Recently I house sat a small dog named Louis (Looey) for a couple of weeks. He was an incredibly well trained dog that never once made a mess on the floor, ruined my furniture, scratched my door, or barked all night.
By the end of the week I realized that Louis was a one in a million kind of dog. He waited until I took him out to go the bathroom, he was ready when I put him to bed, and the best part is that he never begged.
Now what I learned from Louis can help everyone with their blogging. Except for what was absolutely necessary Louis, strangely enough, was a self-sufficient dog.
Stop Begging for Hand-Outs
Depending on other bloggers that are bigger than you to drop you scraps from their over-abundant plates is one of the biggest signs of failed blogging.
Instead of sitting by and waiting for someone with lots of traffic, a high-pagerank, and more than the average amount of generosity to graciously link, tweet, or stumble your blog, do it yourself. You have to get out there in the blogosphere and stop begging for someone else to get your goals for you.
Imagine how different the world would be if we each lived out our own dreams and stopped being an imposter in someone else’s. @prosperbydesign
To break down how we depend on big bloggers for everything I would like to take a look at the sources of traffic for your blog. I am sure you know your statistics because if you are anything like me you wake up, get on the computer and either shout “Hurray!” or put your head down gloomily in shame all based on the numbers.
Evaluating this data, how much of the traffic came from efforts you made to bring it their? Where you the one kicking everyone’s trash by producing a new product? Did you come out with an incredible resource? Did you manually submit your best content to social media like Digg, Stumbleupon and Delicious? Or are you taking an active role in Twitter. Maybe you say yes to the social bookmarking but are not sure about the other questions. I am not trying to tell you that referrals are bad in any way. In fact they are the best form of traffic!
The point I am getting at is whether the traffic you now have is because at some point, some blogger, some where found your content and liked it enough to link to it. Or is it because you were out making the most of your time and really promoting it.
If you are like a lot of bloggers I am sure you do not like promotion. It’s long and can be tedious to build backlinks, comment, and do “regular” begging to the bigger bloggers. So let me fill you in on what you can do to drastically alter your traffic.
How to Increase Your Traffic
The key to building your own traffic is providing something worth networking for. I mean the big bloggers will come to you if you have something they need or want to share with their readers.
They will come begging to you if you put the time into coming up with the right product and strategy for marketing it.
For example, Blogussion has seen incredible traffic recently due to lots of promotional efforts being made. We are now reaching our once lofty expectations for pageviews, length of visits, and subscribers.
Most importantly we worked for it. Building excellent content was the first step. We provided something for our visitors to both enjoy and learn from.
Next we got people outside of our own blog administration pages to actually look at it! This is how we did it.
- 2 Guest Posts at Problogger in the same week.
- Stumbling Articles as they are published.
- (BIG) Stumbling older posts in our archives which could easily go viral!
- Emailing a few of our fellow Bloggers to Stumble our posts as well.
- Commenting on a VARIETY of blogs both in and outside our niche
- Emailing bloggers to collaborate on future projects
- Helping our current subscribers and commentators with personal questions and responses.
- Guest posts every week somewhere!
- Developing our Twitter profiles to maximize exposure through sincere tweets, honest RT’s and lots of real @replies.
- Helping Big bloggers when they are busy by asking them what we can do for them… occasionally its with a guest post!
Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
If you are still wondering if you can do this, just know that it is completely possible. All the things we are doing are so easy to do when you actually sit down and do them.
Another great way to help is by building a community of smaller to medium sized blogs. Start paying attention to the needs of other bloggers you know. Help them with a guest post, link to one of their stellar articles, email with a useful link to an article you know they need for a future project, and of course tweets, stumbles and diggs!
If everyone starts going out of their way to do things for others, they’ll notice a pattern that will start working for them too! People like helping people that help them (confusing enough 
). So to start it out right, start subscribing to others stumbles by going to their profiles, adding them as followers, and subscribing to their blogs.
After doing this you will find a very well respected and helpful community that is starting to be built all around you. So stop begging, and start building the blog you want to have.
Time for Action
To get things started right now, here is a list of things you can do before your leave this page to build a community around you. We wont do this very often (for fear of spammers), but its a great way to build your community. Just make sure to be BRIEF:
- Put a brief description of your blog (1-2 sentences) in the comments below. Let us all know what your blog is about. You don’t need to link to it because commentluv does that for you.
- Let others know your favorite social media site
- Tell everyone how you can help them.
- Tell us how we can help you.
- Determine to help someone on the comment list every day until you have completed the list. After some time you will have made a lot of friends and built some good traffic.
Here is an example for you to follow:
1. Blogussion is a resource for bloggers to get targeted blogging tips, tricks and design help.
2. StumbleUpon
3. Email with an honest critique of your current blogging
4. Stumble this post!
The Discussion
Leave a Comment Read Again?Next Comments →
Very true and informative post. I think that is the problem with many (new) bloggers these days, they expect just to receive hand outs with lil to no work at all.
.-= Bilal´s last blog ..Site review: Wpdesigner.com =-.
That’s true Bilal, and doing more work than what you will be rewarded for is something every blogger should know from the start. But I suppose if they don’t figure it out at first, they will later!
.-= Alex´s last blog ..Young Blogger Interviews #2: Liane from Better Blogging for Bloggers =-.
I agree with build your own blog community. I started off asking others to give me followers and send people to my site but I realize that no one was going to help so I got off my butt and started doing things myself. I have grown soo much over the past months and is very happy I had to work for it myself.
Don’t look for handouts, get out in do it yourself.
Great post Seth!
.-= Marcell´s last blog ..PSD to Wordpress Series Part 1 =-.
Yes! That is the entire purpose of blogging, to build YOUR community. So you are the only one that can do it. Congrats on the growth Marcell.
1. I blog about the travel and tourism industry in South Africa.
2.Twitter
3. If you’re also within my niche, I’m open to guest posts, especially about industry technology matters, South African tourism operators are hungry for knowledge.
4. Retweet my posts
.-= Muzi Mohale´s last blog ..Nominations opens for HICA Awards 2009 =-.
Thanks for letting us know how to help. Your blog sounds really cool! Definitely going to check it out.
I really see the benefit of guest posting on other blogs. You can start small and send your posts to smaller blogs and then you can send them to bigger blogs such as problogger etc. With guest posting, my subscribers are increasing more rapidly.
Marcell >> I think we all done this mistake. I personally done it with my twitter. I followed lots of users and waited for them to follow me. I saw no benefit what so ever. I even considering dumping my existing twitter account, as I cannot tell who are following me genuienly.
Seth >> I think this is one of the greatest way to build a community, who are helping each other.
.-= InternetHow Blog´s last blog ..How a simple taxi ride made me earn £110 per week? =-.
your exactly right! Twitter, social media, blogging, they are all the same! Sincerity and your own work are the most important things about blogging.
Haha, we’re definitely past the “build it and they will come” era. Now it’s all about getting your name out there and being proactive, as you’ve said. I don’t really guest post that often, but I do article marketing and blog commenting, and I drive a lot of traffic from forums and social media.
You really have to put your name out there and go for it. Even now I’m working on more and more promotional methods for my new blog and business, starting with submitting my website to design galleries.
As per the “call-to-action”, here are my details:
Writer Seven is a guide to better writing online and offline and also a guide to becoming a freelance writer.
My favorite social media site is probably twitter, although I also like stumbleupon.
I like to help fellow bloggers by stumbling or retweeting articles I find interesting or that I think can be extremely useful to someone. Sometimes I’ll post about them in forums as well.
To help me, it would be great to just leave a comment on my blog (on-topic, please) and join in the discussion. Right now I’d like the blog to look much more active so people are encouraged to participate.
That’s that!
.-= Corey Freeman´s last blog ..How to Promote Your Freelance Writing Business =-.
Thanks for the call to action. I love your new blog by the way! Also, its completely okay to not guest post if you can get targeted traffic another way! It is just one of my favorite sources.
100% agree with you Seth. This is applicable not only for blogging but for real life as well. We should earn it not go begging for it.
I found this crazzy blog on problogger and actually could not stop adding it to my blog roll that I check everyday for updates. I think you earn it. I have been blogging for sometimes and even though it is a small blog it is open to any crazzy cool ideas around. It is base on technology and blogging stuff.
I can comment on your blog give out my ideas and share my experience blogging
Good luck and hope your future plans will work as you wish….
Sjay
.-= sjay´s last blog ..HP DV series laptop does not boot =-.
Glad you like the blog!
Everyone has to start off somewhere, and as off as this may sound – sometimes the small bloggers have more pertinent things to say than the bigger bloggers!
.-= Alex´s last blog ..Young Blogger Interviews #2: Liane from Better Blogging for Bloggers =-.
Great post. I’ve been guest posting now on a few blogs and I’m working on continuing that practice. It’s very important to build a strong community on your own without having to beg for handouts. Great analogy with that.
.-= Nicholas Z. Cardot´s last blog ..21 Mind-Buzzing Photo Manipulations =-.
Thanks. Analogies can be hard to do right, but creating them really helps the reader understand what you are talking about.
sounds cool ! I need something similar now
.-= dinu´s last blog ..Happy 15th Fellow Indians ! =-.
I just recently found this blog and I have to tell you, you guys have it going on. That being said, I’ll share something about my blogging experiences. I started about 3 months ago with no clue. I tried about ten different niches and had a tough time coming up with original content and I couldn’t get any traffic. They all failed. About a month ago I just took a lighter stance and started a blog about my views on society, celebrities, politicians, etc. I now have my blog up to 200 unique visits per day on the average in about 5 weeks. That’s more success than all of the other blogs had in 3 months. I guess my point is that if you don’t blog from the heart and you aren’t honest and don’t have good content, you’ll undoubtedly fail. Start publishing great content and write honestly, and the traffic and loyal readership will come. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to comment on your blog and keep up the great work!
.-= Chris Mollo´s last blog ..Hero Old Man Blows Away Robbers =-.
Hey Chris, thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoy it.
I totally agree with you about blogging from the heart. It’s kind of strange, I tried to start a blog that had nothing to do about blogging while I had Blogussion starting for me, and even though I liked the topic, I didn’t love it. I think one of the many reasons why I still blog here today is that I love the topic of the blog, and I never get bored with it!
I appreciate you stopping by, I’m sure Seth does as well! We both hope to see you comment more around the blog.
.-= Alex´s last blog ..Young Blogger Interviews #2: Liane from Better Blogging for Bloggers =-.
First, before I come to the “task for today”, I want to say that this blog was really a discovery for me and I predict you, that in the next 12 months you will have made it into the “most influential blogger” lists. I loved especially this sentence
“If everyone starts going out of their way to do things for others, they’ll notice a pattern that will start working for them too!”
Too many people in the blogosphere only circulate around their own midriff, so here my contributions for the idea:
1. My blog is about helping people to become better bloggers by sharing seo tips and tricks (white hat), cool apps and hacks I discover and giving feedback to other bloggers about their products, all for free.
2. Twitter and Stumbleupon, contact info on my blog.
3. I am pretty good at SEO reports and blog reviews, I am happy to do a thorough blog review and a SEO report / recommendation for you for free. But I will blog about it, respectfully
4. At the moment I need some help finding good networking and publishing articles sites in German. Basically I am looking for something like the German version of hubpages and Squidoo.
5. Already doing that, but I will increase the pace!
Thanks for this inspiring post, SY
PS Your guys are great!
.-= hospitalera´s last blog ..404 custom error page for Wordpress =-.
Thank you so much for the compliment! We hope we will continue to see success. Your blog is looking great by the way!
.-= Seth´s last blog ..The Secrets to More Effective Blogging =-.
1. Men’s Playbook is a blog to help men (ages 24-44) with real issues in their lives
2. Twitter
3. Would love someone to view the blog and provide feedback on content and why we don’t have many subscribers (18)
4. Retweet posts!
Great blog Torrey, and thanks for stopping by!
Getting subscribers can be tough, but don’t let that metric consume you. Worry about numbers like comments per post for example. How Numbers can kill your blog.
Your content looks really great, but how well do you market it? What promotional methods do you use to promote your posts? It’s all about how you market it man. One other suggestion, your latest articles are pretty long! Surprisingly, short posts often perform better than longer posts – so experiment and try to shorten down your next few posts and try marketing more. Analyze what happens, you never know!
.-= Alex´s last blog ..Young Blogger Interviews #2: Liane from Better Blogging for Bloggers =-.
Thanks Alex for the input. I have attempted to market it by a guest post, commenting on other blogs, facebook fan page, and twitter.
Good point on the post length and comments. I will try shorter and see how that happens as well as create more compelling reasons to comment.
I do find myself comparing my blog to Art of Manliness, which is huge, so I see how comparing our numbers to their’s can be dangerous.
Thanks a lot
.-= Torrey´s last blog ..Want to Strengthen Your Marriage? Get Your Finances Together =-.
Nice post. I do almost everything you sugest. Nevertheless, my blogue gets only 300 visits per day. I update it every day.
.-= ramiromarques´s last blog ..Estudo revela: 40% das mensagens no Twitter são sobre nada =-.
Well, part of blogging is writing about the correct topics (otherwise there might not be alot of interest) and also letting time’s effects take place. Your blog will get more traffic as you continue to work and get links.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..The Secrets to More Effective Blogging =-.
1. FFWTech is all about technology news and reviews. New posts everyday include what all is happening in the tech world where weekly reviews consist of products I buy or that companies ship to me.
2.Twitter
3. I’m really good with advice regarding anything technical. If you want my opinion on a gadget, or my advice on when to buy the next new “thing” I’m your guy.
4. I really would like some more retweets of my reviews. Being a tech blog, I know it isn’t really community driven but it’s nice to feel like my hard work is appreciated.
Way to go Alex and Seth. I’m also a teenage blogger and its a big world. Trying to stand out among the crowd is a daily struggle, but you guys don’t seem to have a problem! Keep up the great work.
.-= HunterClarke´s last blog ..Audials One: Overall and Giveaway! =-.
Your blog is great! I wonder if thesis themes are available in Blogspot, so we can edit the visual in a website (probably blogger.com) and then we process it and the final step is we can download it.
.-= Reza Winandar´s last blog ..3 Tips to Make More Money by Online Working =-.
Thesis isn’t for Blogspot unfortunately, just WordPress!
.-= Alex´s last blog ..Young Blogger Interviews #2: Liane from Better Blogging for Bloggers =-.
Hmm interesting post. Here I am:
1. Thoughts Unlimited is a blog with tips and tricks for Bloggers and Web users. Topics range from how to setup your blog, write quality posts, how to use social networks and grow your blog etc.
2. StumbleUpon, Twitter
3. I am a programmer at heart. I can help people with PHP development and wordpress/joomla customization. Feel free to contact me using the contact form at my blog. I am also open to GUEST POSTS in the blogs that fall in my niche. I love writing you see!
4. Comment and retweet good posts. I love being in a discussion and hearing people’s views.
Btw – A very nice way to build comments on a blog post! Well done Seth and Alex
Regards,
Ashwin
.-= Ashwin´s last blog ..5 Success Strategies to build your Blog Empire =-.
1. JuniorBiz is a resource for young entrepreneurs.
2. Twitter
3. I can ReTweet your good posts.
4. You can Stumble my good posts.
Outstanding idea, Seth! By the way, I read that Stumble Upon frowns upon people stumbling their own posts. The article even said that it’s against SU’s policy. Have you heard otherwise?
.-= Nick Tart | JuniorBiz´s last blog ..Top 5 Most Effective Commercial Series on TV =-.
Seth, you look like you were only born yesterday but your articles are excellent! I’d love to know how many hits you netted from the most successful strategy and how many subscribers that translated into. Inquiring mind:)
Your experiment here has already worked: I have followed a few of your other lovely commenters on twitter and/or visited their blogs because of what they wrote here.
Torrey: I hope you get this message and wonder if you’ve heard it before. It seems so obvious to me. I know I’m not your target audience but I think the name is the problem: Men’s Playbook sounds too much like Playboy – not what you are trying to achieve at all. I think you need a new name. The content looks great but if I found my hubby reading Men’s Playbook I would be worried! Maybe men are loathe to read it at work in case their colleagues catch them and get the wrong idea. Or maybe it’s just me:)
I write a blog to inspire and inform people on how to live their dream. It all sounds like new age nonsense but it’s commonsense really. I hate to see people sleepwalking through life and want to wake them up and inspire them to get on with life.
My fave social media sites are Twitter for networking (that sounds harsh but we have fun on it too) and Facebook for keeping in touch with friends. Are there any others sm sites?!
How can I help you? I’ll stick my neck out here. I like to encourage and inspire people but I will also give you a fair appraisal of how your site can be improved if you’d like me to. I have an MA in Design for Interactive Media and an obsession with user-friendly website design. Been designing on the Internet for 13 years. Now I feel even older:)
How can you help me? Just visit my site, leave a comment, tweet articles if you like them or recommend it to friends or relatives who want to change their lives and strike out for their dreams. I hear stumble is super but have no knowledge of that yet.
Re Determine to help someone on the comment list every day – no promises there but I think as I’ve followed a few that’s a start. I hope I’ve helped some already. That is my aim!
I wish everyone the best and look forward to seeing what happens. Thanks Seth! Nice to meet you:)
.-= Annabel Candy´s last blog ..It’s Good To Laugh =-.
Annabel,
Thanks for your feedback. Actually, you’re the first person to make that parallel with Playboy. Not sure I will change the name as I’ve have many compliments on it’s creativity, but if additional blog marketing doesnt work, that will be considered.
.-= Torrey´s last blog ..Athletes: Role Models or Just Entertainers? =-.
I like your blog, its pretty cool Torrey. I did expect the theme to be focused around sports and car talk though. I enjoyed the material more than if it was the other stuff, but the name did mix me up a bit too! It is very creative though!
Great post. I see a lot of bloggers heading into the wrong direction by begging. I like the way you stressed it all out. Its about working your way up and reaping the benefits afterwards.
.-= Melvin´s last blog ..Why Most Blogs Couldn’t Just Get It Going.. =-.
Yeah it is all about working hard to move your blog upwards. Then things will continue to roll and you will see great benefits.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..The Secrets to More Effective Blogging =-.
Great post and awesome idea!
1. My blog is a snapshot inside the mind of a perpetually single 24-year-old copywriter by day, aspiring strike-it-rich-and-retire-by-25 blogger by night. From a post on the importance of the Boob-to-Gut ratio for single women to a post on how the Cupid Shuffle is a hybrid dance for white people.. the posts are just whatever randomness pops into my head.
2. Stumbleupon
3. I’d love to do a guest post for someone with a similar blog
4. Check out my blog and if it makes you chuckle, pass it along to a friend
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Awkward Office Situations, Episode 1: The Long Hallway =-.
- Great ideas in your blog. My goal is to nurture a culture of communication within organizations by helping individuals and companies to be more powerful communicators. Our mission is to help bring a company’s values, strengths and messages to life with effective business writing that is clear, concise and compelling.
– LinkedIn is my favorite social media network
- How I can help you: write a guest blog for your site and/or comment on your blogs and RT your Tweets
- How you can give me: write a guest blog for my site if it aligns with my brand and/or comment on my blogs and RT my Tweets.
Thanks — and happy blogging everyone.
.-= Jeannette Paladino´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at =-.
Hey Seth,
while you’re making great points in your post,
one thing that most bloggers don’t seem to get is that
in order to see some results – you need some consistent action.
Constantly building momentum until the snowball can roll
on it’s own.
Igor
.-= Igor Helps You Succeed´s last blog ..Learn Affiliate Marketing – It’s Good For You! =-.
Snowball is right! We have seen Blogussion snowball as we have done some things to really market and make it unique.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..The Secrets to More Effective Blogging =-.
1. Funny you mention dogs… my blog is about dogs. I search and research the best, coolest sites for pet related stuff, then I create a visual catalog of logos and write some more about the sites and pet products i Like. I am a little picky though, the sites I index are cool and not just ad farms…
2. Stumbleupon
3. Humm. I could write guest posts, comments, and write articles about your pet product
4. Help me? Comments, spread the word, Stumbleupon, if someone you know have a pet, maybe they would find the site a good resource. I hope so.
Thanks for this awesome site!
.-= Claudia´s last blog ..These Brushes Deliver Much More Than a Shinny Coat =-.
1. I write Secrets of a Kitchen Wizard as a resource for home cooks who want to eat healthier and more variety (esp. global flavors) with less — less time, money and effort.
2. Facebook
3. I’m really good at make your life in the kitchen easier and more fun, by figuring out easy way to systematize/optimize your cooking related activities. I can also help you by writing a guest post (or you write for me).
4. Please share my blog with others. Try some of the tips or recipes and leave a comment. Join Kitchen Wizard — Cooking Effort Optimization Face book group.
Seth: Thank you for the great post!
.-= Mari Suzuki´s last blog ..Curry Base Split Recipe 4: Chana Masala & Bonus Recipe: Raita & Mango Lassi =-.
I thought this was a great post. I like how you inspired me and I hope many others to take action now, as it is only through actually taking action towards what we want that will actually make it happen.
I loved the quote at the begining:
“Imagine how different the world would be if we each lived out our own dreams and stopped being an imposter in someone else’s.” @prosperbydesign
By being who we are we can live our dreams. If you have a gift give it. A gift not given is nothing.
One other point wich stood out for me was how you highlighted giving before receiving. Napoleon Hill said one of the most common reasons for failure is when people expect to get without giving.
Thank you for a great post.
In answers to your questions
1. We are a coaching organisation working with indiviuals and businesses, offering them an internet based training and coaching system in soft skills and business start. our blog is on personal development.
2. I am very new today and I am loving technorati wich is how I found Blogussion.
3. I am good at working with people and bring a very honest approach to personal development (I am from a farming / sheep shearing background), I love simplifying lifes challenges and always look forward for a win win outcome. I am happy to write guest posts and would welcome others.
4.How you can help me is to spread the word of Confident Furture, check out my posts and give feedback. On another businees let me know if you are a SEO specialist willing to share some of your knowledge. I will make contact with hospitalera from this blog.
I look forward to reading all the posts and taking part in assisting where I can.
Thank you again Seth.
Benji
.-= Benji Leggate´s last blog ..Falling in Love =-.
Thanks Benji. I am excited to read more from your blog and get involved with helping everyone. Feel free to take part in this blog’s community and you will really find a lot of great friends and information.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..The Secrets to More Effective Blogging =-.
This is a brilliant project, and fits in with our growth strategy at 20SB.
1. Our TwentyTwenty blog is aimed at twenty-something personal bloggers, as a mix of useful content and community announcements (our team is from http://www.20SB.net). We want to expand our content pieces with guest bloggers!
2. We love Twitter and our 20SB community!
3. We have a TON of willing young personal bloggers who want more exposure and opportunity – you just tell us what you’re looking for. Writers, reviewers, etc. We’d also love to guest post ourselves if you have readers interested in millenials and personal blogging.
4. We are very interested in guest posts aimed at personal blogging; plain language stuff about the act of blogging and being a good netizen. We avoid ‘make money’, ‘get a job’, and overt ‘build your personal brand’ stuff.
Thanks!
DShan (@dshanahan)
Chief Admin – 20SB
.-= DShan´s last blog ..Today is Vlog Day! =-.
This is very right steps for blog promotion,i think there is another problem that some of newbie bloggers do not have any background on handling websites, for example I’ve seen a question from a new blogger asking how to put meta tags or where he should find them ?, I’ve seen the same loop question about how and where we should start making seo to our blogs, see is ideas, tips but not an educational process.
.-= Bader Alrayyes´s last blog ..Musicmesh: Free Web 2.0 Music Search Engine =-.
So true, so true. Frankly, I am pretty tired of all the whiners. This is web 2.0! There is so many ways to accomplish almost anything you want with your blog. Almost all of them are free. The only reasons bloggers don’t accomplish things, such as building a community, is they are not putting in effort. They may be putting in time, but they are not putting in effort.
.-= Jake | Web Journey´s last blog ..Online Writing Series!!! =-.
Another great post Seth! and very cool of you to help others by allowing them to highlight their blogs in the comments. I will take advantage
1.Tycoon Blogger is a blog about blogging, social media, MMO, and anything else related to Internet Technology.
2. Twitter – @tycoonblogger
3.I have been know to tweet and retweet posts that I like as well as digging.
4.Pay me a visit, if you like what you see sign up via Rss and join my community.
.-= Tycoon Blogger´s last blog ..pay you to blog sites that I use =-.
A very insightful read, with a thumbs-up!
1. Cachic Design is a website for custom invitations, at the moment wedding invites, but expanding to corporate, birthday… The young blog talks about wedding trends, styles, and inspirations.
2. Stumble
3. Can retweet, become a fan, and I always thumbs-up a good post!
4. Check out the blog, thumbs-up always helps traffic, it’s a new business venture, so any referrals, comments, and creative criticism always helps.
Very nice article and handy tips for sure, Thanks mate.
I have started a new community journalism/news type of blog/website and since I started adding content to the different social networks I have noticed my visitors and new users count going up lots.
Cheers
Seth you are so right on. I have just started a new faith based blog from ground zero (which I guess they all are
) and am just starting the promotion process. There is not any rocket science to any of it just persistance and consistency.
I appreciated the tip on guest posting, I had not thought about that but plan to explore that in depth for this new site.
.-= Kent´s last blog ..Who’s in Charge Here? =-.
Great article Seth! Love the take action part you’ve included at the end
You mention that you write comments on blogs in AND outside the blogging niche. Do you find that you are getting much traffic by doing this?
Here is my 1-5
1. Blog – BeginnerBlogger.com
Beginner Blogger is a blog designed to help those that are new to blogging and need some help and tips to get underway. It’s also aimed at those that are already blogging but are aiming to improve their blog in whatever way they wish.
2. Favourite Social Media Site – Twitter
I really haven’t explored other social media sites like I have twitter yet. It’s a really exciting prospect to think that I can potentially make other social media sites as successful as my twitter has been.
3. How I can help
I am building a large twitter following – the majority of them are into blogging in one way or another so I feel I can reach out many bloggers through my tweets.
4. How you can help me
Get in touch with me and let me know what areas of blogging you are having trouble with. This way I can write blog posts based on common questions asked by people and help a much larger audience than just the ones that send me question.
Love your work!
-Sarge
.-= Sarge´s last blog ..Why Being PERFECT Is Hurting You And Your Blog =-.
First of all great article, and secondly thanks Sarge for giving me the link! The article has some really good tips and it points out some things that I need to change about my blogging promotion.
Here is my list:
1. Gaming onset is a gaming blog about what I think of the gaming world. It has my reviews, tutorials in coding and also my efforts to break into the gaming industry as either a journalist or a developer.
2. Twitter is my favorite social media site. It’s easy and I’m able to directly talk to my peers.
3. I can help people by giving sharing my experiences with coding and how they can do things differently. I offer links that might help people who want to get into the video game industry as a developer or game journalist.
4. People can help me by commenting on my blog! I would love criticism of my writing especially in my reviews, but anywhere would be nice.
.-= Jono Yeong´s last blog ..First impressions: Brutal Legend =-.
1. Blog: eCommerceCircle.com – eCommerce Marketing Tips & Tricks
2. Fav Social Site: Twitter
3. How I Can Help My blog is only 3 months old but I have a lot of knowledge in the eCommerce arena and can help with specific questions you have.
4. How You Can Help Me Share posts from eCommerceCircle.com with your social network. Suggest topics for future posts.
.-= eCommerceCircle´s last blog ..How Can eCommerceCircle Help You? =-.
1. Blog about ITX (mini, pico etc) .motherboards.
2. Digg/Twitter
3. Open to guest posts and news related to my niche. If you have sites related to ITX motherboards I can exchange links.
4. Retweet/Digg my posts
.-= Mini Motherboard´s last blog ..New ZOTAC ION ITX-E & ITX-G Synergy Edition =-.
Great article. I learned a lot. I am a beginner blogger and I am still learning the basics of the blogging world. Promoting is hard and I am slowly getting the ball rolling. Here is my list:
1) My blog consists of my ideas, thoughts and daily activities. It is mostlyfor laughs. I do review movies I see in the theater and share jokes and riddles that I like. I have a great sense of humor and want to share it with the world.
2) Favorite social site right now is Facebook. I haven’t tried twitter yet
3) I can help you by sharing your blog with others and leaving you comments
4) you can help me by commenting on my blog. I like constructive criticism
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Cutting hurts everyone =-.
This is super stuff- thanks! OUr blog is a B2B and we try to inform, educate and entertain about marketing. Our company specializes in fresh produce, but can market anything. Our concern is focus: on our core competency or other topics? It’s difficult..
Great post! I actually just started a blog last week after doing some research – I am viewing it as a six month trial – got my free site, post consistently, network consistently. If after 6 months I don’t see some kind of growth or I hate doing it, I’ll let it go. Otherwise I’ll upgrade and set higher goals.
1. One Eye on the TV (I’m still not sure I love that title) – The daily thoughts of an intelligent and insightful woman (me!) who is addicted to television. Hopefully a mix of humor and insight about the boob tube. I know it’s a saturated subject, but I really am addicted…
2. Fave social media site – Twitter.
3. I would love kind words and constructive criticism. As I said, I just started this baby last week, so I haven’t pimped it out yet, I’m still trying to find my voice for the content.
4. I will definitely be subscribing to many of the blogs posting here, and tweeting from them.
Great stuff – Thank you!
.-= Kim S.´s last blog ..The Persian Gulf and Balloon Boy: Random Weekend Musings =-.
Good luck on your trial! If you stick to it… I know you will be successful! Try working on getting a more unique blogger template and you will find it easier to get and keep traffic.
For me, when I see a default blogger template I usually leave before reading the posts. I know a lot of other readers are similar. There are dozens of high quality sites with great blogger templates available. So go and get a more unique one today!
.-= Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog =-.
Yep, I knew that was something I needed to do, guess I’ll move it up the to-do list! Thanks
.-= Kim S.´s last blog ..The Persian Gulf and Balloon Boy: Random Weekend Musings =-.
1. My blog entertains and informs men on the issues that effect them at every stage of their lives.
2. HelloTXT (because it updates them all!)
3. I can link to your pages, allow a guest post, comment on your blogs
4. Comment on my blog!
5. I already started with Torrey above before I even found this site over at The Mens Playbook
.-= Charlie´s last blog ..Christine Mendoza: Blue Waters =-.
Excellent post Seth and your tips on building community are very helpful…
I wish we had more hours in the day to do everything you mentioned as the idea of spreading goodwill resonates well with me. As a very busy working mom and relatively new blogger, I barely have enough time for all the things that call my attention and so I focus on what is feasible for my schedule — time management is key. I comment on blogs and when I find topics that are relevant to what I write, I link to to others and share them.
Brief Description: I write a motivational, inspirational blog on a wide range of contemporary topics and I add photographs and videos for visual impact.
Favorite social media sites: The usual suspects…
Tell everyone how you can help them: Link, comment, allow related guest post, showcase you and your unique business as a blog post(email me) or share your post.
Tell us how we can help you: Share my blog posts with others and/or leave me comments/questions
Determine to help someone: Yes. I always do my best to reach out to other bloggers.
Cheers!
E
.-= ElizOF´s last blog ..Warning: Top 10 Signs You Procrastinate and Tips to Help You take Massive Action! =-.
I love this article! And I love the comments that have been added as well!! Great post!
here is my info:
Brief Description:
I tell athletes how to perform at their best while looking their best. If you are a “chubby” athlete, losing weight and maximizing definition can be hard. I make it happen for you. I do the same for general public if they are willing to do the work.
Favorite social media sites:
Twitter and Facebook
Tell everyone how you can help them:
Link with you. Comment regularly on your blog. Guest post for you. Promote you on Twitter. Promote your service on my blog if it will help my readers. I am interested in far more than what I blog about so I post on a lot of blogs—and because *everyone* wants to look good.;)
Tell us how we can help you:
Honestly, just doing this will help me. Provide more posts like this and that’s all that’s necessary. I hope to meet some like minded folk from this exercise!
Determine to help someone: That’s easy. There are about 5 blogs on this comment list I already know I am going to add to my blog roll! I think most people want to help each other, they just do not realize how they can do it.
Thank you for this article and this exercise at the end. It’s an awesome way to network fast.
Me? I’m not looking for handouts…hell I don’t even know how to get ‘em. I’m just going to build a blog like YOURS. I just love this place! Great article…as usual, Seth. I’m learning so much from you. (I need to quit my job maybe and do this full time. Read your blog I mean…)
Take care!
.-= Andy´s last blog ..Between Me and God. (And a few thousand readers…) =-.
Haha — Well at some point I am going to quit my job and write for this blog full-time! Thanks man, and enjoy!
Excellent advice on building community. I’ve been taking these actions resulting in being ahead of goals. Which feels good!
At the moment, Website In A Weekend is publishing on blogging in general and WordPress in particular. My content ranges from easy-reading… to get-yourself-a-cup-of-coffee-and-settle-in-for-awhile. This supposedly break “the rules” of blogging, but it’s working well for me.
I’m starting to use twitter more these days. I was on it back in early 97, and got disgusted with it for a while.
My strength is in creating a lot of content fast. I have to hold myself back from publishing on the blog (putting that energy in other places). I like helping others succeed. I’m not very good at self-promotion, but I will promote guest authors extensively.
I’m always on the lookout for unique and original content. I don’t care if it’s been published by author before, as long as the piece speaks clearly.
As it turns out, I recognize several people on this comment list, and that’s pretty cool.
Its great to have you here. I enjoyed reading your blog just today! I found it on Stumbleupon and it was a very fun read. I like that you break down your posts into how long it will take readers to digest it.
Self-promotion is odd at first, but over time as you feel comfortable with your content it becomes more comfortable too. Good job with your goals. Keep working and you will break many more.
.-= Seth´s last blog ..Wired Weekend #2: The Best Blogging Tips From Around the Web =-.
This is the thing people fail to realize. It takes work and a lot of promotion to get visitors. You can just write a great piece and voila!, you are done. I applaud your suggestions and your proactive approach. And to Jenny above, I love the idea of the Cupid Shuffle!
.-= Jim´s last blog ..Top Rap Songs | Top Ten Rap Songs (Daily Updates) =-.
this is a proof of a great way to end you eBook. Its the last link on you publication. definitely worth reading and a lot to learn from. Great Job and thanks!
.-= MyPinoyOnline´s last blog ..Gilbert GIBO Teodoro: A Bright Future for the Filipino =-.
1. My freelance writing portfolio, and potentially a personal development blog, of sorts. Barely 48 hours old, at this point.
2. Facebook/Twitter
3. I’d love to share ideas with other writers and bloggers who, like myself, are just starting out.
4. I’ve read articles on the pitfalls and pinnacles of freelance writing for months; any pointers would be sincerely appreciated.
.-= Jason Nas´s last blog ..A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood =-.
1. My blog is new- I’ve created it to be outlet for my writing, which is mostly personal essay/memoir
2. Twitter!
3. I love reading other’s blogs, I can link, RT, bounce blogging ideas, etc.
4. RT my posts, critique my writing…
1. Gametunes is a resource for video game music news, reviews, interviews, and gaming culture. It was started to fuel my passion for the industry and because I love music.
2. Twitter, at this point.
3. I can Stumble, comment on blogs, RT, and generally be an encouraging fan.
4. Stumble and RT posts.
.-= Tyler´s last blog ..FFXI 8th Anniversary Music Collection Coming =-.
1 – My personal struggles and anecdotes as I try to make the necessary life changes to transition from a working woman to a stay at home mom. (It’s only a few weeks old).
2 – I’m a big fan of Facebook (you can do so many things with it!)
3 – I love reading new blogs, I can make comments and offer feedback
4 – I’d love some comments in return and feedback on ways to improve (keeping in mind I’m still working on a lot of the site, since it’s so new!)
.-= Carolyn´s last blog ..A Good Day (And A Rocking Horse) =-.
1) My blog is about the Christian faith and looking at issues in society, politics, news and daily life through God’s eyes (using scripture to analyse these things)
. I would ultimately like to help other people come to Christ.
2) Facebook is my favorite social media site (www.facebook.com/neilkhess)
3) I can help others by being a guest blogger. I feel pretty well educated about the following topics: Technology, Education (I’m a public school teacher), Christianity and the Seattle Seahawks
4) You can help me by giving me honest feedback about my blog, and my articles and PLEASE respectfully argue with my points. Discussion is SO healthy and necessary for our personal growth. As long as the tone is civil, I welcome it.
5) I’m on it! : )
.-= Neil Hess´s last blog ..The “You can’t judge me!” State of Mind =-.
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