Good morning and Happy Blog Talk Tuesdays!
Today we’re kicking off the fourth installment in the series.
Previous Blog Talk Tuesdays topics include:
- How to Start a Blog, Blog Focus, Self Hosting and More
- Blogger Safety
- Company Outreach: Receiving Free Products, Hosting Giveaways, Posting Product Reviews and More
Today’s topic is a fun one!
Many of you have asked me about great ways to connect with other bloggers and become more involved in the massive world of blogging. I personally feel like my blog fits best in the healthy living blog niche, but I know there are blog communities for every possible niche out there, from book bloggers to parenting bloggers to space and technology bloggers.
Since my personal experience lies mostly within the healthy living blog community, that will be the niche I address in this post, but understand that there are resources just like the ones I detail below for many other blogging communities.
Connecting with Other Bloggers
- How do you find other bloggers in your area?
By reading a lot of blogs! Honestly, reading a large amount of blogs or at least exploring newer blogs or blogs I’d never read before led me to bloggers who lived in Orlando. These bloggers then exposed me to more Orlando bloggers: Fashion, book, design and travel bloggers and more!
Additionally, the website HealthyLivingBlogs.com has a page dedicated to categorizing blogs based on the location of the author behind he blog. It’s a great way to find bloggers who live not only in the same country or state as you, but also in the exact same city.
You can also put a call out on your blog or through Twitter, asking if anyone knows bloggers who live in your area. Blog readers are a tremendous resource because they’ve likely read a bunch of blogs you haven’t.
- How do you plan dinners or meet ups with bloggers in your area?
First, I try to build some kind of a relationship with the blogger. Whether I comment on their blog, communicate with them via Twitter or email them, letting the blogger know that I even exist is a great start! Once I have some kind of a connection with the blogger, I’ll broach the topic of getting together for lunch or dinner. For the most part, bloggers seem to jump at the chance to meet up with other bloggers.
Blogging is so “behind the scenes” and having the opportunity to talk about something so many of us pour our hearts into every day is wonderful!
Also, if you see other bloggers in your area talking about getting together via Twitter or something, feel free to be a little bold and jump in and say “I’d love to meet you guys, too!” I’m of the mindset that if they really wanted their plans to be private, they wouldn’t broadcast them over Twitter.
Additionally, I’ve had bloggers who were coming to Florida on vacation reach out to me a few weeks before their trip to plan a meet up, so meet up opportunities can occur outside your hometown as well.
- Sometimes I feel really left out of the blogging community… Like other bloggers are always getting together or tweeting to each other and I’m never involved. Did you ever feel this way?
Oh my gosh, YES. All the time. In fact, I still do sometimes. I actually wrote a guest post all about having “real life” friends who don’t blog on Hollaback Health after recognizing the insecure feelings I had about bloggers whose friends always seemed to be other bloggers. Why wasn’t I friends with other bloggers?
Well, slowly I did find myself becoming friends with other bloggers through meet ups in the Orlando area.
Once I started to put myself out there on Twitter and began reaching out to Orlando bloggers, I was blown away with how friendly and welcoming bloggers truly are and connected with bloggers on a deeper level and friendships began to form away from the computer.
I know I’ve said it before, but if you’re not already, get on Twitter. It’s seriously the easiest way to begin having “conversations” with other bloggers.
- As a relatively new blogger, I comment on other blogs because I like to let bloggers know when I really relate to or enjoy something in their post… but with all these “promote your blog” tips out there about commenting on other blogs so people find your blog, do high-traffic bloggers like yourself enjoy comments from people you don’t know, or are you ever concerned that it’s just other bloggers trying to direct more traffic to their own blogs?
Though I’ve read the same tips that you have about commenting on other blogs as a way to promote your own blog, I must say that as a blogger, I read and enjoy every comment that comes my way and honestly never really thought that people only comment on my blog to receive traffic to their own blog (though maybe this is naive?). Either way, I love when readers give me feedback on a post through their comments!
I will add that the comments people write that clearly take more time and energy to craft and convey emotion are the ones that stand out to me more. They seem heartfelt and thoughtful and, oddly enough, those are the ones that inspire me to click over and check out their blogs more often than not.
Still, I think most bloggers welcome any and all comments. I love comments! They are what keep me going. They inspire me, crack me up, make me cry and turn my blog into a discussion at times rather than just a one-sided sharing space.
- How do you make a name for yourself and make yourself “known” in the blogging community?
By participating in the community beyond simply blogging. Sure writing an awesome blog is a great way to attract attention, but to receive attention you have to give attention, too.
If a blogger links to one of my workouts or recipes, I definitely notice and greatly appreciate this gesture. I am much more likely to visit their blog again and again, which increases the likelihood that I’ll find something inspiring on their blog that I will want to link to one day, thus exposing my readers to their blog as well.
Also, utilize social media. Create a Facebook page and get on Twitter. Plan or attend blogger meet ups in your area or go to a blogging conference like Fitbloggin’, Foodbuzz Festival, BlogHer or the Healthy Living Summit. I personally didn’t feel comfortable attending a blogger conference until after I had been blogging for nearly a year and a half, but I know many other bloggers love theses conferences not only for the informational sessions, but for the opportunities to meet and connect with other bloggers.
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I’m loving this new series! They are so helpful. I’ve been blogging for almost 2 years now but only recently started putting a concerted effort into it. I was just telling myself how I needed to better integrate into my community. I look forward to more of these!
Thanks for this message! I’m a pretty new blogger (4 months in) and connecting with other bloggers has been something I know I need to do, but have just never got around to. I also try to use the fact that I’m still in college as an excuse so I “don’t have time” – but we all know that’s not really true. Anyway, thank you so much for these tips!! I’ll be sure to utilize everything you said 🙂 Thanks again!
Thanks Julie! I’ve been blogging for nearly two years but have started and stopped a number of times as my work schedule is sometimes a bit crazy. I’m really trying to keep a steady flow of posts going these days and am really trying to connect with more bloggers. I find it very helpful to read what others have found to be successful so thanks for sharing! 😀
I’m loving these blog talk posts, Julie. I’ve been thinking about joining Twitter for awhile now, and I think you just gave me the push to do it. Yikes!
Hey Julie I just wanted to say thank you again for writing these tips, they’re so so useful for a newish blogger like me 🙂
And I also wanted to say that I’ve finally taken the plunge and joined twitter! I’ve been kind of scared of joining for ages but your recommendation pushed me to do it!
First of all, THANK YOU for doing these posts! I only started my blog a week and a half ago and I will take all the help I can get! I did have couple questions: I already have a personal twitter account, should I make a new one for my blog so that it has the same name? Also, do bloggers know when I link to their pages from my blog? Is there something more that I should do other than including the link in my post?
Thank you so much for the great blog advice. It has really made me spend some quality time thinking about the potential my blog has as well as my weaknesses and how to address them.
Oh my god your Sadie is so cute I just want to squeeze her until she explodes!
Thank you so much for this post. I just started reading your blog last week, which I came across while trying to get inspiration for the blog I am starting. This was such a helpful post for me (I read all the others in the series this morning as well). I have really enjoyed reading all of your posts so far. Thanks again!
I am new to this whole blogging world, so I am loving Blog Talk Tuesdays. This one is my fave so far because I am really glad to know you still enjoy reading your comments – even though you have like 150 on each post! Thats amazing…I get so excited when I see that someone has commented on one of my posts, but I only have like 1 comment every 3 posts or so. Even though I can see that more people than that are visiting my blog, it’s just nice to know that someone out there is actually reading what I’m writing – even if it’s my best friend or a family member 🙂
Hope you get to bust out that Vitamix again soon…I would not be happy if I couldn’t make those glorious smoothies.
P.S. This is my first comment on someone else’s blog…leap of faith here! 🙂
Definitely loving these blog talk tuesdays!
I’ve been blogging for almost a year now and I definitely relate to the whole “I don’t feel involved” as a blogger. I know that I’m still relatively new and I have met a few people in my city and I hope to continue those connections as well.
And eventually, when the timing and funding is right, I would love to attend the conferences too. I love to network! 🙂
Thanks PBF! Love your blog and just moved to a new state. Going to HealthyLivingBlog now to find some bloggers in my new area! 😉
First, I’m so thankful that you started this series. I think it was right after I decided to start my own blog (seriously, my 1 month anniversary is this week!), and it has been incredibly helpful! How long after you started blogging did you start to do blogger meet ups? I know a lot of people have already said this, but I DEFINITELY feel intimidated by bloggers that have been doing this longer than me (so pretty much everyone ;)), but I’d love to actually meet people since I’ve been following their blogs for much longer than that. In my mind, I’ve created almost like a “tiered” ranking system for bloggers and I get so excited when someone from “the top” drops by and leaves a comment, but I don’t feel comfortable initiating a meet up with anyone.
I’m also wondering what you found to be good ways to get conversations going on your posts when you were just starting? I hear from a lot of people that they’re reading my blog but I don’t get too many commenters, and I know I was really shy to comment for a while when I started reading blogs. Any tips for generating conversation?
Thanks!
i think you can meet up whenever! i’ve met up with readers who don’t even blog! 🙂 also, i love your questions for a blog talk tuesdays upcoming post!!!
I am going to have to follow this advice. I haven’t set foot into my gym in months (eep!). My number 1 goal tonight is to get my butt back in gear! I will be start slow, and be very happy with a 3 mile run.
Also… remember way back in the day when you were looking for a pair of nude-colored pumps? I was actually looking for a pair as well and it was so much fun to check out everyones’ links. Could you do something like that for fall boots? I have been searching high and low for a pair of flat brown boots that are cute but just keep coming across the same things as last season. Although you do live in Florida so you won’t be needing them for a while. Jelly!
OooO great pointers Julie!! and I agree that twitter is pretty veryily cool! (sorry for my eng. :P)
I used to giggle, or more like, laugh about twitter, and now I really do enjoy it and appreciate what it has to offer! Great way to be in the know, as well as connecting with others.
Thanks for your tips Julie! I’m trying to launch my blog off the ground and would enjoy all the tips that you offer! I am going to try out that site you linked to meeting local bloggers 🙂
Once again, Sadie’s photos seriously made this post for me. Love the tips, though! I feel like this is all stuff that’s really applicable to me, which is so helpful. Love love love Blog Talk Tuesday!
Another great blog talk Tuesday! I always love reading your tips. I definitiely need to get better with the social media part of blogging. Thanks for the great reminder!
Oh hot damn. This post rings SO true, Julie!!!! And you know what?! It makes me even MORE excited to attend HLS this coming weekend (i know right, like it’s even possible to be more excited??!?). But seriously, bloggers are THE nicest people, ever! And we’re all passionate about the same things (give or take). Can.not.WAIT for Friday!!!!
SOOO many great tips Julie. For the “comment on other blogs so that yours will get out there more” yeah it does happen but as you said, you can tell the ones that are there for genuine reasons and the ones that are not. It’s also consistency over time that shows this too…often the bloggers that do that get bored with what they are doing and will fall off the face of the blogosphere because there is no emotion attached to it.
When you connect with a blogger it shows in the comments. There are many things that happen in the blogging world that aren’t genuine, but much is out of our control. Thankfully though I feel there is more genuine-ness than spammy-ness so we can feel good about what we are doing!
You are so pretty Sadie! Muy bonita!
Now tell your momma thank you for putting your adorable picture up for us enjoy.
I’m loving these Blog Talks and LOVE Sadie’s pictures and comments 🙂 Can’t wait to meet you in Philly this weekend!
Hi Julie!!! I just want to say that I LOVE your blog. I’m very new to the blogging community and hope to someday start my own food blog focused on healthy eating. It’s so nice you’re sharing your experiences and tips and it’s very encouraging to people like me starting out.
Do you have any tips for someone at the VERY beginning of their blog? How did you get started at first?
hey katy! 🙂 this post will hopefully answer your questions: https://www.pbfingers.com/2011/07/26/blog-talk-tuesdays/
I am late getting to this post, but I must say I am loving Blog Talk Tuesdays! It really does help me cultivate new ideas to get my blog out there, and to also meet people in my are with the same interests as me!
Julie, I look forward to seeing Sadie’s funny pictures and comments in your posts every day. She’s like your mascot. I laugh out loud every time. Thanks for sharing her with us!
Thanks for posting the ‘Healthy Living Bloggers’ site! I was able to locate people in my area that blog!!!
The Healthy Living Bloggers site is fantastic, thanks so much for posting it! Not only have I been able to find bloggers in my area, but I was also able to find people who are blogging about all my different interests rolled into one (insert gluten free and running here!) Thanks again!
scheduled on HLB for 11/17 😉 xoxo
Thanks for sharing these tips! I am going to my first blogger group tonight (so excited!) to try to connect a bit more with other bloggers. It really is a bit intimidating when you’re starting out – everyone seems to know each other already. But I have found linking to other blogs and twitter (as you mentioned) to be helpful in breaking in. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Julie!
Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post all of these tips. Not many blogs out there share their secrets to success like you do, and I seriously appreciate it!! Please keep these posts coming to help the rest of us become as successful as you 🙂 If you have any tips on my blog/website if you ever have the time to check it out, please let me know! Really looking for tips from people who know what it’s all about! traveling-trainer.com is my site.
Thanks so much!!
Thanks for this post. Really helpful!
Here’s another tip: find Facebook groups for your area. I run a Utah Facebook page with over 800 bloggers and we connect a lot through the group. I plan dinners around conferences that are happening in Salt Lake or smaller get togethers with a niche of bloggers I want to get to know. I also get paid by brands to host events at their business for bloggers. I find that even though I started and am the admin of the group I don’t know that many bloggers IRL. I have to reach out and invite them to events and that’s how I get to know them.
Thanks for all of your tips!
Blog on
Janet
I love this! You have an amazing page and I love the different tips thank you!!