Tips for making blogging friends
One of the best parts about blogging for me is all the fantastic friends I’ve made. I’ve met bloggers from all over the world and it really makes the whole blogging experience feel much more exciting and personal. The process of meeting and becoming friends with your blogging peers really isn’t so difficult either, if you’re willing to give it a little effort. I thought I’d share a few tips for new bloggers on how you can make blogging friends.
- When you comment for the first time on someone’s blog that you find interesting, try and make your comment thoughtful, or even amusing. Show your personality. Give them a reason to say “hey, that person seems pretty cool”, and stop by your blog.
- Which leads me to point number two. Comments like “Hi, I liked your post” aren’t really all that attention grabbing. Try to avoid those at all costs.
- Blogroll them! If you find a blogger you really like but perhaps you’re a bit too shy to say hello, you can at least blogroll them. The blogger will likely receive a ping alerting them that you’ve linked to their site. If you’re lucky they just might come say hello and thank you for the link. Woohoo, the ice is broken Mr. Shypants.
- Link love! Everyone loves to know that their posts are read and appreciated. Start a weekly feature called “Link Love” or something similar, and briefly discuss posts you’ve enjoyed from your blogging peers. The majority of them will stop by and thank you for linking to their post.
- Finally make sure you take the time to reply to comments you receive on your own posts. Making yourself an active part of the discussion is important not only in making blogging friends, but also in keeping readers interested in your blog and coming back.
These are the things that for me at least are most important in making friends around the blogosphere. If you have some other great ideas, feel free to leave a comment :)
i can’t believe you made me do math to comment! haha…just kidding, beats those crazy word verification things i can never read!
fabulous post mike! i couldn’t agree more…the friends i’ve made all over the world make blogging my favorite thing to do! good tips! :)
LOL…I keep telling myself I’m just going to activate Akismet to monitor for spam and do away with the math question, but I never quite get around to it :P
And thank you :) I’m trying to make a few informative posts more often on here, rather than just my usual babbling…hehe.
Well said, Isn’t it amazing how simple the advice is yet most people keep trying to find some cool problogger tip that’ll get them readers. I love those people who leave MyBlogLog messages on 500 different member’s pages asking for you to come by and leave comments. Silly rabbitt…
I’m gonna try link love for the first time today and I’ll join your forum.
Great tips, Mike!
Listen up, folks. He knows what he’s talking about! He found my blog and left a comment, and that was the start of a beautiful friendship! :)
@Bobby: Those people really bug me on MyBlogLog as well and they usually leave the same EXACT message on everyone’s profile. It’s usually something like “Great blog, I really love what you’re doing. Come see mine!”. Yet all you have to do is look at your widget to see they never even visited your blog.
@Tish: Thank you, Tish :oops: It was easy to make friends with you. You’re so nice :P
Spreading link love is definitely a great way to get noticed and help others get noticed. I posted my 10th link love list last night and it usually brings in those that I’ve linked to. A good ice-breaker indeed. :)
I need to post mine soon. In fact every time you post yours reminds me that I need to do mine :lol:
I was so excited the first time I got a comment on my blog, and it still makes me so happy. Success blogging really depends on your ability to “schmooze” I think. And I agree that you should always try to make your blog thoughtful and thought-provoking. Participating in this way on other blogs not only makes that blogger notice you, but can also attract others to your blog.
P.S. I don’t mind the math – it’s always the same answer anyways so you only need to use the calculator the first time. ;-)
I think schmoozing is a good way to put it…lol. I don’t know that I was a very impressive schmoozer when I first started blogging, but my power of schmooze has increased over time :)
That is a good idea for a post title – The Power of Schmooze. It would be neat to have some kind of widget that shows your “Schmooze Power” based on comments on other blogs and on your own as well I suppose.
Haha. It sounds like a bad infomercial. Schmooze Power: Learn to schmooze like a pro :D
Hi, I liked your post.
Hehehe
Agreed.
LOL
@Baron and Mark: Punks :P
See this is why I have the hot tub and you guys are out “playing” golf…lol :P
You know, Baron, he does have a point. :D
Yes that’s very good advice! I think that’s actually how I met you, by getting to know your comments!
I believe so, Christy :D Though don’t ask me to remember who commented first…hehe.
Link love is for sure very cool. It’s easily given as gift to people and thus has much more value than just a regular link. I quit just handing out links. I let people know; link love is the best way to do just that. Stumble me, ok, maybe you didn’t read a word. Link love, you drove 200 miles to buy me just the right gift:)
“try to avoid those at all costs.” LOL omg that is too funny! i totally agree :D
hehe :D
As you may have noticed in the comments above yours, one of my rather smartassed readers didn’t learn a thing from my little lesson ;)
He must be talking about you, Baron. :)