Facebook groups and Pinterest group boards are two specific and useful social media tools to utilize when working to network with other bloggers, but there are tons of other social channels that can also be effective for connecting with your tribe. It’s important to first discover where you people you want to meet hang out. By conducting a bit of research, you should be able to get a feel for where others in your niche and relevant others are hanging out. Let’s take a look at three of the most popular places and how to use them to grow your network through social media.
Twitter has long been a favorite of bloggers for connecting. This platform allows users to have conversation in real time and to follow topics of interest with ease through the use of hashtags. This immediate feedback can be quite conducive to bringing bloggers together and creating personal bonds. You can get started by following bloggers you are familiar with.
Find a link to their profile on their blog, and don’t hesitate to engage with them when they tweet something of interest. Re-tweet shareworthy posts and join in on Twitter parties where other bloggers regularly hang out. Finding other appealing bloggers to follow is easy once you start engaging. Soon you’ll notice your number of Twitter followers increasing and your blogger network growing.
Some folks find Instagram confusing and may think it’s just a place to share your favorite photos with friends. Perhaps you’re one of these people and you wonder how this platform can benefit your blogging pursuits. Instagram actually offers a number of the same features as other social media platforms that are beneficial to bloggers, businesses and others who want to spread their message to a large audience. You can use hashtags, leave comments, tag people and share your location with a geotag.
As with Twitter, forming relationships on Instagram begins with reaching out to those who interest you. Follow Instagrammers in your niche. Like and comment on their photos. You can find users to follow by researching hashtags or simply by visiting the followers of other bloggers. Once you begin to get the hang of things and see your following expand, you may wish to create your own hashtag with relation to your blog. This is an effective promotional technique that can also add recognition to your profile, allowing others to connect with you. Running a contest can be a good strategy to expand your reach and improve your chances of making meaningful connections. Linking your other social media accounts to your Instagram profile makes it easy for your current network, along with their followers, to find you.
You may think LinkedIn wouldn’t be the most logical platform for connecting with other bloggers. After all, it’s a professional network meant for job searchers and career purposes, right? You’re forgetting that you are now a blogging professional, even if being a blogger isn’t your main gig. Thus, LinkedIn is perfect for networking with other blog professionals and the sharing of information within the industry.
LinkedIn lets you cultivate your reputation as an expert in your field. First, you’ll want to build a strong profile listing your professional background and featuring your new role as a blogger prominently. You’ll also want to share some of your best content to demonstrate your knowledge. People are often motivated to connect with thought leaders, so it’s wise to position yourself as such. LinkedIn is also a great place to comment on the postings of others who provide exceptional information. Joining and actively participating in groups should be another activity you pursue in order to make strong connections.
These three platforms can significantly boost your contact with other bloggers. They have wonderful potential for learning opportunities, collaboration and promotion. In order to best harness this potential, it’s important to understand that time, dedication and consistency will be required. As with real-life friendships, growing your blogging network doesn’t happen overnight.
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