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by Guest Writer Alex Shalman

I have been blogging actively since December 15th, 2006, and have gained a world of experience while doing so. If there was any technique or trick for increasing visitors, or comments, or captivating an audience, I have tried it.

Some people would say forget the tricks, and stick to content, after all, content is king. I’m not here to say whether or not content is the ONLY thing that matters, but I’m here to let you know how to take your content element to the next level.

Be the content. In the beginning of my blogging career, not everyone in my life was actively involved in what I was doing or knew about my blogging. The more I became a personal development blogger in my life, the more that reflected on the blog.

Personal development, meaning constant and never ending growth, is part of who I am in every facet of my life. People close to me no longer think that this is a passing hobby, it’s more of an identity now.

Tell the people. If you don’t tell them, they won’t know. I took responsibility for people not knowing about my site, and actively began telling my friends about it. I would enroll them into all the possibilities of what the site is, and where it is going.

They became excited to be on that journey with me. My friends jokingly say, ‘Hey Alex Shalman, from www.AlexShalman.com.’ I think that’s hilarious! My girlfriend tells everyone she knows about the site, I think that’s precious.

Be your word. Not everyone took what I do seriously, not even after I told them. Two of those people were my parents. Over time, the more I became this personal development person, and the more this made our good relationship a great relationship, the more they believed in the validity of what I do.

The other day we had relatives staying with us, and I caught my parents telling them about the website. My dad even asked me about my Alexa traffic. Now that’s funny, and heartwarming.

From the heart. I remember Liz told me that when I write, I sometimes sound like I’m talking down from a podium. It wasn’t personal. I think this was partly due to me being an inexperienced writer and not having control of what my writing voice sounded like.

Now days I try to incorporate my life, and get as personal as I can, in order to give a part of myself to my readers. This is a much more engaging form of communication, because I’m talking to you, my friend, instead of a crowd of people I don’t know. I want to know you.

Remember to be proud of your work and tell people about it. Be the content, be your word, and blog from the heart.
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Alex writes about personal development at AlexShalman.com.

Thank you, Alex.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

How to Make Friends with a Blogger

Just this week someone was saying to me how surprised they were to find that bloggers are such helpful people. That got me thinking about how much all of you have been for me.

So much of what blogging has been for me is been the relationships that have started in comment box, A network of blogger friends is the hugest benefit of this hobby of communicating with everyone who stumbles upon our url. The folks we meet on our blogs are now the people with whom we’re doing business and sharing our goals.

People say that I’m a connector, here’s how those connections came about.

7 Ways to a Remarkably Powerful, Personal Network of Bloggers

If you want to meet and connect with bloggers, you have to go where bloggers hang out — blogs, blog meet ups, and social networking groups that are blogger haunts. When you get there, know a few things about what we bloggers have in common so that you’ll feel comfortable having something to talk about. Here are seven ways to connect with bloggers.

Use blogrolls. Bloggers are always clicking and connecting. We know the most efficient ways to get from place or person to another. Bloggers recognize like minds quickly and value the connections when we find one. Use the blogrolls on the blogs you read to find new blogs to widen your circle.

Promote bloggers who have great thoughts. The best form of connecting is to show folks what we value about them by sharing it publicly with our friends. We live on the web — a connected set of linked up urls. Link to bloggers who talk about what you’re interest in and you’ll find they’ll be interested in you. Don’t just concentrate on A-Listers. Great thinkers are writing on blogs that just started yesterday. You can help them get going.

Ask for help with a problem. Bloggers are flexible and agile. We’ve picked up the latest and adapt them to our needs — sometimes in ways that the developers hadn’t imagined. When you visit new blogs check the structure as well as the content, when you have a problem connect, connect, connect with bloggers. A blogger will know how to help. A simple question in a contact box with the words “Can you point me in the direction of the answer . . .” will often start a new relationship.

Do something to change the world. Bloggers love to make things better. One of the quickest ways to connect with bloggers is to design and announce a realistic, altruistic plan to improve or support a cause for someone else.

Avoid the wrong side of the links. Some bloggers aren’t the sort to connect up with. Keeping an eye on our zeal to connect is always a good idea. Spam and advertorial content is all some slimy bloggers ever offer. Those connections make a network weaker.

Value every second someone shares with you. Bloggers guard their time. We spend time writing great content, tweaking our blogs and talking to each other. Be authentic, be thoughtful, and be generous when you say hello that very first time. . . . and every time after.

Remember the people; forget the press. A blogger’s life changes quickly over time. In a few months, we can go from being a “newbie” to being someone folks want to know. The first notice by a big search engine, the first time we show up on a top ten list, the first page ranking at Google — these are our academy awards. When it happens to you, don’t let it change who you are. People don’t change their algorithms nearly as often as Google does.

So there they are 7 ways to connect with bloggers to form a remarkably powerful personal network. What they really say is Be real and be about the folks you want to connect with. Show up as who you are from the first moment and you’ll find folks will start wanting to connect to you.

Know any other hints I should add to the list?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Would you like to work with Liz to build your network?