How To Participate in the Blogging Community
75 Comments Published September 18th, 2006 in blogging, blogs, probloggerIt’s time for another Group Writing Project from Problogger. This time the topic is “How Tos.” There are prizes to be won, but more importantly there are a bunch of new blogs out there waiting for you to discover them. Check out the link and join the fun.
This post is my entry for the latest project and was inspired after the last Group Writing Project I participated in (Top 10 Things I’d Tell My Younger Self). I had a lot of fun and met some new bloggers who share many of the same interests I do. They take blogging seriously and love to do it as much as I do. I realized then how important the concept of community is in the blogging world and how much is to be gained by all who are actively participating. Here are some tips to follow so that you can help out other bloggers and add to the community as a whole:
1. Leave comments that add to the discussion. Those of us who blog are dying for recognition. Well, actually we’d just love to hear from you, especially if you’re new to our blog. Leave comments if something strikes you about a blog or blog posting. Be sure that your comment adds value, though, and isn’t just a “me, too” or link baiting.
2. Check out their sponsors or hit the tip jar. Blogging is hard work -really. It costs money to purchase a domain name and hosting. Even if it’s a free host, it takes a lot of time and hard work to put together a blog and post regularly. Whenever I get something useful from a blog, I try to check out their sponsored links if I can’t always give a monetary donation. Every little bit helps and it’s a way you can pay back just a little for the useful information you’ve gotten.
3. Link from your own site. If a blog entry is particularly interesting, link back to it from your own site. I know there is a tendency of some to shy away from re-blogging, or posting links to other bloggers posts, but if you can add something to the topic, your own personal take on the issue, do it, and remember to link back to the original posting.
4. Keep finding new blogs and share them with your readers. There’s so much great information out there in the blogging community that you owe it to yourself to seek out new blogs. You’ll always be able to find at least a little something different from what you already know. When you do find something new, share it with your own readers. They’ll thank you for it.
5. Tell your friends and people you meet. We can add to the blogging community as a whole by telling people we know about it. The blogging community is about community, right? The people around you, your family, friends, and coworkers, can benefit from being a part of it, too. Let them know about all the cool stuff you find. You might be surprised at their response.
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to leave a comment or contact me to let me know about. Thanks to Darren at Problogger.net for another cool contest and for helping to build a bigger and better blogging community.
75 Responses to “How To Participate in the Blogging Community”
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Hey Ray, you might want to watch number 2. You don’t want to upset the Big G by indicating that people should click on the ads to support the site. No doubt your intentions are good, I’m just not sure Google would be too happy ( and no one wants to anger Google! )
Thanks, Leroy. I was trying to be as delicate as possible in broaching the subject. I just tweaked it a little bit more. I’m hoping everyone gets the idea here without taking it as a solicitation…
I also look for posts that are relevant to my site content, and then link to them in a related post to give my readers even more info about the topic as well as to give the other blogger some traffic and link love. I’m bad about clicking on ads, but I try to remember to do it for sites that I enjoy. Our list is up as well if you’d like to check it out!!
Nice to hear from you again, Mama Duck. Sending traffic to other bloggers is a great benefit, too. I figure all these things are good karma and also an easy way to contribute to the community.
Ray – you definitely practice what you preach in this post. Keep up the great work and enjoy your great rewards!
Thanks, Wendy! BTW, you have a great blog. I checked it out during the last contest, but I’ll definitely be spending more time on there in the future.
Clear and practical advice. It’s good to be reminded of these things. Thanks!
great post ray. very clean , clear and useful.
well done.
Community building is very important to blogging – you are right. I like that you respond to comments…it seems to create a conversation that is very welcoming. Nice. Very nice.
(Found you through ProBlogging)
Thank you all for the great comments. This is the part of blogging that I love the best. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and hope that you’ll be coming back soon. Thanks again and I’ll be checking out all of your sites!
Nicely done…hopped over from problogger…enjoyed the read.
Saw your post on Problogger and I appreciate the tips. I’m new to the scene so I can use all the newbie stuff you can give me. I believe in community online as well as in the ‘real’ world – like my neigborhood. Quality of life is so much better when you participate in a strong community.
Good article – it is something I need to work on more. You are right – it is nice to receive comments – so here’s one more
Participation really is key to having a successful blog.
My how to is up.
Yep. This is the second of Problogger’s Group Writing Projects I’ve been included in and I think it’s a blast. Each time I come away with more new information and more blogs to check out, not to mention more connections with people.
Nice how-to post! I might have to link to this sometime soon.
This is my first blog carnival, and so had no idea of the protocol involved here. Posts like these are invaluable to newbies…how else would we figure things out? Thanks, Ray.
Thanks! Anyone should feel free to link to this post (or any others on my blog). I’m going to be linking to a bunch of other entries in the Group Writing Project in the next few days.
Found you thru Problogger. Good tips man. Keep it up.
Nice blog you’ve got here. I liked your post and I’m amazed at how many responses you’ve garnered thus far!
I’m pretty amazed at the response as well. It’s really great getting the feedback. If only every post got half as much interest!
Ray, that is a good piece of writing.
I definitely learn something there.
Keep the good article coming
I found this on Digg. It’s good to be reminded that I’m not the only blogger hoping folks leave comments for me – I try to be good about leaving comments on other blogs, but occasionally I feel as if I’m invading someone else’s living room, uninvited.
Now I’m going to check out your blog, as well as those of some of the other commenters…
Hi Rebecca. I actually just added the story to digg myself to see if anyone would find it there. I’m glad you were able to find my blog.
I’ve actually wondered about commenting myself. Personally, I love hearing from people. I think most bloggers are the same way and I’ve nearly always gotten a good response when I have left a comment.
I hope you find the information here useful and come back often.
Good tips mate. I found you through ProBlogger. I have given my view on the group writing project.
I feel that its the interaction between the bloggers makes it even more powerful.
Thanks Somu. I like you’re analysis of the whole thing on your blog. BTW, I’ve learned a ton of great stuff from Copyblogger, too.
Hi Ray,
Found you through ProBlogger. I’ve been blogging for a couple months but am still pretty green and honestly, a little intimidated! This post definitely helped so thank you for that. I’ll be back often. Now on to reading the hundreds of other how-to posts…:)
Hi Shannon. I’m glad you found my post useful. I’m looking forward to hearing from you and everyone else again.
P.S. I’m finding the trademark information on your blog to be very interesting. I’m adding it to my bookmarks.
Very important points! To be really part of the hole blogging community is not so easy. Even to be part of a blog community! This good post inspired me a quick post on my own blog, some thoughts about blogs using another lang than english, f.e french or malagasy.
)
(and, yes, I found you thru ProBlogger, as I write a How To too, about How To create a blog with Joomla!
You make a lot of good points. You have also presented me with a perfect opportunity to add something that I had been earlier thinking about. Some comments to other people’s posts are not in the spirit of community. Rather, they are a blatant effort to draw people to their own post. I understand the temptation to get yourself higher up on the list by telling people to “check out your list,” but, if your list is not on the same topic, it feels inappropriate. It makes the whole comment feel false and takes away from the community rather than adds to it. I was particularly taken aback when I read a very heartfelt post, and, while most posters commented on the post, some just commented to sell their own site. I was so bothered by that, but I didn’t want to comment on that there because I thought doing so would be rude. So, thanks for the reminders of how to be “good” members of the community. Thanks for a good post.
Donna
Ray, I found you from ProBlogger Group Writing Project and eMoms
I will try to start adapting approaches listed here. Benefits are obvious.
My submission for Group Writing Project is How To Accept Mistakes and Dont Blame Others
Cheers…
Hi, Thanx for the tips!
I’m a new blogger, and I found you through problogger. I try my best to link to relevant sites, but blogging can get a bit overwhelming at times. Especially since I’m still working away at the corporate grind!
My “how to” is up too, at
How to “buy” happiness , if you’d like to check it out
Thanks for the comments everyone. I’m still checking out all of your blogs.
Donna, thanks for your comment. You’ve inspired me to write a post devoted to including links in comments. It should be up shortly.
Great article. Thanks for the tips. I agree that the blogging community is a great one and I’ve found lots of great sites that I normally don’t find by myself.
I’ve been too busy blogging that I didn’t even know about this latest project. Oh well, maybe next time.
Handy tips for a lot of new bloggers. Donating is bit of an ask, but visiting sponsors which interest you is easy to do especially if its relevent to your need.
Thanks, Insurance Guy. I checked out your blog and I’m curious as to how it’s working out. I think you’ve got a good niche there if properly developed. Good luck with it!
Hi Ray
Thanks for visiting. Its not doing well at all, but that probably has more to do with my net marketing skills than the content. In time I have a grander strategy to implement but dont find time to work on it much.
That’s our curse, it seems, Insurance Guy. We never have enough time to do what we want to do. I’m hoping to change that in the future by making time somehow. Honestly, not having enough time is one of the things I hear all the time when I talk to other people just getting started in internet marketing.
You’ll be able to pick things up as you go along with the blogs and marketing them. If you can put a little bit of time (there it is again) into it every day, just researching and tweaking things, you’ll be able to generate some income. Hang in there.
Actually you provide quite a resourceful site for newbie bloggers like me. Today I checked out a few money making opportunities presented here. My own blog, although apparently a niche, is quite generic. I mean who doesn’t need car insurance in US, Canada, or anywhere there is a bit of law enforcement? And I feel due to my background in Insurance industry this can be valuable place to pick up hints and do some research. I am also in the process of creating many new insurance blogs and will eventually have to host them like yours. Once again, thanks for giving us a neat blog.
Thanks! I’m trying to put up more basic how-to articles. That’s one thing that I spent a lot of time searching for as a beginning blogger. So many of the instructional articles out there can get hopelessly complicated when all I really wanted was the dummies version. Actually, I still do look for simple, basic how-tos when I need to learn how to do something.
You know, I’m thinking of starting a series of posts that will be 5 minute how-tos on a variety of topics. They probably won’t be on anything super complicated, but will hit the basics and hopefully save people some time and help them get started sooner rather than later. If you have any ideas, feel free to drop me a line.
I think 5 minutes how to is a fantastic idea. But titles need to be attractive and topics I feel should be of broad interest. I cannot think of any ideas right now but will most likely come up with some.
I really like the layout of this blog.. How is it working out for you?
This is a really good post, hopefully a lot of bloggers will take your advise..
Dennis
Hi Dennis. Thanks! The 3 column layout has worked pretty well, but the code behind it is a little too complicated for my liking. I’m thinking of creating my own wordpress template that does exactly what I want. The graphics are new and were done by Ilker Yoldas of The Thinking Blog. Check out the link at the bottom of my page if you want to see more of his work…
I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from this post and I still think these are great ways to market yourself and your blog. Thanks for commenting!
I like the subtle humor in your writing; makes reading a bit more enjoyable.
For me, there is nothing wrong if you want to comment to the post which is not related with your site content. It is not a sin to comment to a post that can attract you to read it. Actually, by doing this, you can learn new things and also gain new friends. And of course, while commenting, you should promote your website/blog as well in order to ensure this new relation can be expand to a new level.Make it as a win-win situation. I respond to your post & and you respond to my comment. That’s all. Anyway, nice post here and I hope your blog can help the new blogger like me to introduce ourself in this internet world.
It’s not unusual for me to follow links back from commentors to their websites to see what they talk about. It’s pretty interesting. Often they have useful things to see or even buy.
Found you throught Problogger, too! Your information is insightful, as I am also new to blogging. I try searching for people with similiar interests and backchecking blogs I’ve located to share links with.
Jolene