I’ve been blogging for over ten years now which is crazy. I’ve seen so many trends and changes that I never imagined would happened, but there is one thing that has always stayed the same for me: A want to build relationships with other bloggers.
It’s necessary (in my opinion) to do this to thrive in the blog world, but not only that – it makes this blog have more purpose for me. And it even gives me something more to look forward to. It gives me more reason to come here and it’s allowed me to connect with so many wonderful people. I honestly can’t imagine blogging without these relationships.
But for those who are more introverted (like me!), building those relationships don’t always come naturally. It’s not due to a personality flaw or even an inability to connect – it’s just not as easy as it sounds. So I thought why not share the best ways I’ve built relationships with other bloggers in hopes of helping those that are a little bit shy or maybe even brand new to blogging. Here are my top five tips (plus a bonus tips for those on the flip side!) for how to build relationships with other bloggers.
1. Don’t be shy
Sounds a like hypocritical, right? It is! But pushing yourself to not be shy is such a great way to build a relationship with a blogger (and even a brand!) Send an email. Or a tweet. Or a Facebook message. Leave a heartfelt comment. The point is to do something. If there’s someone you’d like to connect/network with, make the first move. A lot of bloggers I’ve become closest to are ones I’ve reached out to or ones that have reached out to me – it didn’t just happen by accident. It took one of us breaking the barrier and letting the other one know we even existed for the relationship to begin. You just need courage for a couple of minutes to send that message!
2. Show off who or what you admire/love
Love someone’s writing style, or a specific post? Or maybe you dig the items in their shop? Or maybe even their personal style? Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to let the world know. Ask them to do an interview on your blog. Or share their work on your blog (with credit/links, of course) or on social media. This is a great way to break the ice indirectly and an easy way to begin to build a relationship.
3. Talk with them, not at them
Engage in your community, whether it be on social media sites or on your blog. Ask questions or for opinions. Respond to comments or messages. If you continuously throw facts, stories, or comments at people and never put forth the effort to create a meaningful conversation, the likelihood of one being created is pretty slim. It’s not to say you can never “talk at” them, but it’s the same message as the quote: “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Give people an easy way to connect with you by trying to know them and you’ll build amazing relationships.
4. Collaborate
Working on projects with new people is an awesome way to build relationships. Even if it’s something small like swap projects, guest posts, link-ups, etc. It’s a great way to spread the love, get to know someone a bit better, and find a new community of readers that are probably pretty similar to you – especially if you’re working with someone that has similar traits.
5. Skip the compare and contrast game
Easier said than done, I know. But never, ever, ever let the numbers play a factor into your decision to build or not to build a relationship with a person. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone’s journey is a different story. The point of building a relationship is not to have similar or bigger following numbers in common. The point is to surround yourself with like-minded people. So reach out to those that seem like they’d be your BFF outside of the computer whether or not they have triple or half of your blog following. (And for those that are smaller, don’t let the bigger numbers intimidate you. If they’re worth your time, it won’t stop them from connecting with you!)
Bonus tip
For those on the receiving end of someone else trying to build a relationship with you, I highly suggest responding back with something – even if the feeling isn’t mutual. Even if it’s with a simple thanks or just a quick compliment in return. We know you’re busy – we all are. Yet someone found the time and/or the courage to reach out to you because they think so highly of you. I always do my best to get back to people, even if it’s a month later, because I truly do appreciate someone taking time out of their busy schedule to drop me a note!
what are your best tips for building relationships with other bloggers?