In the last post, I wrote an extensive guide on how to use blog networking to build solid relationships and skyrocket your traffic. If you haven’t read it yet, I definitely recommend giving it a look (and read it through – it’s worth it). 
Because we all know that networking is crucial if you want your business to see amazing growth (I talked about this in my massive networking guide, so I won’t get into it here). But how crucial is networking really?
Well get ready to get inspired, because today I have for you four special guests experienced in the networking arena: Tristan from Blogging Bookshelf, Marlee from Metamorphoself, Jk from The Hustler’s Notebook, and Marcus from The Sales Lion. I talked about them briefly in my networking guide, but the fact of the matter is – these people are rocking the blogosphere. They all have large, growing audiences, and they’ve all agreed to share their secrets on how you can increase traffic, better engage with your audience, and build ongoing relationships with the people you interact with.
Are you ready?
I hope you enjoy these interviews. After reading, I encourage you to check each blogger out, read a few posts, and subscribe to the blog. They really write some amazing stuff.
Then when you’re done, get networking!
Here’s what we’re going to talk about.
- The meaning behind networking
- How each blogger managed to create such a tremendous following (including tactics not networking-related)
- The main benefits of maintaining a network
- What each blogger does to network now and which tasks are done more than others
- What bloggers hesitant about reaching out and expanding their network should do and why they should do it
Let’s begin.
Tristan Higbee from Blogging Bookshelf
When you hear the word “networking,” what comes to mind?
When I hear the word “networking,” the first thing that comes to mind is a scuzzball pyramid scheme guy trying to take me out to lunch just so he can get me to buy his knives or lotion or magic elixir or whatever crap it is that he’s trying to pawn his soul for.
Phew. So… Yeah, not a good connotation.
What I think networking really means is just interacting with people like you normally would (ie, honestly and genuinely) but keeping in the back of your mind if/how the relationship can be mutually beneficial from a business or blogging or whatever standpoint. Real relationships need to come first and if you can benefit from those relationships in another way in the future, awesome.
- From what I understand, you’ve built a growing blog readership because of your willingness to help others. How did you create such a tremendous following?
My “secret” behind creating a following online is simple, though of course it’s easier said than done. I think there are three components: 1) make sure your personality comes through in your writing and interactions, 2) provide the best content, and 3) be a nice person and interact with people genuinely. Networking falls into that last one, of course.
I know a lot of people reading this will have just glossed over that “best content” part and nodded, but stop and think hard about it for a second. Are you providing the best content in your niche? Is your content different from the rest of the dreck in the blogosphere? Are you writing about something that isn’t common knowledge and that your readers haven’t heard a bazillion times already?
- If you could pick any one main benefit from networking, what would it be?
Yeah of course! Networking is an essential part of any success my blog has seen. What’s the one main benefit? Hmmm… Good question. I guess I’d have to say leverage. My potential readership (and potential customer base) is not only the X number of people that read my blog, but it’s also all the people that read the blogs of my online buddies.
For example, when I launch my first product in the near future, yes, I’ll launch it to those people who read my blog. But then some of the people I’ve established a good relationship online with will also help me launch and promote that product. So my email list of X number of people is in reality a list of thousands of people more than that. THAT is what I mean by leverage.
- How do you network now? Is there anything that you do regularly?
I regularly comment on other people’s blogs (though I’ve curtailed this a bit recently as I’ve been working hard on product creation). I freely share other bloggers’ content via Twitter or other social media/social bookmarking sites. I regularly guest post on other blogs. And I regularly reply to just about every comment on my blog (I know some slip through the cracks!).
- If you were face-to-face with a blogger hesitant about reaching out and expanding their network, what advice would you give him/her?
Stop blogging, because you’re just wasting your time. A blog without networking is a blog that will not see the level of success you want.
Marlee Ward from Metamorphoself
When you hear the word “networking,” what comes to mind?
I come from a corporate/legal background so I typically associate “networking” as a business card exchange festival. That said, “social networking” is a totally different ballgame and when I think of “social networking” I think of making new friends with similar interests.
- From what I understand, you’ve built a growing blog readership because of your willingness to help others. How did you create such a tremendous following?
I wouldn’t call it a “following” by any measure, but I’ve definitely acquired an incredible community of supportive readers. I think I was able to establish this readership because I take a sincere interest in learning about my readers and what they are up to. For me, it’s about them. I learn from them and get great ideas for my content from their contributions. I think there is a huge element of reciprocity at play when it comes to my relationship with the Metamorphoself community.
- If you could pick any one main benefit from networking, what would it be?
If I could pinpoint any one specific benefit from networking it would be getting exposed to other individuals I might not otherwise come in contact with. For example, when I connect with someone online and start to learn about what they do and who they interact with, I’m then exposed to their whole world, which often times is new to me. It’s also great because if there is someone in their world that I’d like an introduction to, I can comfortably ask for one.
- How do you network now? Is there anything that you do regularly?
In my opinion, networking should be about relationship building and increased Web traffic can be a pleasant side effect. That said, I don’t think networking is an efficient strategy for growing Web traffic. If you are sincere about your networking efforts, then it will take time, and as a result, traffic will grow over time as well. Of course, blog commenting can be an effective blog marketing strategy; however that is also time consuming, so in terms of generating traffic, I wouldn’t recommend it. Personally, I try to comment regularly on my community’s blogs because I enjoy having a presence in what they do. I also make an effort to send a brief and personalized e-mail to someone if I really like what they are doing or have a specific question. Taking the extra effort to write a personalized e-mail is a great way to establish that first solid connection.
- If you were face-to-face with a blogger hesitant about reaching out and expanding their network, what advice would you give him/her?
Get over it! Seriously. That may sound harsh, but the truth is that you cannot and do not want to blog (or grow your online business) alone. You need support, word-of-mouth recommendations, and a community if you’re going to gain traction online, and that requires establishing relationships online.
In terms of a practical first step, use Twitter to connect with someone. Find someone you want to connect with and “follow” them. Then, immediately send an @ reply telling them why you “followed” them. Typically, people actively using Twitter notice those things, and you can gradually move towards more “intimate” methods of communication.
Oh… and really… it’s not a big deal if you get ignored. Don’t take it personally. You never know what’s going on with the person you’re trying to reach. If they don’t respond, don’t spend a minute thinking about it or letting it stop you from making another attempt to connect with someone else. The beauty of connecting via the Web is that you don’t have much to lose – what’s one tweet, e-mail, or comment? Go for it! You can even start with me!
Jk from The Hustler’s Notebook
When you hear the word “networking,” what comes to mind?
When I heard the word networking, I immediately think “connection.” I identify it as the concept of working towards building effective and mutually benefiting relationships with other people. Networking as an opportunity to team-up with others to share ideas, strategies, support, and partner towards a common goal.
Networking requires time and effort to cultivate trust and credibility. It’s not about trying to “get in” with people with a hidden agenda or the sole benefit of one side of the party.
- From what I understand, you’ve built a growing blog readership because of your willingness to help others. How did you create such a tremendous following?
I think, more than anything, it comes down to the fact that I’m really out to help people.
I’ve been blogging now for 9 months and I vividly recall how clueless I was when I first started out. I reached out to so many people and rarely did people respond or take the time to extend their hand to me. I saw this as a great opportunity for my brand to shine, because even though my time is extremely limited, I will always make time to help out someone who asks. And honestly, what most would say is that I extend my assistance without being asked first. I truly just like helping others.
On another level, I help others by not forcing content. I’m not in the numbers game, rather the quality game. I only publish what comes to my heart. My underlying mission with blogging is to offer what I have as value, and hopefully motivate and inspire a few folks along the way. I’m not in this game to have the most posts… I’m in it to help as many people as I can.
- If you could pick any one main benefit from networking, what would it be?
I have benefited from networking big time. More than anything, it’s been from building solid relationships that have turned into real friendships that I’m confident that I will have forever. Also, I’ve made some great business connections with folks who have my best interests at hand (and I have theirs).
Beyond the blogging aspect, I’ve benefited even further from my networking efforts. I have some large and significant things on the radar that I can elaborate on in months to come.
- How do you network now? Is there anything that you do regularly?
For me, networking isn’t for creating blog traffic, but it has been a natural effect. One of the biggest things that contribute to my traffic is forming meaningful relationships with many of my readers; in most cases before they even come to my blog. These relationships have lead to having my articles linked to and other mentions which increased my traffic.
But on a more consistent basis, hitting the blogoshpere and commenting on other blogs is a great indirect level of networking. I think my style of commenting stands out because it’s consistent and honest… I don’t hold back. I don’t comment for length, but I do try to share a personal experience if I can to add to the discussion.
Just a few weeks ago, I received 25% of my traffic directly from Marcus Sheridan’s blog: TheSalesLion.com after he mentioned me on one of his articles (which he’s done a number of times and I’m thankful). The traffic increase lasted over a 4 day period.
- If you were face-to-face with a blogger hesitant about reaching out and expanding their network, what advice would you give him/her?
I would advise that his/her chances of survival are poor if they made the unwise choice to not network… and their chances of being successful are not applicable. From the way I see it, failing to connect with others in the blogoshere is a suicidal play (sorry for the harsh analogy), especially to not connect with folks in the same niche.
From what I can see, and I don’t wear glasses, the most successful bloggers have the most successful networks. Meaning, that they have figured out how to leverage the power behind key links of their network to help push their cause.
Marcus Sheridan from The Sales Lion
When you hear the word “networking,” what comes to mind?
If you’d asked me this question a year ago, I would have thought networking was a silly phrase for when people ‘work together.’ But today, I can honestly say it means everything to me in terms of online success and community. When I think of networking, I think of a group of like-minded persons all working together in an effort to lift up and inspire. I think of unselfishness. And I think of people that are more concerned about helping others than they are themselves.
- From what I understand, you’ve built a growing blog readership because of your willingness to help others. How did you create such a tremendous following?
Well, it’s not easy, but the fact of the matter is if a blogger wants to have a great readership, they need to constantly think of ways to help and lift up the community. They need to learn to promote others way more than they do themselves. They must learn to give value too through great content, but also understand the power of ‘giving back,’ at every opportunity. In a nutshell, my community rocks because:
- 1. I promote them
- 2. We actually have ‘discussion.’
- 3. I don’t talk down to them.
- 4. I write like I talk… and keep it loose and fun.
- 5. I answer every comment.
- 6. I initiate and invite comments and participation through questions, requests, etc.
- 7. I see ‘us’ as a ‘team.’
- If you could pick any one main benefit from networking, what would it be?
This may sound cheesy, but my biggest benefit from networking is forming incredible relationships that are real and genuine with some amazing people – ones that I’ve literally grown to care deeply for.
- How do you network now? Is there anything that you do regularly?
- I constantly mention and promote other bloggers, especially in my articles.
- I write from personal experience, so the articles aren’t re-reads and they’re all unique.
- I have opinions and am not afraid to express them.
- I don’t regurgitate the latest ‘bestseller.’
- If you were face-to-face with a blogger hesitant about reaching out and expanding their network, what advice would you give him/her?
The reality is that this person either needs to:
- A. Quit blogging.
- B. Keep blogging but accept the fact that their traffic will suck forever.
- C. Douse their head in water, wake up, and start learning to live the law of reciprocity, karma, and community.
Your Turn
So what do you think? Can you add any advice of your own to the discussion? Do you like any particular networking method better than another? Which methods are you going to try?
Let’s get this conversation started! Look forward to hearing from you.
Awe Christina – thank you so much for the feature. And wow, to be on the same page with a lady like Marlee and cats like Marcus and Tristan has me feeling pretty good!
I’ll be honest – I can’t add a lick more than what I just read from this post and your networking guide. I’m sure there are some other ways to view networking and to make it strategically work for you…but this was truly comprehensive – and I’m not talking about my part
!
Before seeing your questions I had already taken a few notes of things I’m going to do…but to be honest – I learned much of what I know about blogging from class acts already. They’ve already sprinkled me with their rich content. But, here a few notes I took that I’m going to insert into my framework:
*Guest Posting* (from Tristan) – I’ve been the worst blogger in the world with this. 9 months and I’ve done 3. THREE! I keep reading that this is the main method that people use to grow their site. No excuse but my problem simply comes down to time. But I’m going to make it happen…at least once per month! The exposure to new people is what it’s about, right!
*Step into my Networks world* (from Marlee) – Marcus Sheridan has introduced me to so many good people over the last couple of months. And getting embedded and embraced in new communities has helped expand my efforts greatly. This has also been the case with Marlee – she’s widened my scope to some great people.
*Write like I talk* (from Marcus) – He had a post one time that covered this concept. Reading it, and applying his teachings helped me a lot. But mostly studying his style has helped elevate my game big time. The problem I face is that I speak in slang. But I’m trying!
Well, one last thanks to you Christina. Great job on all the work you’re doing around here. And congrats on the massive success that sits around the corner for you.
PEACE
Aww, no problem Jk! You deserve it.
I can totally relate to you and guest posting. I’m lacking in this area as well. Time has just been a major issue for me, but I’m trying to make more of it. And the last few times I guest posted, it paid off BIG time, so it’s definitely worth the effort.
I also agree that Marlee and Marcus are doing some amazing things in the networking arena. And I’ve also met some awesome people simply by interacting with the community they’ve got going on. And Marcus is the perfect example of the old adage “practice what you preach.”
Thanks for the awesome comment, as always Jk. I can see amazing things in store for you! Keep up what you’re doing, and continue being awesome.
Christina
Yep, you’re the guy who inspired me to start leaving insane ammount of meaningful blog comments. I don’t usually don’t go that in depth with comments as you do, but I certainly feel you on that ” connection ” part of your answer.
First form of social networking ever is blogging and commenting. That’s our get together place. After that, Twitter I guess…
Best regards from Sunny Greece at the moment, until I get back to my home Belgrade
Haha – I’m totally with you on this one, Bojan. Jk’s comments are awesome! I don’t know how he’s able to comment on so many blogs and still leave incredibly insightful comments.
Christina
Hi christina
Saw this post thanks to Triberr and Twitter. I really enjoy networking and can agree with what all your fellow bloggers have shared about its importance in building relationships and connections both as a blogger and also hopefully successful business person.
It certainly has helped to get my small niche blog noticed and I have met some amazing people this way, some who I now know as dear friends. We collaborate, encourage and help each other in our ventures. Certainly works for me.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia,
Happy to see you drop by.
Networking is an awesome way to build relationships and connect with everyone in the same niche (or outside of your niche as well). And it offers an amazing opportunity to get noticed and increase exposure, which are both crucial for growing a business and blog.
I think that what you’re doing over at Lavender Uses is really awesome, Patricia. You definitely have something good going, and it’s clear that you’re passionate about what you do and genuinely care about your audience. Keep it up! I look forward to seeing where this business takes you in the future.
Christina
Thanks for this awesome post every thing you mention their how to increase traffic on your side with the help of top 4 bloggers . They know very well each and every thing what things are very needful and how make it perfect for increase traffic . If once traffic has been increase then next time it would be easy for future .
Hey Sam,
I’m glad you enjoyed reading the interviews. And that’s exactly right – once you get the ball rolling, it’s easier to pick up momentum and create that “snowball effect.”
Good luck with your network, and thanks for the comment!
Christina
Christina,
Thanks so much for bringing us this great insight from your guest bloggers. After a 25+ year career in sales and marketing I know that networking is essential to success in any serious endeavor. I’ve been blogging for less than a month now and my site traffic is still low … but building. With information from your blog and others I have gathered some good ideas on how to build traffic and make my site successful.
Another thing I have taken away from this article is Jk’s comment about “not forcing content”. When I first started my blog I was trying to post every day. I soon figured out that by doing this the quality of my content would suffer. Now I am concentrating on quality rather than quantity and if I find it is taking longer to write something than I had expected I will throw in short updates every few days just to keep up interest. I’m not sure yet how this will work out but time will tell.
Best regards,
Rod
Hey Rod,
Every blogger makes this mistake when they first start out. I know I sure did, mainly because I believed that bloggers were supposed to post everyday – and I was worried that, if I didn’t, I would lose any traffic or momentum I’ve already picked up. But after you spend enough time in the blogosphere, you start to realize that maybe quantity is actually hurting your blog more than helping it.
Writing posts day after day also takes up a lot of time and energy, and it can burn you out if you aren’t too careful. For this reason, I ended up taking over a three month break from blogging in my early days; I was just so sick of writing all the time and not really seeing a return in my efforts.
Today, I’m a lot more relaxed; I’m not as stressed out about getting those posts published, and I have more time on my hand to work on other projects. So, I agree – if you can limit your post frequency to make your posts more meaningful and of better quality, definitely do so. It can make a huge impact on your blog, and once you start writing super awesome content, you’ll wonder why you never started earlier.
Thanks for the comments!
Christina
Thanks once again, Christina. Very good advice.
Rod
Christina! Way to smash it outta the park! You’ve done an awesome job highlighting these bloggers, and you should be very proud of yourself with what you’ve accomplished over the past week.
But don’t rest on your laurels
JK mentioned about writing guest posts, and although it’s OK not to be involved with that avenue of traffic, I think it’s the best form of traffic increase that I’ve had. For most of my guest posts that I’ve wrote, my traffic has increased noticeably for a few days, then returned to normal, BUT at a slightly higher level of normal then before. This happens again and again, to the point where I’m now getting about 100 views per day.
Blog commenting is probably the easiest and quickest way to gain little shots of traffic, and it helps to connect with more bloggers. A lot of the people I’ve met, I’ve commented on their blogs, and we got talking. It’s great to see so many inspirational people out there, that if you spent an hour just commenting on new blogs, your time would be well-spent.
Keep up the inspiring work Christina
Aww, thanks Stuart! I really appreciate your awesome, continuous support.
And YES! Guest posting is simply amazing. Not only do you get link juice in the author bio section, but you also have the potential to attract hundreds (or even thousands) of people back to your site. It’s easy to see why so many people recommend it.
And that kind of traffic increase is usually typical for guest posts. I’ve noticed the same thing – I’ll get a HUGE spike in my traffic, and then the traffic will settle down but at a slightly higher level than before. It’s really awesome, and it will quickly turn you into a stat obsessed buffoon.
Also, congrats on reaching the 100 views per day mark! You should be proud. You’ve come a long way since the day I’ve first met you, and now look at where you are now? Hard work and persistence pays off. 
I’m also a huge advocate of commenting on other blogs – while traffic won’t be that great, you’re still building an awesome relationship with other bloggers, and that alone can open up a lot of opportunities for you.
I’m glad this post was inspiring, Stu. Keep up the awesome work, and thanks for the wonderful comment!
Christina
Really awesome work done….. Interview with top 4 bloggers at same time. I totally agreed that networking is great help for you and your blog. I always keep in mind the advice of Tristan. Thanks Christina!!!!!!!
I really appreciate the comments, Riya.
And no problem! Thank YOU for being an awesome contributor and keeping the discussion alive. I’m glad you enjoyed the interviews!
Christina
This post is really incredible post. I have learnt a lot about writing blogs from it.I really liked the interview of Marcus his way of answering in points makes the ways of writing blogs much easier to understand but I personally don’t agree with the harsh statement they all made when asked about what they would say if were face-to-face with a blogger hesitant about reaching out and expanding his network because there is no ending of learning and they should ask him to learn the art of expanding his network, they should even teach him how to do it in an interesting way……..
Hi Angela,
I agree – bullet points are definitely awesome.
I also was surprised that most of the bloggers here would tell the person to quit blogging completely when dealing with a hesitant networker. I believe that they’re just trying to make the point that, if you don’t network, your blog is set for failure anyway, so might as well quit blogging now. Of course, such a harsh statement can also discourage the blogger from reaching his/her full potential, rather than if you were to offer encouragement and explain the importance of building a network (like I did here).
Thanks for the comment! I hope to see you again soon – and have a wonderful weekend/Easter.
Christina
Christina, Thank you so much for the interviews of 4 top notch bloggers. I am in early stages of blogging and I am finding that networking and building that community is the key-also PATIENCE! Thanks again
Hi Susan,
Congratulations for taking the leap! I’m so happy for you – and I’m glad that you enjoyed the interviews.
Patience definitely plays an important role, for without it, you can quickly become discouraged. In fact, most blogs take up to 6 months or even a year before they really start to pick up momentum. And I think the lack of patience is the key reason why so many blogs don’t make it to see their first birthday.
Just keep pushing, and don’t give up. Stay persistent, keep writing awesome content, work on that network, and you’re sure to make it there eventually.
Thanks for the comment!
Christina
Hi Christina,
You picked 4 pretty good networkers! I guess as in most things in life networking has to be consistent with who you are. For me, it’s easier to connect with kindred spirits who see the world from the same perspective as I do. I think extroverts have a leg up on the rest of us and non-judgmental people who are open and genuinely love everyone are made for networking and sales. So ,as an example, my wife (lover of all mankind) will always have a much larger network than a logical, left-brain thinking male like myself.
Riley
Thanks for sharing Riley! It can definitely be easier to build a solid network if you’re friendly and genuine (actually, I encourage it!). You also can’t just be in it for the personal gain – you need to be willing to help others and go above and beyond what you’re already doing.
I’m glad you’re thinking about getting into networking. And if you need any help along the way, just let me know.
Good luck, and have an awesome weekend/Easter!
Christina
Christina, this article is a perfect example of what I love about you– your willingness to teach while promoting others in the process. Personally, I have huge respect for JK, Tristan, and Marlee. And for me, it’s an honor to be featured along side such great people.
You’re doing great work Christina, you should be proud.
Marcus
Aww, thanks Marcus – as always.
And it was an honor to feature you! Keep up the awesome work.
Thanks for the comment, and I hope you have a marvelous Easter!
Christina
Christina,
Another AMAZING entry. This was extremely helpful for me, someone looking to start a career in blogging. I failed on my first blog and a lot of it was due to a lack of networking. I like Marlee’s response to your question about being hesitant to network.. It’s just something you have to get over and go out and do.. I was inspired by JK because it seems like he takes his online networking seriously and cultivates those relationships. I can truly say that I am inspired to go out and network, not just for my future blog but because I love meeting new people and also for my personal brand. GREAT POST!
Aww, thanks Aaron!
I highly recommend it – start expanding your network and building up your brand. The best way to do this is to start making a list of potential people you’d like to network with, then get out there and start reading their stuff, commenting on their blogs, reaching out to them, and just building strong relationships with people that you love and admire. Be a supportive friend and go above and beyond what you usually do to reach out to your network – be one with the community, and always be genuine, helpful, and natural.
If you ever get stuck or you’re unsure about how to take your network to the next level, I seriously recommend reading my comprehensive networking guide. You’ll find it seriously helpful.
Thanks for the comment!
Christina
Hi Christina!
This is just a great resource for aspiring bloggers to understand the value of community.
I have big respect for every blogger who contributed to this article. I believe this mindset can make any blog successful.
It’s about people, personalities and the relationships that drive a thriving blog community.
Most excellent post Christina, thank you
Thanks Mark! So happy to see you drop by.
And yes – blogging is all about community, the people you interact with and the relationships you develop. The bloggers featured here are perfect examples of those who genuinely care about and actively strive to reach out toward other people in their network and blogging community.
You’re also doing an amazing job over on your blog, Mark. Keep up the great work – and I look forward to watching your blog develop and grow over the many years to come.
Thanks for the comment!
Christina
Hey Christina,
This is a great post because you saved me a ton of time asking these questions to all these awesome bloggers. I have chatted many times with Marcus but although I know all the other bloggers I didn’t know what their techniques were to build their awesome communities.
Your first question is really important. I have to admit I agree with Marlee until recently when I heard the word networking I though Chamber of Commerce events with people exchanging business cards…yawn..
I learn everyday from these four bloggers, and of course from your site. I will emphasize what Marcus said, you teach while promoting others. How much more awesome can you get?
This is really critical and makes the difference between the ‘look at me, how cool I am’ bloggers and those who are really interested in helping their community.
Thanks for this post- have a great weekend.
Hey there John! How’s the weekend treating you?
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback! These bloggers are definitely great examples of what could happen if you truly worked on building that network, interacting with the community, and helping those around you. Networking can be powerful if you let it – and it’s really just about building relationships with people and giving back to the community.
Promoting others is a huge part of networking, which makes it so incredibly awesome because you’re helping people on the other end. And it’s what you do to reach out and help those around you that will truly make the difference between a thriving blog or business bustling with followers and a business struggling to stay afloat.
Thanks for the comment! I really appreciate it.
Christina
Thanks for this great article. Getting answers to some of my questions from people who are already pros at networking is awesome! Thanks
Hey Edwin,
Glad you enjoyed the article!
Good luck expanding your network, and if you need any help, just let me know.
Christina
Thanks so much for including me here, Christina. This is great! I love the other bloggers here, too. You’ve got great taste in bloggers
I think my favorite thing here was what Marlee said: “Oh… and really… it’s not a big deal if you get ignored.” Hahaha. It’s true! Not everyone you reach out to will reach back. It could be because they’re busy, or they forget, or they just don’t like you. And none of those are too terrible. Life goes on, and there are plenty of other people to get in touch with.
I also like the 7 points that Marcus mentioned. I’ll add a big +1 to that.
Thanks again for including me, and sorry it took me so long to stop by! But better late than never, right?
Haha, no problem Tristan! It was awesome including you here, so thanks for agreeing to do this!
And I totally agree with Marlee as well; I’ve sure had my share of ignores, so it happens to everyone. The key is not to take it personally (the person is probably incredibly busy and just couldn’t respond to your message – or else it was completely missed in the jumble of other tweets).
If someone doesn’t respond back, you also shouldn’t give up entirely either. If you like their stuff, continue reading those blogs and be active in the discussion. Respond to their tweets on occasion, and just strive to be helpful and incredibly awesome. Sooner or later, you’ll stand out from the crowd, and they’ll start to notice you.
Thanks for the comment, as always Tristan! Hope you had an awesome weekend.
Christina
good post, im looking to grow as a blogger and ive no choice but start networking which I do!
Hey Fazal,
Networking can make a huge difference. I definitely recommend it!
Good luck. Let me know if you need any help!
Christina
This is great stuff! Kudos for putting this post together and being able to get 4 awesome bloggers in one location.
Being a 2 month old blogger I’m still building my networks. Honestly, the networking has been my favorite part about blogging so far.
Posting content is fun too, but without a consistent community of viewers it appears almost useless.\
This post is super helpful to see how some of the greats achieved success and to have them share their experiences in a one stop shop for your viewers is super convienient.
Just learned a great deal all in a matter of 7 minutes or so.
Thanks for this!
Hey Chelsea,
So happy to see you drop by! I’m glad you enjoyed the interviews.
Your blog is doing well for only being two months old. And I agree – it can be pretty discouraging to spend hours publishing content, only to find that no one is reading what you write. With a network of friends, not only will your content be read, but you’ll also see comments from your network time and again; this can help build social proof, as more people will see that your blog community is active, and so they’re more likely to stick around.
I’m glad this post was helpful! Thanks for the comment.
Christina
Hello Christina,
This is just an awesome post! Thank you! This information is great. You asked important questions and your guests gave great responses.
I’m just getting into the internet marketing/networking part of my online business. As I move along, I have more and more questions, some days it’s a little too much and very confusing.
This post has given me some great strategies to start implementing and others that I may want to tweak (as well as tweet)
Thanks again [I will be back!]
Enjoying my musical journey,
Piano Lesson Girl,
Dakota
Hey Dakota,
I’m so happy you enjoyed the interviews! It was really fun putting them together – I learned a great deal from the experience as well.
Networking, though time consuming, is definitely worth it if you put the effort in. If you’re thinking about starting a network of your own, I seriously suggest reading my networking guide. And if you need any help after reading or have questions on specifics, just let me know! I’d hate to leave you confused, so feel free to ask if you need anything. I don’t mind.
Thanks for your wonderful comments!
Christina
Great article Christina! I particularly like that all of the marketers have different things come to mind when you ask the same question. Marlee to quote her thinks of network marketing as: “business card exchange festival” Puts things into perspective that there is no right or wrong way of looking at things when you are building networks. Do what works for you. This sure will help in the months ahead.
Hey Hillary,
Thanks for sharing! I also thought the responses were interesting – and there’s definitely no right or wrong answer when it comes to networking. I agree; it’s all about your perspective.
The most powerful benefit of networking, however, is the tight friendships you build and the awesome support that comes out of it. And it’s always nice to know that you’re helping another.
Christina
Christina, I wish I had more time to read everything on your blog since I found it not too long ago. Thanks for the compliment but, it is you who are willing to help and inspire so many people. Keep up the great job!
Lots of good stuff here Christina, really good interviews.
From @Tristan it’s the commenting elsewhere, sharing other good stuff. The ‘best content’ is a big one for me b/c I held of on blogging until I knew I could share decent stuff on a semi-regular basis.
From @Marlee.. I call the networking mixers ‘business card swap meets.’ I also like the traffic as a nice side effect. It’s taken time but it has started to happen. One thing though, you can’t treat SEO like an afterthought.. I gotta admit being so slack in that dept.
@ JK.. 129% agree on the quality over quantity. Can’t agree more.. and since you mentioned our friend Marcus, I too noticed a lot of my traffic coming from his site. Maybe we shouldn’t say anything more.. he’ll want one of those checks I pretend to mail him.
@Marcus Loved the tough love to a blogger not wanting to mix it up, bravo my friend.
Interesting mix here Christina, lots of tips on using Twitter, blogs, other blogs to encourage and develop relationships, maybe even friendships that enhance and build sustainable networks. Plenty of good food for thought. FWIW.
Hey Davina,
It was good of you to drop by and share your thoughts. I’m so happy you enjoyed the interviews! I definitely enjoyed reading them myself, and I think everyone involved did an awesome job.
I can definitely relate to how you felt when you hesitated to start blogging initially. When I first started blogging, I had read so many other blogs that would publish content everyday that I thought you had to post on a daily basis if you ever wanted to grow a great following. And that’s simply not true – there are many bloggers that only publish once a week (and some a few times a month) and have massive audiences (Glen from ViperChill comes to mind here). So, initially, I would spend so much energy writing blog post after blog post, struggling to get all of the articles I wanted published on time (I’ve always been a blogger to write long posts – I tried shorter entries, but it just didn’t work out too well), that after a while blogging started feeling more like a chore than something I was excited about (and I initially was very excited).
Now, however, I’m not breaking my back – and I can maintain a nice post frequency (about 2-3 articles a week) that works both for my audience and doesn’t stress me out. It makes a HUGE difference – I was able to re-acquire that same passion that got me started in the first place, and now blogging is my life.
And I’m also pretty BIG on quality over quantity. In the beginning, I was focusing so much energy on getting those posts published on a daily basis, that the quality of my posts started to ebb away because it just became too stressful to maintain that level of quality and keep up the post frequency. Now, at my current post frequency, it’s no problem to write quality article after quality article and still have enough energy left to work on other projects.
As for Twitter, GOSH I love that social media platform! I could go on and on about it, but I’ll save you from utter boredom. Thanks so much for the comment! It’s really awesome to see you adding to the discussion.
Christina
I’ve fought back against the ‘must blog so often’ crap from day one. Even if it’s a post a month and you’re still engaging elsewhere – if it works, it works. Twitter doesn’t bore me, it’s one of my favorites too.
This is a really great post and lovely that you could manage to feature all these 4 bloggers in one post. Keep up the good work
Thanks Kharim! And glad to have you stop by.
They’re definitely awesome, and when you get the chance, I’d highly recommend to give their blogs a look as well – they really write some awesome stuff over there.
Thanks for the comment!
Christina
@Christina the Content Queen,
Strong.
@Jk,
You reach many because you really do keep it real. I, and so many other readers can relate to you. Don’t change man.
Your strategy to not over post is the best. It’s lasting.
I enjoyed the education.
Live it LOUD!
Haha, I love that new title you’ve given me – “the Content Queen.” Ingrid from Nitty Griddy had promised to find me a nickname in her circle of friends (she has one for Marcus and several of the other people in her network). Looks like you beat her to it.
Thanks for taking the time to leave your two cents. I really appreciate the thoughtful insights!
Christina
Hi Christina,
I just want to start out by saying that this is one of the best blog posts I have read in a very long time. It’s exactly this that makes me love blogging so much.
Thank you!
I’ve almost never focused on networking. I used to think that it was just a way for cool people to hang out and that it was a boys club, where you scratch my back and I’ll scratch your back thing was going on.
Now, after I started following Marcus and Tristan, I know that this is not how it works. What I’ve learned from them is that networking is about being yourself and talking to people about what they (and you) want to talk about, and at the same time adding value to every conversation.
I love Twitter, I have received a lot of help via Twitter. Every single time I have a problem, I post a cry for help via Twitter and within five minutes someone sends me a reply. I am not sure if I should call this networking, since I’m usually just communicating with this person just about the current problem. But, I’m there, and I’m talking… I’m not invisible like I used to be
This post was brilliant, and I’m still really excited after reading it.
- Jens
Hi Jens,
Thanks for the awesome support! You should definitely check out my killer networking guide. It will literally blow your mind away! But, of course, I’m a little biased.
And I can totally relate to you with how you initially felt about networking; I first thought the same as well – that networking was something people did to attract more potential buyers and clients to their site. But since spending more time in the blogosphere, reading awesome content from bloggers like Marcus, Tristan, Marlee, and Jk, and cultivating the relationships I shared with other bloggers, I had a completely new view about networking entirely – and it took over a year to figure it all out!
By the way, every time I hear the words “I love Twitter,” I just want to drop what I’m doing, jump in the air, and randomly hug people. I mean, Twitter couldn’t be any more amazing – that’s how much I deeply love it. And I’d recommend Twitter to anyone who’s thinking about getting into social media (I don’t know why it took me so long myself to fully ‘get’ what all the buzz was about). Glad you’re on the same boat!
Anyway, I’m really glad networking makes you excited. Because you should be! Thanks for the comment.
Christina
I’ll definitively take a closer look at your killer networking guide. If it’s anything close to this post, I’m going to love it
Thanks a lot for sharing.
I like how you set up this post with the four different interviews, Christina. I’m only familiar with Tristan, but will be looking forward to getting to know the others.
Isn’t it interesting that even though they all have different backgrounds they all come to the same conclusion about the need for networking for bloggers: do it or go home! It can be quite a leap for someone who thought blogging was a one way communication tool, but I think anyone who’s been blogging for a while realizes that a blog’s success or failure is largely dependent upon the tribe that the blogger is able to build around it. Without networking, it will be a very small tribe. Just because you write it doesn’t mean people will magically appear to read it.
Wow Christina, that’s some meaty post you’ve got here. The interview setup makes it easy to read and navigate though, so I’m enjoying every moment of reading this. I got here via Marcus’ blog, but I’m now discovering the blogs of the other interviewees and actually that alone was worth going through the post!
Thanks,
Wim
WOW Christina!!
Really so glad to know about the four renowned IMers and Thank You soo much for sharing the info with all of us!!Marcus reply for How do you network now is so good and really a good suggestion to every blogger to make their articles unique!!!
Regards
Navya.
Hey,
Tristan is always a wonder to learn from. He works on helping you making the simplest of things work and that makes all the difference. Even when explaining something fancy, he breaks it down to something easier. I have always enjoyed reading his work.
A compiled interview did catch my interest. I am pretty new to the other bloggers, will have to go and check out their content. Thanks for the info.
Have a nice day!
You know, it’s difficult for me to really add much here; in regards to networking. You’ve got here a cornucopia of incredibly bloggers who walk the walk, and talk the talk. They’re incredible.
What I love about these type of bloggers is that you can see the joy in their writing; by how they live your life. Just take Tristan for example. You stop by his blog and see photos of him rock climbing through the mountains of Utah; and you see life. You look at Jk’s blog, and his family is #1 always. It’s awesome to see that they blog – and live life with a passion. I love that.
Its always good to learn new stories from bloggers who inspire you and have succeeded using innovative techniques and hence have not only set an example, but also have filled us with an urge to try out new things.
These are great interviews. It’s important to note that they all mentioned that networking is crucial to successful blogging and traffic. I hope to network more with fellow bloggers. There are just so many blogs and I want to have meaningful interactions. So I guess I will keep working on it a little bit each day.
Great post and examples of how these great people used Social networking to up their game. Many can learn from these guys.
Networking is so important these days. I was unemployed for a bit and the only reason I am employed right now is because i reached out to those in my network.