Whether they’re brand new, well established, or A-listers, fellow bloggers are an invaluable source of support.
If you have a strong relationship with them, they may well help you with your promotions, link to your posts, offer you review copies of their products, etc.
You might wonder, though, how to get noticed by a specific blogger – and how to build a real connection. These five ideas should help. I’ve listed them in order from simplest to most involved (but also most likely to have an impact).
#1: Tweet or Share Their Post
This one takes seconds of your time, and isn’t at all scary! Simple find a blogger you’d like to connect with, pick one of their posts, and tweet it out to your followers. Make sure you include the blogger (e.g. I’m @aliventures) so they see your tweet.Tip: A-list bloggers won’t always notice a few retweets and shares, but smaller bloggers probably will.
#2: Leave a Comment
When you leave a comment, you’re not just helping out the blogger by adding to the discussion on their site – you’re laying the groundwork for a relationship. Try to comment on their posts over the course of a couple of weeks before moving further.Tip: Make sure your comments are genuinely useful and relevant. You don’t have to comment on every single post, so don’t push yourself to write something if you have nothing to say.
#3: Send them an Email
In my post Nine Blogging Milestones to Celebrate, DBT reader Shawn Gossman wrote:I think #9 [Getting a “Thank You” Email from a Reader] is the best milestone out of them all. When my readers contact me to thank me for writing articles, that lets me know that people enjoy what I have to say and it motivates me to continue.
It’s a safe bet that other bloggers feel this way too! By sending a simple “thanks” email, you can really make an impact.
Tip: When emailing someone for the first time, keep it short and simple. Most bloggers are busy people, often blogging around a full-time job.
#4: Write a Guest Post for Their Blog
Not all big bloggers read their comments or even their emails. Writing a guest post, though, is generally a sure-fire way to get your content read by them. Make sure you follow all their guidelines and submit the best piece of content you can.Tip: Although it’s a wonderful feeling to have a guest post on a major blog in your niche, you can also get great results from smaller blogs – so don’t discount those.
#5: Write About Them on Your Blog
One pretty much certain way to get on someone’s radar is to write a post about them. That could be an in-depth review of one of their products, an overview of who they are and what they blog about, or a piece that links to and describes some of your favourite posts on their blog.Tip: Make your post as useful as possible to them – by linking to their products, for instance, or by encouraging readers to sign up for their newsletter.
Have you used any of these methods? What’s worked well for you – and what might you try next? Let us know in the comments!
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