Connect, connect, connect!
An online community doesn’t exist without connections, so if you want to grow the size of your online community then reach out and connect to others often. That’s pretty much the gist of the 3 secrets I tried out on my home business blog from Chris Brogan’s “27 Blogging Secrets to Power Your Community.” The great news is that these 3 secrets (numbers 21, 22, and 23) are really easy for anyone, even a techno-challenged newbie, to implement. They require no money and not much time.
Secret #21: Link to Other Blogs Often
When I read posts from the best bloggers in the social media world, I notice that they great online networkers. If they come across a great piece of software, they link to it. When they have a good experience with a service provider, they post about the experience and link to the provider’s blog. If they stumble on a great blog, they link to it. I’ve started doing the same on my home business blog and my readers really like it.
The best bloggers are not afraid to send people to other blogs because they know that people will keep coming back to the same blogs as long as great information keeps being posted. I read Chris’ blog and I see a huge percentage of posts that direct readers to other sites. It’s no big deal because Chris’ audience knows that he has the goods when it comes to social media so they stay tuned into his blog feeds even as they visit his recommended sites. Linking to other blogs or inviting guest authors onto your blog also means that you don’t have to come up with every single piece of writing on your blog. If you feel brain-dead one day, just put together a list of great resources blogs. I know I could use the break some days when considering what to post to my own home business blog.
On those days, I might post a list of the best blogs about blogging to help all the newbie bloggers out there:
1. Copyblogger by Brian Clark
2. Online Marketing Blog by Lee Odden
3. Build a Better Blog by Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman
4. Shoe Money by Jeremy Schoemaker
This secret is easy to implement. It takes about 10 minutes to put together a quality list and post it on my blog. If you’re stuck for list content, check out Alltop as a great source.
Time Spent: 10 minutes
Dinero Spent: $0
Secret #22: Comment on Other Blogs Often
This secret is no big deal and serves two purposes at once. One, by commenting on other people’s blogs you get your name out there and a link back to your own website or blog. Two, by getting into the habit of reading and commenting on other people’s blogs frequently, you actually force yourself to learn something on a regular basis. The best blogs in the world have great information that’s also free. Whether you’re reading and commenting on blogs about social media, marketing, nutrition, lifestyle, or web development, you will undoubtedly learn something that will make your own blog better.
I check into at least 10 blogs just about every day and offer thoughtful comments where I think they will be useful. Leaving comments is simple. Most blog posts will have a comment form at the very bottom of the post. Just fill in the fields (name, email, URL) and then add your comment. You don’t have to leave earth-shattering comments, but be honest, information, appreciative, or helpful with your comments. Thank the blogger for his or her efforts if you really appreciated the post, or share your own experiences about the posted topic. This secret was easy to implement. It just takes a little discipline to visit and read blogs on a daily basis and takes me about 30-45 minutes a day, depending on how engrossed I get in reading each blog!
Time Spent: 30-45 minutes daily
Dinero Spent: $0
Secret #23: Comment in Your Own Comments Section
This secret is simple: when someone takes the time to comment on your blog posts, thank them by taking the time to respond. As Chris puts it, “Conversation with your readers turn them from readers into a community.” By responding to comments on your blog, you create a conversation rather than a one-way communication. I’m thrilled whenever I get comments on my home business blog (including on from Chris Brogan himself!) and I always take time to respond. It takes just a few minutes a day but builds readership and loyalty. People like knowing there’s a real person behind the blog! This secret doesn’t take a lot of time to implement but the potential payoff is big.
Time Spent: 5 minutes daily
Dinero Spent: $0
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