Connected to my last posts on the building blogging relationships series is the idea that sometimes the best place to build relationships with others is on ‘their’ turf.
As I look at some of my most fruitful blogging relationships I notice that many of the best interactions that we have had have when I’ve been willing to have them on the other blogger’s blog.
As bloggers we have a choice when we read something on another blog that we want to bounce off and interact with. We can either take a quote and write about it on our own blog starting our own conversation on that topic – or we can leave a comment on the blog where the conversation is already happening and interact with the blogger concerned there. In a sense you’re taking the conversation and being a good guest at their blog.
Whilst I have nothing against the first option of continuing a conversation on your own blog (this is part of what makes blogging great) – sometimes I wonder if this can be a little selfish. On occasions I’ve seen this happen in a way where the original blogger has their thread hijacked by a second (often bigger) blogger. There may be a link back to the original idea – but it can be done in a way that virtually ignores and overshadows the original post.
Another approach that I’ve used from time to time is to send my readers to other blogs to have a conversation. I don’t do this all of the time – but one way you can make an impression on another blogger is to honor their hard work by interacting with them on their own blog and bringing your own readers along with you.
I still remember the first time I did this intentionally – I linked to an interesting post of another blog and encouraged my readers to go leave their thoughts – at the same time I manually closed my comments section down on the post to stop my readers being tempted to comment on the other person’s post on my blog.
Two days later the other blogger wrote me a wonderful email thanking me for what I’d done – our friendship remains to this day. I doubt this would have happened if I’d simply linked to him and then kept the rich discussion that ensued on my own blog.
Read the rest of the building blogging relationships series.
Wow, I never thought of linking to the article AND closing my comments. I have seen all too many times bigger bloggers taking over a topic of discussion from a smaller blogger, thus making the smaller blogger ignored even more. I think one of the nicest things a big blogger could do is share the wealth, and make friendships, like you did.
The biggest movement I have seen over the last while is bloggers giving kudos to other bloggers, and blogging networks being formed all over, and that is the way I think it should be.
Good points in your article… I have never really deeply though about this stuff. I guess those that are bigger, have to worry about this stuff a little more though.
Great point, i actually link to all of the blogs i get my ideas/ponders/thoughts from, but never thought of closing comments….nice :)
Heat
Though I do like the idea of “building blogging relationships”, I haven’t sought out related blogs for the purposes of participating/commenting because I’m a bit apprehensive about being considered an interloper. I just might try that technique.
DItto the above, good point… another nice addition to the comments-stuff!
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