Putting Yourself Out There
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from David Peralty, it’s that you MUST put yourself out there. Regardless of what niche your in, it’s important to communicate with other groups for several reasons. Not only will you be sharing your insights and knowledge with others, you will learn a great deal from people that you, otherwise, would have never met had you NOT put yourself out there.
One thing you can’t be, is afraid. You can’t be afraid of rejection or criticism, in fact, you may as well prepare yourself for both of those because I guarantee you, it will happen. While most bloggers won’t bite, there will always be those few that think they’re better than you or just don’t care about the little people. Don’t let that scare you! Instead, let it motivate you to become a better blogger.
If you’re looking for another way to monetize your blog, then you should consider joining ad networks. Should you decide to join, be sure to read the fine print! You don’t want to get yourself into a legal bind because you failed to read your contract. Wendy gives some great advice on what to look for in your agreement, as well as a lengthy ad network list.
Digg is out, Stumbleupon is in–has always been in. Social networking can give you huge boosts in traffic but, more importantly, it gives you the opportunity to have your best work showcased and potentially increasing your readership. Still not inspired? Try reading Courtney’s “5 Reason I Used to Suck at Social Media” and I promise you’ll be inspired to change things up and get yourself acquainted with others.
Final thoughts:
Don’t let networking intimidate you. Join some groups, interact with the probloggers, and just be yourself.
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I think push marketing is required to get a site to a certain level in the beginning. Once you reach that level however, loyal readers and visitors will start marketing your site for you on their own. The initial phase is the hardest to get through but it’s definitely worth it in the end.
Gyutae Park’s last blog post..Winning the Web T-Shirt Models - Part 1
There is certainly a lot to do. I’ve had a few people complain that it is a lot of work to get known - all that participation, careful crafting of posts, and looking for post ideas within their niche.
But, if you *do* participate, the rewards are there.
I definitely think it’s important at the beginning to get noticed but I think people are afraid of being rejected. It’s kinda like high school. You’re either in or you’re out. Thanks for stopping by G!
Hi WTL!
I agree with your statement 100%! When I first started out, I was afraid to leave comments for fear of sounding like an idiot and then one time I finally left one on Darren’s blog and guess what? It was featured in his follow up post. HA! I would have never thought it but I guess he saw something good. Not too long after that Wendy at eMoms had linked to me and so on and so on. Now, I have 200+ readers and growing! Well, this turned into a rambling reply…lol.
Great post, Lori!
Networking is so important…it’s possible to get good at anything all by yourself, but the creative flow of ideas between other people trying to learn the same skills is amazing.
And building contacts is just as important. People you can ask for help when you need it, and who might know other people you need to know.
I’m the classic “learn it all by myself” kind of person, but since I started my blog in April I’ve been converted to the networking mindset.
Jay’s last blog post..How To Outrank Program Pages In Google
Great blog post, keep it up :)
Daily Celebrity Gossip’s last blog post..Spice Girls Cancel Rest Of World Tour
I spend a lot of time making relevant comments on blogs. I get an email responding to my comment but no reciprocal comment on my blog. How can I get more comments?
Karen’s last blog post..My First Job
Good post. I heartily agree that to enrich one’s life (and one’s blog) it helps to break out of the box and mingle with others who are different than you. Good post!
Mrs. Mecomber’s last blog post..Treating Motion Sickness
Thank you Jay! I’ve been working harder on my posts;)
Hi Karen,
1.Invite Comments. This can be achieved by asking them to leave a comment with their thoughts on the subject. Make it stand out. Put in bold or at the beginning of the post. Encourage people who have never left a comment to leave one.
2.Ask Questions. Don’t just ask a question at the end of the post, ask them throughout.
3.Be humble. Show your weaknesses or something you have failed at. You’d be surprised how many readers will jump at the opportunity to comfort you or give advice.
4.Be controversial. Now don’t start a Jerry Springer show but you get the idea. Stir things up a bit.
5.Rewards. Highlight 1 or 2 comments that were made and showcase them in your follow up post.
I hope this helps. I think content is a HUGE factor. If it’s good, they will speak.
Thank you Mrs. Mecomber! I’ve been working hard on my content lately. I think it’s paying off!
I remember those days of lurking. I wanted to have just the right words to leave on a comment. So I scared myself into thinking that I wasn’t funny or smart enough to comment.
But knowing how excited I get at comments on my blogs, I know that it’s kind to comment. I bit the bullet and started and now I have people commenting more frequently.
Great tips!
Connie’s last blog post..Two Sides
Thank you for stopping by and commenting;) Sorry it took me so long to reply!
I agree, the lurking must go and the commenting must begin!!
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this is all really useful, interesting stuff. I’ve been blogging for a while now, but only just started thinking about the whole blogging community and getting read. I was quite happy to be lost in cyber space, but I’ve found it’s fun to give and receive comments.
Babycakes’s last blog post..More thinking
Rejection and critics are the part of any social relationship. This post motivate me to face that more bravely. Thanks!
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