We’ve all read them before.
Blog posts that have links to other bloggers posts. These links typically add additional color to the author’s post, which in-turn saves them time by not having to call out that level of detail. It’s also a great networking tool.
You’ve probably thought, how in the world do I get bloggers to link to my posts?
You’ve got great content, you’ve written about the same topics, and heck your piece is a whole lot better than the post that was just linked to in some other blog.
So how do you get a blogger to link to you?
Networking, that’s how.
The Howdy Neighbor Technique
A few months back I read a couple of posts by Kevin Duncan of Be A Better Blogger, both of which gave me a much needed bump to my blogging motivation. One of the posts that really stood out to me was titled the Howdy Neighbor Technique.
The premise of the post is to be friendly to your blogging neighbors, and Kevin goes on to show you a number of techniques on how to make that happen:
- Welcoming New Bloggers
- Thanking those who share your work
- Sharing the work of others
The list goes on and on.
The final example Kevin calls out is linking to other bloggers in your post. What better way to introduce someone to your blog than by linking to them. Genius!
As a new blogger, you may have some limited success with this tactic, so you may need to change your approach just a bit.
So this got me thinking….
Blog Meet Blog
While it may be easy for the big boy’s and girl’s to link to each other in their posts, what do you do when you’re the new kid on the block?
You link to those blogs!
There’s nothing stopping you from linking to a successful blog, so why be gun shy about it. If you’re following any type of networking strategy, this fits right in line to that.
But you don’t always need to target the most successful blog either. There are 1000’s of other blogs out there that are dying for links as well (just like you).
Why not link to them?
Why? Well how about these reasons to start:
- You just made another bloggers day by giving them a link that they didn’t necessarily expect
- Your starting to make new blogging friends
- They may give you a shout out (either through their blog, commenting on one of your posts, sharing via social media, etc…)
It’s a win-win, and you have absolutely nothing to loose.
Why not start by introducing yourself to the other new kids?
I’m Paying It Forward
Being that it’s the start of a new year, it’s time for me to Pay It Forward. You know the thought, give a little something without expecting anything in return.
So I’m Paying It Forward by linking to a few different bloggers whose blogs I’ve stumbled across recently. While I may not have the most popular blog in the world (at least just yet) that will drive tons of traffic to their site, heck it’s the thought that counts right?
With that said, here’s some newer blogs (newer to me) that I’d like to introduce myself to. I’ve stumbled across most of these within the last few months, and wanted to say how much I appreciate your blogs and the effort you are each putting into them.
7 Bloggers I’d Like You To Meet
I started having some interaction with Kerry Russell on The Strategic Blogger about a year ago. She has since started a new site called The Blog Mechanic, where she offers a number of different services that range from setting up a new WordPress blog to fixing or maintaining your existing site. If you’re in need of technical assistance, I would check out The Blog Mechanic.
Tarana Khan runs Sand In My Toes and writes about parenting, blogging tips, and life in Dubai as an expat. Dubai has always been on my bucket list as a place to visit, and she offers some great tips on things to do over there. Maybe one day…
Blast of Blogging is run by Nicole Peery, and she has a ton of tips and tutorials on blogging. I’ve been lurking on her site for a while, and she had some valuable tips that saved me all sorts of time using a Genesis Plugin with MailChimp.
Want to be a better writer? Why not check out Wording Well by Lorraine Reguly. While not a new blog, I recently came across Lorraine’s site, and she has some great writing tips. Want to win a free edit of an upcoming post you have planned, she has a monthly contest that offers this as well.
Giada100 is a place to head if you are interested in Social Media, Blogging, recipes, or Italian (the language that is). Giada has been blogging for a while and recently consolidated a number of her blogs under this one brand. I came across Giada’s site over at the International Bloggers Association site.
The Chronicles or Renard has quite the variety from blogging, to writing, and a host of other topics. As Renard puts it, his site is a personal experiment to see first hand if the Google Blogger platform is worth the effort.
I found Black Cats Cave on Google Plus about a month ago. She blogs about a variety of topics from relationships to her travel adventures, as well as blogging. She has some pretty good looking smoothie recipes as well which I’ll be trying out in the near future.
It’s Time For You To Pay It Forward
What’s next? It’s time for you to pay it forward as well my new blogging friends.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to link to a newer blogger in an upcoming post. Someone that you haven’t discovered just yet. Call out a new blogger, introduce yourself, and mention them in your blog. Don’t expect anything in return, just Pay It Forward.
How simple is that?
You’ll have a new blogging friend for life.
Heck, in a few years you may have just befriended one of the new A List Bloggers that everyone wants to be linked from.
Are you up for the challenge?
If you’re interested in creating a strategy for your blog, just click here. I’ll help you identify ways to increase engagement that you never thought were possible.
Image attribution: Brian Solis via Flickr
Thank you for this Craig. I will pay it forward to. Great initiative!
You’re welcome Cherry, and thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment here and over at G+.
I hope you have some success on paying it forward.
[ Smiles ] Thanks for the exposure, Graig.
You’re welcome Renard, and thank you for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
[ Smiles ] Oh, the pleasure was mine, Craig.
Hey Craig,
First off happy new year and hope you enjoyed ringing it in. Also want to say nice post here and I agree.
I know a lot of people will mention others just to get the attention but I believe that if you’re really been enjoying reading someone’s content and you want to introduce them to your audience then you would be doing your audience a disservice by not mentioning them.
At the end of each month I share a post which lists five posts I’ve run across during the month of blog hopping. I read a lot of posts of course but these are usually ones that really stood out to me and I didn’t want my readers to miss them. Hopefully during their blogging travels they’d run across them already but just in case I’m going to make sure they are at least aware of them.
I think it’s a very nice gesture to mention some new bloggers you’ve run across as well, good idea. I’ll keep that in mind as I continue on my blogging journey this month.
Take care and have a great week. Hope you’re doing well.
~Adrienne
Thanks Adrienne and same to you. Hopefully you enjoyed your time off.
Completely agree. If you find some great content that you want to share or link to, it really shouldn’t matter how popular the blog is, just do it. You’ll make a new blogger very happy.
I like your approach to sharing posts that stand out to you. What a great concept to pass the word along. Looking forward to seeing that in the future.
Will be in touch…
Hello, Craig,
You’ve written an excellent article, and I couldn’t agree more! 🙂 The core motive of the person mentioning someone else, in my opinion, should be because they themselves have enjoyed the content, and want to share because they think it could help their readers also.
I often help beginners by way of encouragement, but you’ve given a great idea to take someone random/new/unknown and just mention them for the sake of paying it forward. That’s a great idea. I’m going to do that.
Appreciate you sharing, and hope you have a wonderful evening.
Talk soon,
˜Carol
Thank you for the kind words Carol.
Couldnt agree more. If you like a post enough, it really shouldnt matter how popular the blogger is, Share it or link to it.
Thanks for sharing earlier.
Craig this is a brilliant strategy that’s flat out the easiest way to help a blogger out and to expand your presence too. Link out. People will link in to you….but we’re not linking out to get, we’re linking out to help. Cut those blogging strings to make real blogging magic happen.
Thanks for Paying It Forward Craig!
Wow! What an honor having you stop by and taking the time out of your busy schedule (wherever you happen to be right now)!
I like how you put it “we’re not linking out to get, we’re linking out to help”. So true!
Thanks Ryan!
Hey Craig,
I’m not sure how I missed this post when it was published, but I’m glad I found it!
Thanks for the mention. I’m glad “The Howdy Neighbor Technique” resonated with you. I know a few of the bloggers you highlighted, and I’ll be sure to check out the others.
Hope you have an awesome Friday and weekend, Craig. I’ve shared this on G+ and Twitter.
Thank you Kevin – You’ve been a huge inspiration for me! I know you’re a busy man, so no worries on missing this.
“The Howdy Neighbor Technique” absolutely resonated with me. I was ready to pack it in near the end of last year, and that post opened my eye’s to a few things. It’s amazing to me that such a simple concept can pay such dividends.
Thank you for taking the time to comment Kevin, and thank you for the shares!
Hey Craig,
First time reader and commenter here.
This is a great idea!
I always try and “pay it backwards” i.e. linking to those that probably already get a lot of links and don’t particularly need the link from my small site.
I’ll definitely try to make more of a focus to link to and share the posts of other smaller sites from now on, as well as the big dogs.
Obviously, I’d be foolish not to throw a shameless plug out there for consideration too – so consider this my plug: *plug*.
Keep up the good work, I’ve subscribed to your newsletter.
Luke
Intergeek.co.uk
I appreciate you stopping by Luke and taking the time to leave a comment!
I’ve done the same in the past, always link to the big dogs. Like they need my pathetic little link right? But it still amazes me how thankful these big dogs are. I figured if the big guys and gals are so thankful, just imagine how the little guys/gals will feel.
Thank you for subscribing, that means a lot. Have a great weekend.
BTW – I’ve got your plug 🙂
Hi Craig,
I found your post via James, and that’s a really good idea you have here. I’ll watch out for some new blogs on my travels 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Joy
Great to see you here Joy, and thanks for the comment. The challenge is always remembering all of these other blogs you stumble across. I find something one day, than when I try to find it again it’s nearly impossible. Need to get more organized or something…
You enjoy your weekend as well!
Hey Craig,
great post. But I have to add on something to what you said.
While it’s fine to link to other people’s posts, it more important to let them know that you linked to them by either through social media or by email. Makes no sense just linking to them and then them getting a notification weeks later they’ve been linked to.
This is something that I see people making mistakes on constantly.
You have to make sure they know they’re being linked to. Other than that, great post.
– Andrew
Agreed!!! This is one area that I need to work on, and so important. I’ve linked to other bloggers in the past, without letting them know, and it somewhat bothered me that I never got a thank you. I just assumed they would know, but boy was I wrong.
Just recently I published a post on this blog, and I decided to follow up with a blogger about a week after the post letting them know that I linked to them. They didn’t know, and once I told them, they were very appreciative.
So great point Andrew, and thank you for the value add!
Hey Craig, thanks a lot for including me! I just found your post, probably I missed your notification. It’s a great idea and I’m going to pay it forward!
Have a wonderful day!
You are more than welcome. Thanks for visiting.
Thanks for sharing this information. This is really awesome post for me.