I recall a few newbie bloggers noting to me how they wanted to be on Oprah when her show still aired.
Current day bloggers mention wishing to be picked up by major media outlets.
All these bloggers are completely deluded; some possess rocking stories guaranteed to inspire masses of folks……after spending years creating helpful content and promoting *other* bloggers.
Few newbies understand: blogging is a skill. Like any skill it requires years of practice, dedication and 100% commitment to succeed in the endeavor, especially to gain mention through a major media news outlet. Have you wondered why few people in any niche are featured on television or major print media? Few people put in the years of genuine, loving practice to become among the best on earth in their respective niches so few get featured through world renowned channels.
New bloggers make the boneheaded mistake of believing only in self-promotion. Newbies believe promoting yourself and your blog works effectively. Until nobody reads their blogs.
A light bulb goes off when new bloggers listen to my advice; the easiest way to drive traffic to your blog is by promoting other bloggers. Someone explicitly noted; they never thought of it that way. Of course not; newbie bloggers think only of themselves in 99.99% of the cases, blogging from a place of fear and scarcity.
I set ‘em straight though.
Accelerate your blogging success pronto.
Promote other bloggers.
Why This Works
Imagine 20 fellow bloggers promoting your latest blog post to their 20 separate friend networks on Twitter, Google Plus and Facebook. That’s a lot of traffic, right?
Now imagine – and this is how virtually ever new blogger does it – promoting your blog post to your piddly tiny or non-existent network. That’s no or little traffic, right?
Promoting other bloggers without asking for anything in return builds friendships. Fellow bloggers see your genuine interest in them; not in what you can do for them. These cats grow to trust you. Said blogging cats slowly begin promoting you to their followers via social media and via their blog, mentioning you, interviewing you or inviting you to guest post on their blog.
See how nicely that works?
Help people.
Ask for nothing in return.
Make friends.
Accelerate your blogging success as a newbie, quickly.
Do Not Ask For Anything In Return
A while back I recall a particular new, unknown, struggling blogger who wanted me to promote them. I explained this method of making friends by helping bloggers without asking for anything in return, to gain the blogger’s trust.
This lost dingbat turned around and said she would promote me only if I retweeted her latest blog post. I spammed the email. Opportunity lost.
She has no genuine interest in befriending me by helping me, which would have been smart considering she struggled like hell and I am an established pro with a 60,000 member community. She would only use me for my 60,000 member community and vanish. So she lost the opportunity to solve some struggles and no doubt will fail horribly until she learns to be generous and to help folks without looking for anything in return, to allow friendships to grow organically.
Why Do New Bloggers Ignore this Strategy?
Blanket fear of criticism.
Love of ease.
Stubborn ego.
Flat out, genuine ignorance to the magic of blogger networking.
Being mired in Survival Mode, thinking only of their basic needs, desperately trying to drive blog traffic and profits to pay bills, put a roof over their heads and to put food on the table.
Face, feel and release these fears. Blog mainly for fun. Blog with love. Accelerate your blogging success. Promote bloggers freely without asking for anything, make blogging buddies and reap the sweet benefits of your generosity.