Befriending a Blogging Clique: How Not to Become Cyber Toast
April 27, 2011 at 7:34 am | Posted in Promotion, Social Networking | 12 CommentsTags: a-list bloggers, blogging clique, how to promote a book online, how to promote without selling, mommy bloggers
An author and newbie blogger friend of mine said she wanted to ally herself with a group of powerful mommy bloggers and promote her book to them, but she didn’t want to become the victim in a cyber remake of Mean Girls. So, I gave her a few basic tips that I thought I’d share here. The good news is there’s a simple way to begin developing a relationship with your topic A-List bloggers: comment on their blog posts.
Reach out. Read their blogs and comment intelligently. It will give you visibility with your target audience (her readers who are interested in your topic) when you begin interacting with the blogger.
Contribute to the conversation. If you have personal experience, knowledge or special insight to the topic, share your information and opinions by adding to the discussion. It helps build community with the other bloggers and introduces you to their readers in an organic, non-invasive way.
If you disagree with the point a blogger has made in her post, you can open a polite debate by expressing your position and asking a question that allows her to expand on her position. But that can be tricky and shouldn’t be done unless you have read and participated on the blog long enough to have established a relationship and know how the blogger will respond in situations of disagreement. Do NOT go to another blogger’s site and pick a fight. It might even be better to use a trackback and keep your differing opinions on your own blog if you think the discussion will become too heated.
Don’t sell. Think of visiting other blogs like going to a backyard party. Everyone is standing around talking about a particular topic. Then you walk in and say the equivalent of: “Hi! I’m not interested in joining the conversation, I just came here to tell you about my great book/product/service.” Bad move. That kind of behavior can get you duct taped to a cyber tree. You’ll draw attention to yourself and not in a positive way. Read your comment aloud before you press the submit button. If your comment sounds like you are promoting yourself and trying to sell something, rethink your wording. Sharing information vs. sharing information about something you have for sale are two very different things.
If the blogger feels you are using her site for your own book/product/service promotion, she may delete your comment and ban you from posting on her blog, or worse—call attention to your breach in etiquette by posting about your rudeness. I know bloggers who have dealt with sales-y comments in those ways. Don’t be a comment spammer. It places you, your book/product/service in a negative light.
Leave a trail. Make sure you post comments using your full name rather than choosing the anonymous option. Include the URL to your blog in the comment sign-in form; that will make your name “clickable” in the comments window, so readers can find their way to your blog if they are intrigued by what you’ve said or want to find more information about what you’ve shared.
If the comment sign-in form does not allow for a direct click-through to your blog, you can end your comment post with a one- or two-line signature block with your name and your blog or website URL.
If you’d like to follow that particular thread of conversation, you can select the option to receive email notices when someone else replies in the comment section. This is particularly helpful if you want to continue participating in the discussion or if the blogger’s call to action has encouraged other comments containing useful information you would like to receive.
Give props. If a blogger has a particular post that you think would be great information for your blog readers, write your own commentary about the topic (you can also use an excerpt of the content you’re referencing), and suggest that your readers visit her site. Include a clickable hyperlink (use the permalink) to the relevant post on the blogger’s site. It’s free advertising for her and increases her blog traffic, in addition, it shows her you’re looking to establish a relationship of mutual support. And, it allows your readers to see you as a filter when you provide another useful source of information.
Overall, the concept is quite simple. Establish your online relationships the same way you would in person—a little bit at a time.
What tips do you have that worked for you?
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Pingback by Does this mean I wasn’t a ‘proper’ teenager? | Undefined Traveller— August 26, 2014 #
I know this is way, way late but I’ve just come across your post. Really helpful thank you. I just started blogging about 3 months ago and a reminder that it takes time to build relationships is well received right now! It’s easy to feel that I am blogging into thin air…
Comment by eethree— June 15, 2013 #
Clare, just keep putting your voice out there. Your readers will find you. Keyword and tag your posts with whatever your content is about and let the search engine spiders do the rest. And, of course, participate in the blogging community surrounding your topic. And voila! No more thin air. 🙂
Comment by Annette Fix— June 20, 2013 #
Very good advice. Including a permalink in your comment (and in your posts on your own blog) is essential. Visitors might click and read, but they won’t click and search.
Comment by Helen Ginger— August 27, 2011 #
Be friendly. Join in the discussion. Get known. Become part of the “group.”
I think your advice is spot-on.
Comment by Helen Ginger— August 20, 2011 #
Hi! I’m a new follower! and I’m also new to blogging! Your site was very helpful! Thanks! My url is; http://northernsunshine72.blogspot.com
Comment by Stephanie Nobles— July 18, 2011 #
Stephanie,
I’m glad my site has been helpful for you. =) I also recommend that if there are any writing topics you’re interested in, Google the topic and include the words WOW Women On Writing. I’ve been involved with that site since it began and there are tons of fabulous articles there.
Comment by Annette Fix— July 18, 2011 #
Being the minister mentioned above, I was curious how Woopra was reporting someone had come to my site through a backlink.
I keep my blogroll short – it is meaningless to have one that includes dozens, and I delete anyone who does not update regularly.
Writing a daily blog, I have built up a regular readership, and as minister of a parish have a natural constituency, but from wherever the readers come, they will only come if there are frequent posts. Go to a blog a couple of times and find it is not updated and you lose interest.
Including links to other sites can help build readership, but the link should be integral to the post. I wrote a post inspired by the BBC television series ‘The American Dream’ and linked to its webpages, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wcnts
The BBC very kindly reciprocated!
Comment by Ian— May 15, 2011 #
I just started my first blog a few days ago and I’m so glad I stumbled upon your post. Great information for us newbies; I had some questions about blogging protocol and your comments really helped. Glad I’ve been following you on Premium Green!
Comment by Kelly Thompson— May 14, 2011 #
Hey Kelly, great to see you popping by. I’m glad the post was helpful to you. Thanks for taking a moment to tell me. I often forget there are many writers who are just venturing into blogging and can use some help with the basics. =)
Comment by Annette Fix— May 14, 2011 #
I suppose new bloggers may become more impatient than they would in the real world when they can see the high rate of commenting that some bloggers attract – they get a bit distracted by the statistics.
I remember the first person to add a permanent link from their blog to mine – a Church of Ireland minister I’ve still never met. It felt wonderful. This is where he says his thing http://www.forthefainthearted.com/
Comment by blackwatertown— April 27, 2011 #
Blackwatertown, When you post a link in a comment or even in your blog post to reference someone else’s post, it’s best to use the permalink (the link to the specific post, not the home page of the site). I went to that link to see the reference, but landed on the minister’s home page. If, instead of referencing a specific post of your, if he put a link to your blog on his home page in the margin, he added you to his blogroll as someone he reads and/or recommends. And both are good ways to get new traffic coming to your blog. =)
Comment by Annette Fix— May 14, 2011 #