One thing that can be easy to forget as we are going along building our own communities on social media sites and our own personal blog, is that there are already vibrant, close-knit communities online with large pools of laser targeted leads just waiting for you to join them! Well, they’re not exactly “waiting” for you; they will probably go on just fine with or without you. However, YOU need them.
It is imperative that you begin networking in these already established communities, building relationships, learning the skills of the trade, garnering respect amongst your peers, forging allies with other marketers and… of course… procuring leads and subscribers for your business. Today I am going to show you how to do all this and more by tapping into two free marketing strategies: the blogosphere and forums.
Right now you are just one blogger amidst thousands of bloggers, all vying for the time and attention of your readers. Rather than being just one in the blogosphere, I recommend becoming one WITH the blogosphere. What I mean is this: You have to be an active part of the blogging community. If you are simply off on an island with your own blog, minding your own blogging business, you will probably stay that way – all alone… on your own little island.
But that’s not what we want! We want to be in the middle of the action, because that’s where all the good prospects are! And in order to do that, we must get involved with more than just our own blog.
If you are not yet reading other blogs on topics such as network marketing, online marketing, web 2.0, etc. You need to start doing so today! There are many good reasons to read other people’s blogs. First of all, this is free training! By reading the posts of how other network marketers are succeeding online, you will receive beneficial information on how you can better your business as well.
Not only will their posts give you insight, but the comments as well. By studying what other networkers are writing about, which posts get the most public attention and what people are saying about them, you will know what your target market is searching for. You will begin to start thinking like your target market, and that is exactly how you will eventually come to win them over.
So, start reading other blogs! But not just any blogs – again your time is valuable, so you want to make sure that the blogs you read are well worth the time and effort. Here are a few things you want to look for:
1. Relevance: Obviously, you want to read blogs that are relevant to your business. Find relevant blogs by searching one of your keywords + blog.
2. Good Content: If the blog does not have valuable content, then it is useless to you and also to that blogger’s readers. You want to align yourself with those who provide a consistent flow of high quality content.
3. A Sizable Following: Many blogs have hoards of raving fans who wait for the next juicy post with bated breath. Long story short – these are the bloggers you are looking for. They are established and have built their very own miniature community that you can become a part of and leverage for your own business.
4. Guest Post Opportunities: Next, you want to make sure that the bloggers you focus on allow guest posts. You can do this by looking for blogs who have a “Guest Post Guidelines” page or post, or by looking to see if there are any guest posts floating around on the blog. This is very easy to do if you Google “Guest Post Guidelines” + Your Keyword OR “Guest Post By” + Your Keyword.
Of course, it is not enough to simply read – you must join in on the discussion! The best way to start, after you have a feel for the atmosphere and personality of
the community on a particular blog, is through commenting. Find a post that you
found interesting or helpful and write a comment of your own on that post.
There are a few things this will do for you. First of all, it will make you a part of
the community.
After commenting a few times on a blog, it becomes evident that you are a regular reader, and if you have helpful comments, you will be accepted into the community. Secondly, it builds your reputation with the blogger. You want to build up a relationship not only with the readers of the blog but also with the blogger himself. This relationship can turn into a partnership later down the road through guest blogging.
(There are also some other ways you can form partnerships; we will talk more about those in the next lesson.)And last but not least, commenting on other blogs builds you backlinks. Every time you leave a comment on someone else’s blog you have the option of adding your own url in the information box, so anyone who reads that post can see your name, your comment and click on your name to be redirected to your website.
As we all know, backlinks are great – not only for leads, but also for Google rankings! Because your comments are so important to your online reputation with this community, and because you are looking to gain favor with the owner of the blog, make sure that the comments you leave are lengthy, intuitive and valuable.
Now that you have established yourself as a member of several, self-sustaining communities, your next goal is to be seen as a leader in those communities. One way to do this, that I have already mentioned, is through guest blogging.
Hopefully the blogs you have become active on encourage guest posts. Make sure you check for any posted guidelines for guest posts and follow them carefully.
Before you ask to post on someone else’s blog, be sure that you have gained a favorable reputation with that blogger. Compliment them on their work and let them know that what they’ve written has helped you in some way; be specific.
Let them know that you have written a post just for their blog that you think can bring great value and information to their readers.Make sure that your guest post is ready to go and is your best work. It must be well-written and packed full of great content. You should have a title and one or two section headings – at least. Add a relevant picture to go with your post and whatever else the blogger has listed as requirements for a post. Make sure this is not something you have posted previously anywhere else!
Attach this as a document in the email you send, so all they have to do is cut and paste. It is easier to have a pre-written article attached when you request a guest post, rather than emailing back and forth with the blogger to brainstorm. Make it as easy as you can for the blogger!
If your guest post is not approved – don’t sweat it! Now you have a great post to place on your blog or as a guest post for someone else. If it is approved, your job is certainly not finished when your article goes live. Be sure to pay close attention to the comments section and reply to every one. These are potential new readers for your blog! And don’t abandon the blog after you are done, keep commenting and staying active in the community.
If you’re having trouble finding guest blogging opportunities, you can also check out this website HERE to find people specifically looking for guest bloggers and also networkers looking for guest blogging opportunities!
Forums are just like blogging communities, except that anyone can write a post and spark up a conversation. The general rules for these communities apply, just as they do everywhere else.
Bring value to the community, no overt selling (unless there is a place in the forum for that), learn the dynamics of the forum before you begin posting, stay active, and use it as an opportunity to make connections and build your backlinks!
One great forum for the network marketing niche is the Warrior Forum. All the serious network marketers I know are members of this forum – and for good reason!