Build traffic by networking with other blogs

In the previous post we saw how to market your cornerstone posts by using social networks, bookmark lists and recommendation sites. You may also exploit those networks in other ways, if you find blogs similar to yours.

How to network with other blogs

This is a step by step guide on how to network with other blogs.

1. Find a blog similar to yours


2. Comment on the blog


3. Link to the blog

You find a blog which is similar in size and status to your own. Observe the blog to determine whether the blog is updated as often as yours, whether the blog has good content and whether you would like to associate your blog with that blog. Commenting is always appreciated, and linking even more.

Find a blog similar to yours

This is done by using the social networking sites you should already belong to. I like to rate blogs based on the amount of entrecard credits it costs to advertise on them and based on their project wonderful traffic. If their entrecard advertising costs about the same as mine and if they get roughly the same amount of traffic, I know this blog has a similar status to mine.

While you may also try to interact with the huge blogs out there, it is a better idea to build mutually beneficial relationships with blogs of a similar stature. A huge blog like pro blogger has nothing to gain by networking with you. As an example, my main blog The Necro Files reviews heavy metal albums and horror films. I regularly interact with the following blogs:

• Karl Hungus


• the Vault of Horror

These blogs enjoy roughly the same target marget as I do. We each have something to offer to the other, and thus we enjoy regular interaction. A good guideline is to ask yourself: would you subscribe to the RSS feed of that blog? If the answer is yes, you have a networking buddy.

Comment on the blog

There are some great commenting scripts out there. I do not really receive lots of comments on my blog per se, but I do comment on other blogs regularly. Since you may provide a link to your blog in comments, this is a great way to spread the word about your blog.

Also remember that you may comment on social networking sites too. I tend to do this when a comment on my blog is not relevant to the topics covered on the blog of the person who left the comment.

Link to the blog

You want people to find your blog. The mutually beneficial way to ensure this is to help people find other blogs too!

• List a blog roll on your blog. This is a widget that has a list of blogs you enjoy.


• Write a review for another blog that is similar to your blog. A little bit of ego stroking never hurt anyone.


• Give a postive remark about a blog that is similar to yours in one of your posts.

Remember, always seek mutual benefit whenever possible. If you want something, you have to be able to give something in return.

Some useful links

• Dosh dosh explains networking within your blog niche.


• One cool site explains blogroll links widget for wordpress users.


• Pro blogger explains why you should join a blog network.

Build traffic to your blog by marketing your cornerstone posts

Marketing your cornerstone posts is part of the strategy of marketing your blog to people who are not reading your blog already. This is done by submitting your cornerstone posts to a variety of sites

• Blogger social networks


• Bookmark sites


• Recommendation sites

I will shortly deal with the ones I use.

Blogger social networks

For my main blog, the Necro Files, the most traffic comes from referral sites like blogger social networks. Most of my traffic comes from

• blogcatalog


• mybloglog


• blogflux

You need to sign up for these, and you do need to include a widget or some code on your blog. This is a minor inconvenience and is actually part of social networking fun.

Bookmark sites

Although many bloggers report getting steady traffic from these, I don't really. There is a quick and easy way to submit your posts to quite a few bookmark sites at the click of a button. It is called OnlyWire. Before you get all excited, many people have expressed concern about OnlyWire.

I have used OnlyWire for about a month. I enjoy the convenience of submitting my posts to a myriad of bookmark sites with minimal effort, and although I have not noticed a huge growth in traffic, it is worth it because I get various links back to my blog.

Recommendation sites

For the purpose of easy classification, I list the following as recommendation sites:

• digg


• entrecard


• stumble upon

Digg

This is a catalogue that offers users the change to digg or undigg posts. You may submit your own posts. I haven't had much success with digg, and unless your blog is of an overly technical nature, digg will not pick up on it easily.

Entrecard

A recommendation system most people have trouble with. I have had the most success with entrecard. The quick and easy way to be successful with entrecard can be found on Lisa's World, so I won't go into that further.

Stumble Upon

Also a moody system, which has given me loads of traffic on occassion. The key is to interact with other similar stumblers. Stumble Upon offers you a great opportunity to network with like minded Internet users, all of whom are potentially interested in your blog. You need to install a browser plug in. I use firefox so I am not sure if it works on Internet Explorer.

This is the second part of a series on how to build traffic to your blog. The previous post is build traffic to your blog by providing great content.

Useful links

• Dosh dosh guide to build massive traffic with stumble upon.


• Lisa's World guide to building massive traffic with stumble upon (different from the other link).


• Dosh dosh guide to the fastest way to build an audience for your new website.