Blogging can be a great hobby or even business. It can also be a very lonely hobby or business if you don’t reach out to others. Over the past few years, I’ve made it my goal to network with other bloggers and I really think that’s what has kept me in the blogging world and in some ways, made me successful in the blogging world.
Autumn has arrived which means the weather will be cooling down soon and eventually there will be more time spent indoors than outdoors. It’s the perfect time to hone in your blog networking skills with just a few simple tips.
Join a blogging group.
There are lots of great blogging groups scattered around Facebook. In fact, I’m in several great ones that I use for different reasons. Unfortunately, deciding which one to join can be a bit overwhelming. I thought I’d make it simple for you and invite you to join Blog Connected. It’s not an entirely new group, but it is a group that I’ve been giving a major makeover. I’m part of several groups that offer golden opportunities for social shares and promotion. I’m also part of several groups that offer collaboration, discussion, and feedback. I haven’t seen many out there that combine these two aspects. That’s what I’ve set out to do with Blog Connected. All of the fun really starts October 2, but you can join now to get a sneak peek and to see what’s coming! I promise you won’t be disappointed! (And if you are, all you have to do is click “leave group” so you really have nothing to lose!)
Comment on other blogs.
This one may seem obvious but commenting on other blogs is a great way to network. It allows you to see what other bloggers are posting and it also gives you the chance to talk to other bloggers. Many are great about responding to the comments on their blogs and I’ve even had a few full blown conversations via blog comments. On the other side of this, I highly recommend responding to comments that are left on your own blog!
Attend Twitter Parties.
There are tons of twitter parties happening every week and many of them are hosted by other bloggers. You can start finding chats by checking out the list that the Shield Sisters Initiative put together. It’s pretty comprehensive and well-organized! One party that I can recommend is #bloggybrunch which happens every Sunday at 2pm EST. I may be a bit biased since I host the chat, but I would love to see you join us for socializing and blog discussion!
Link up with other blogs.
Have you heard of link ups? (If not, please let me know in the comments and I’ll explain what they are!) Well, link ups are an excellent way to start networking with other bloggers. They are also a great way to find new blogs since there are new people joining every week! You can start by joining our Bloggy Brunch link up on Sundays. Then, you can head over to Girl on the Move and find many more parties to join!
Use your social media.
You might not realize it, but you’re probably already doing a little bit of networking. Do you comment on other Instagram posts? Share content on Facebook? Pin favorites to your boards? All of these are ways of networking. They may not connect you in the same way as those mentioned above, but they are definitely a start. Start being more active on the interaction side of your social media accounts! You might be amazed at how many friends and connections you can make by simply being you!
What other ways have you found to network with other bloggers? I would love to hear about them in the comments below!
