and you can surely have lots of favors returned.

Bloggers in your Niche

Don’t miss out other bloggers in your own niche. They are your competitors, that is true, but you need them. First of all, they are like-minded. You can recommend a resource to a group of people in your niche who are blogging just like you and who would be interested in trying that resource out.

With like-minded people, you can generate a lot of ideas. You can have common readership, that is, readers of their blog can be readers of your blog as well. You can cross promote the other’s stuff, endorse each other, and so on.

Seekers

Seekers are people who seek your advice and help in some matter. They normally contact you through your contact form or even ask for help in the comments. Embrace them.

If you help them, there are great chances that they will spread the word. You will easily become renowned and so will be your service. For instance if you are good at providing advice on Blogging Tips, then doing so in the long run will establish a base for you to launch paid consultation or coaching services.

Critics

Critics can be popular bloggers who are easily accessible and who reply to emails and help you with your issues. Do develop a good relationship with such bloggers. They are good at criticizing you of any shortfalls or flaws in your blog or product. Do not be afraid and do not hesitate to reach out and contact popular bloggers.

Getting a popular blogger to reply to your email is not a hard ordeal. You can do this by consistently commenting on their blogs and, of course, by guest posting.

Takeaway:

As I said earlier, you need people and not just pairs of eyeballs for your blogging success. Do develop healthy relationship in all possible ways.

However, be cautious at the same time not to indulge in too much networking and as a consequence, forget about blogging. Blogging is not socializing. Don’t get lost in social media and don’t get addicted to it either.

Be open and accessible, but keep everything in check. You too have 24 hrs a day just like any other person. So, you cannot be helping each and every person out there. Limit the amount of time you spend networking everyday.

Make sure you are producing enough content for your blog and are devoting the right amount of time and energy to developing your blog.

On to you…..

How good are you at networking? Do you have a strategy in building relationships? I’d love to hear from you.

About

Jane helps bloggers and entrepreneurs to build blogs that succeed. Get free access to her library of resources by clicking here. She invites you to join her blogging community DoSplash.

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{ 34 Responses }

  1. Team Afro says:
    It certainly takes people to make your blog successful and networking in "tribes" is the way to go. Too often all the time is spent blogging and not networking and thus the blog never gets off the ground. This article gives some good concrete steps and suggestions for finding the tribe niche. Thanks and I will use it.
  2. Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny says:
    When I think of all the bloggers I've met and all the ones I'm looking forward to meeting, I get overwhelmed. I feel like I flit from one place to the next saying hi and sucking nectar from their blog like a little hummingbird. Nothing wrong, I suppose. There will never be enough time to hang out and go deep when there's so many new bloggers to meet. Jane, as you mention in your take-away, balance is key to having fun, maintaining focus and being productive. Humming away to another blog post now...
  3. Mavis Nong says:
    Hi Jane,You're sharing great networking tips here. My blog transformed when I started networking with others, getting my name and blog out there.It's important to interact with your readers and fellow bloggers. Even though I'm an established blogger, I still pay new blogs a visit once in a while and the blog owners feel good about it :)Thanks for sharing your insights, Jane.All the best, Mavis
  4. Suraj says:
    Thanks for sharing this wonderful article. I enjoyed and learnt a lot.
  5. Vincet says:
    A lot of bloggers forget that they were once newbies which creates such a bad disconnect. The newbie bloggers are the best to network with because they’re the up and comers; you’ll be able to share great information and make connections with them because unlike ‘pro bloggers’ they’re not bombarded with emails and contacts every day.Never forget the people that make up your core audience.
  6. Cosmin Stefan says:
    Hey I really enjoyed reading this article. It provides a very comprehensive and useful list. But can you suggest methods of finding people similar to you? I don’t think I enjoy going from blog to blog and engage in “networking” just for the sake of it. I’d rather follow a few blogs and develop a true relationship with the author. I’m just not sure how to do this.
  7. Lennart Heleander says:
    Hi Jane, I have seen so many great blogs that have done everything right, writes very good and interesting content, have the right network, guest blogging, etc. but has nevertheless failed to become an established blog. Unfortunately, you must also have some luck.
    • Jane says:
      Blogging takes quite some time and patience. You can contact me if you want specific help with your blogging journey, I will be glad to help. But I am sure that there is no such thing called "luck". :) Jane.
  8. Alex says:
    Networking is an essential part of blogging in my opinion. You can't really fight a war alone, the same thing with blogging you can't blog if you don't network. I think, building relations it's something that will help you later, by making those people, which will eventually become the so called online friends, help you grow even bigger. Because it's always better when you are promoted by someone else rather the promoting yourself. SO , "wasting" time with networking at first will help you save time later on.
  9. Sandeep says:
    You need to build relationships if you want to survive in the long run... networking is the key , i totally agree with you on that..
  10. Robert Dempsey says:
    Fantastic points Jane. I network a ton with people inside and outside of the niches I'm in. Networking is what helps me to build my authority sites very quickly, and get the word out about me and what I'm doing. And there are two sides of that though - you have to give to get, and give first. I tell people who I'm connecting with and what value those folks are providing me. It's amazing how far you can get and how fast when you give credit where credit is due. And you don't lose anything, so don't be afraid to give it where it's due.
    • Jane says:
      Ya it may all seem overwhelming in the beginning. But we don't lose anything rather gain a lot. Jane.
    • Jeff Smitth says:
      I have Question if you don't mind it. Can you tell me how you will use the keyword with name in place of name
  11. Andreas says:
    The only way goes through the blogging experts in your niche, follow them, and follow whoever is following them if you would like to get heard and network.
  12. Priya says:
    Hi Jane, Are their any trick or tips which can be used to get more Socializers to one's blog. I think Socializers are great assets for any blog as when they like things, they never forget to share with their circle.
    • Jane says:
      There is no shortcut or a quick way unfortunately. But the more you are engaged with people at social networks the more you will get back. Don't just post updates about your blog on social sites but do develop and maintain real relationship. Jane.
  13. Wasim Ismail says:
    Great work, networking plays a major major part in a success of your blog, it’s the key that brings life to your blog, your character, and brings in traffic to your site. I am focosuing more on Twitter, as that works for me, but still playing around with Facebook. I guess its best to find a networking site that works for your business.
  14. Ajay says:
    building relationships is that aspect of blogging which is not too talked about while it totally deserves the hype... Relationships in the blogosphere is like the cement that supports the pillars of your house.. the better the quality the better is the chances of survival...
  15. Tinh says:
    I do agree that networking will be a great method to build up relationships with other bloggers and build up readership for our blog, blogger can not be successful without networking :-)
  16. Ahmad Wali says:
    Nice tips, I think improving writing quality is very important for attracting other bloggers and readers. I agree contacting famous bloggers is easy and some of the guys are really nice and help you.
    • Jane says:
      Ya I have a handful of them as close friends. They are so nice and accessible. They are open to questions too. All you need is to engage yourself in the interactions at their blogs before contacting them first ;) Jane.
  17. Shariq says:
    I want to ask a question. May excessive social bookmarking of an article harm search engine ranking?
    • Jane says:
      Not at all Shariq. Indeed it adds power to the article in the eyes of search engines. However, one has to make sure that the excessive bookmarking doesn't happen from any one particular account. For instance if you (or your friend) just tweet your post too much or Like it on facebook too much, that might wave a red flag (by too much, I mean far too much). But when different people go crazy and bookmark your posts excessive times, that is a very good sign. Jane.
  18. Dave Grimes II says:
    I think that far too often, bloggers underutilize their relationships with other bloggers in their niche. Everything from guest blogging opportunities to just sharing tips and ideas makes having good relationships with other bloggers one of the most valuable assets in your blogging arsenal!
  19. Mohammed Fouzan says:
    Finding bloggers on same niche as what we are is very important. Because we can easily share the new things with them. As they are interested in that niche they will surely interested in such posts. So by the way we get readers also to our website :)
  20. Murray says:
    A lot of bloggers forget that they were once newbies which creates such a bad disconnect. The newbie bloggers are the best to network with because they're the up and comers; you'll be able to share great information and make connections with them because unlike 'pro bloggers' they're not bombarded with emails and contacts every day. Never forget the people that make up your core audience.
  21. TJ McDowell says:
    I don't have a formal networking strategy, but I definitely try to network everywhere I go (online or not). Did I miss something or were there only 7 groups of people? I was expecting 8.
  22. Bob says:
    As a new blogger (8 months) I am constantly amazed how nice fellow bloggers in my niche (retirement advice) have been. In most endeavors I'd be seen as a competitor. In blogging I am seen as a friend worthy of help and sharing. Several have pushed me to grow and suggested things like an e-book, which will be available by the end of this week. I completely agree with your key premise that networking is what makes the blogosphere work as well as it does.
    • Jane Sheeba says:
      Ya that's an excellent point that you have mentioned - Networking pushes you forward in the right direction :) Jane.
  23. James says:
    Networking is one of the best ways to build up your site and leapfrog the competition. One thing I do is buy programs in my niche just to get access to their paid members area. I spend a lot of time helping their members. Not only does this help build up your reputation with those members and potential customers, but when you help someones members, the owner will want to get to know you. I have gotten to know several big names in my niche by doing this, and they have helped promote my stuff, leapfrogging me past a lot of heavy duty competition.