Max Brenner
My Iced Chocolate
For this week’s FBFF we are going to talk about blogger-to-blogger interaction. The rules of engagement when it comes to following, guest posts and gaining exposure in the industry. It’s a difficult to navigate area, and one that I think a number of newbie bloggers have to fail at a couple times to get it right. So to ease that process the Friend Friday members are giving their thoughts on the appropriate and not appropriate ways to engage others.
1. Guest posts are a good way to gain new exposure. What do you think is the appropriate way to go about securing a guest spot?
It is true, guest posts increase traffic between blogs and allows the guest to expand their reader base. The best way to go about securing a guest spot is to build relationships. You must reach out to your audience, but be yourself. You can tell when someone is not being genuine! If you build relationships with other bloggers, a guest post is something you might discuss!
2. Leaving comments is essential to growing your blog. But how can you leave a comment without coming across as ‘Follow Me. Follow Me!’?
Once again, being genuine and sincere with your comments is essential. Having one standard and generic comment that you post to everyone will not secure you readers. This will only prove that you are just commenting to get people onto your blog, rather than being sincere in your comments. I always try to keep my commenting positive, pointing out what works well in their post! I am a sucker for blogs that have outfit posts, so usually I will post about an item of clothing they may be wearing or something like that. At the bottom of a comment I will put my blogsite address, if people want to drop in and say hi, I love it, but if my blog is not of their taste, I don't mind either. I blog because I want to share a piece of ME, not copy someone else!
3. We’ve all gotten a mass email at one time or another asking for blog exposure, a link exchange, etc… But the mass emails don’t work. How do you make your email stand out from the crowd?
Be personal, making an email very general makes the reader seem like they are just another reader who you want to visit your site, just for a few hits. Pointing out something specific about my post or site makes things more personal. Placing a focus on building relationships rather than hits is the key!
4. In interacting with other bloggers where do you draw the line between seeking support and begging for exposure?
Those people who send emails saying, "HEY COME VISIT MY SITE!" Quite frankly they are annoying!! I would rather someone ask a direct question about how I can help them rather than a generic HEY LOOK AT ME comment! Once again, personalizing emails and building up a relationship is very important. If you are genuine and sincere, the hits will come naturally!!
5. What’s one rule of engagement error you made and how have you remedied that?
I am still very new at this whole blogging thing, I am learning something new everyday, so I am not sure I have really made a mistake at this stage (I don't think I have). I will say this, I am keen to keep blogging and I am looking forward to talking to many other bloggers out there. BUT... There are millions of fashion bloggers out there, what makes you any different from the rest? That's up to YOU!
This friday is also my first week participating in the $10 on Friday Challenge, started by Natasha from Fashion Devotion! The challenge is to use $10 and buy something to do with fashion!
This week I bought these cute earrings from Sportsgirl! Ok, so they were actually $12, but not a bad effort from my first $10 on Friday! I promise I will try harder next week!!
See you tomorrow! xx
This friday is also my first week participating in the $10 on Friday Challenge, started by Natasha from Fashion Devotion! The challenge is to use $10 and buy something to do with fashion!
This week I bought these cute earrings from Sportsgirl! Ok, so they were actually $12, but not a bad effort from my first $10 on Friday! I promise I will try harder next week!!
See you tomorrow! xx
