Network to Ramp Up Your Blogging Success

There is an old saying out there that carries a lot of wisdom and that is that “two heads are better than one.” The thought being that the more people analyzing a situation or working on a problem, the faster and more complete the solution.

We have grown up hearing the benefits of teamwork and building relationships. Networking might be a normal part of our everyday lives in “the real world” but is it a part of your blogging plan? If you’re blogging naked then the answer is most likely no, but the good news is that you can still get dressed.

Why Network

Networking is always one of those things that everyone just says you should do. Few people ever question why? What do you get out of it? Why waste time networking when you could be writing content or building niche sites? Good question.

The internet is loaded with blogs; that should be no secret to anyone. In fact, there are so many blogs on the internet today that you could almost compare it to the number of stars in the night sky. Thousands and thousands of them that all have a similar look, similar feel, similar content, etc.

It is hard to be noticed when you are surrounded by blogs that look, feel and smell just like yours. The upside is this, if you look at the night sky, you can see some stars that stand out from the rest. They might be a little brighter or just have a certain sparkle that grabs your attention. Whatever the reason may be, you find your eye drawn to these stars that stand out from the crowd.

It is inevitable that once you notice these bright lights in the night sky, you will notice some of the ones around them. The stars that surround the brighter star, are much more apt to be noticed than those in a dark corner all by themselves.

Networking does the same for you, it can get you noticed. What happens after that is up to you.

Star Power

Lest you think that I am saying that the secret to networking is to suck up to the brighter “stars” in the blogging world then let’s stop that notion here and now. I won’t say that this method won’t work because lord knows many, many bloggers try the pucker up and kiss method.  So many that sometimes you need to stand in line for your turn to pucker.

I think there is a better way.

Another avenue that is much more palatable to me is to find a “cluster” of potential stars that are similar in appearance to you. If we continue with the star analogy, there are very few people on this entire planet who wouldn’t recognize the formation of stars known as The Big Dipper.

If you will notice, none of the stars that make up the Big Dipper really shine any brighter than the others, but together they form one of the most recognizable “networks” on this planet. If you can find a group of bloggers who compliment you and/or your site to form your own little network, then you too could leverage this relationship into a successful partnership.

Two Way Street

For any network to be successful, it needs to be a two way street, meaning all parties involved need to be equally invested in helping each other. This is typically the main problem going after the “North” star, they are so busy and successful already, that they have little to gain by investing in you.

If you partner with bloggers who are at or near the same level as you, then you all stand to gain from helping each other. In my mind, this is by far the more desirable scenario as each party will be more invested in the outcome.

Exactly how do you help each other in this little network? The possibilities are endless but here are a few ideas:

• Commenting - Comments inspire other comments and this can lead to a much higher level of interaction. If one of your fellow stars kicks it off then others will follow.
• Social Media - Stumble, Digg or Bookmark each others content. To be truly successful with social media you will need friends, this benefit should be obvious.
• Advertising - You can exchange banner ads to make sure that you have as much exposure as you can.
• Guest Posting - Write posts on network members blogs with a backlink to your own. If their readers like what you have to say then there is a good chance they will click thru to grab your feed.
• Content Creation - If your team is truly vested in each other then you might even share content or at the very least inspire each other to generate content that is unique and engaging.
• Credibility - As you gain popularity readers will notice your network. The clique will stand out and impress most of those without a “network.” It’s no different than high school, everyone wants to be one of the popular kids.

I am sure one could think of a thousand others but these give you the general idea I am sure.

Blog Networks

You can see examples of what I am talking about all over the blogosphere. B5Media, Splashpress, Grand Effect and 9rules are just a few examples of what is possible with a network. B5 is a million dollar network now and while these may be extreme examples, why not? Why couldn’t it be possible?

Maybe starting a blog network isn’t what you had in mind but why not consider joining one?  The networks I have listed above are probably invitation only, but hundreds of other blog networks exist on the Internet. Finding one that you could become a member of might be something to consider.

One of the obvious benefits of belonging to a blog network is that they go out of their way to promote the others sites in the network.   They all have a vested interest in the network being successful so this makes it a win/win for all involved.

You won’t know unless you try and a good place to get more information is to check out XFEP. David is infinitely more familiar with blog networks and happens to be the head of Marketing for Splashpress media.  He has a number of great posts on this subject in his archives.

Conclusion

Whether you choose to chase the “North” star or the “Big Dipper,” one thing is beyond dispute, the blogger who has a support team and people who have a vested interested in their success, are much more likely to become successful than one who chooses to navigate the Internet alone.

Knowing that your chances of success improve dramatically as your network grows and becomes strong, you should be wasting no time trying to develop yours as soon as possible. I would caution you too that a network still can’t cover up inadequacies.

If you are a poor writer, it will show. If your content is bland and dull, then a network won’t help. You can’t expect others to want to partner up with you if you aren’t able to carry your share of the load. So before you go looking for partners, make sure that you would BE a good partner.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject so feel free to sound off. Can you hear me now?