Aug
6
The following guest post has been submitted by Steven Snell from Vandelay Website Design.
Last week I wrote a post here at PureBlogging about how expanding your network can benefit your blog. We looked at some of the ways you can get to know other bloggers and build relationships. I thought it would be a good idea to list some of the best websites for networking with other bloggers.
Now that you know how to network and where to do it, you’ll be able to develop some valuable relationships and reach new audiences with your blog. I’m sure you’re already aware of some of these websites, but hopelfully you’ll find a few new ones that you like.
1 – MyBlogLog
MyBlogLog is the leading community site for bloggers. View profiles of other blogs, join communities, start a community – all ways to network with other bloggers.
2 – BUMPzee
BUMPzee is another community site for bloggers, similar to MyBlogLog. BUMPzee also features a number of different communities with the option of starting your own, and the ability to send private or public messages to other members.
3 – BlogCatalog
Create a profile on blog catalog and start networking with other bloggers through discussions and friends.
4 – Authority Blogger Forum
A relatively new forum for bloggers started by Christ Garrett. There are plenty of great opportunities here to meet other bloggers, help others and get some new readers for your blog.
5 – Bloggeries Blog Forum
One of my new favorites for networking, the Bloggeries Blog Forum has members from a wide variety of blogging niches. You’re sure to get some good advice (if you ask for it) and you’ll have the opportunity to provide some help for others as well.
6 – Blogger Forum
Another blogging forum. Like the other fourms, Blogger Forum is a great place to meet other bloggers.
7 – True Blogging
Another blogging forum.
8 – The Blog Experiment
One last blog forum.
9 – MySpace
Many other bloggers in your network are likely to also have MySpace pages. With millions of members, MySpace provides great networking opportunities regardless of what topic you blog about.
10 – Facebook
One of the fastest growing networking sites, Facebook also provides the chance to meet millions of other users.
11 – LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a networking site that targets a more professional audience than a site like MySpace.
12 – Ryze
Another networking site that allows you to post a profile and meet others with similar interests.
13 – Blogger Help Group
Blogger Help Group is a Google group that has over 66,000 members.
14 – Guest Blogger
While Guest Blogger is not a networking site where you can join communities or leave messages for other users, it is a great place to find bloggers who are either looking for content or are willing to write articles for other blogs.
15 – Review Back
Are you interested in having your blog reviewed for free? Are you willing to write reviews for other blogs? Review Back is a site that lets you meet other bloggers and make arrangements to review each other’s blogs.
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This is a guest post by Steven Snell. Mr. Snell designs websites and maintains a blog for Vandelay Website Design. You can read more of his writing and see his portfolio at www.vandelaydesign.com.
Thanks for this list.
Great list, bookmarked for promoting my new service, which ironically is another way to network your blog: Review one blog, get multiple reviews back The Fair Review Project
**shameless pluggage**
Thanks for the resource. Looks like a good idea.
Don’t forget about BlogLight.ning! (at the URL I Provided)
You need to work really hard to get traffic from these sites
True it is hard to get traffic from these sites. I use the sites to find bloggers with the same interest and goals. It is amazing how many bloggers are willing to help if you contact them in a humble manner.
It can be difficult, but sometimes surprising - for some reason, I’m getting a decent amount from Blog Catalog - and I don’t do a thing to promote it!
If your intention is to drive traffic directly from these sources, I would agree that it will be hard work. But the real benefits of networking aren’t going to result in direct traffic from these sites. By meeting other bloggers and getting to know some of them you can get in front of new readers through a link from their blog, an guest post, a review, or any number of other ways.
As an example, I found PureBlogging on Guest-Blogger. Since I initially contacted David I’ve submitted 3 articles that have been posted here, and each of those have given me some good exposure. From a comment on one of the articles I ran into Rob at his Bloggeries Blog Forum. At the forum I’ve made some other good contacts.
Networking has the potential to build exponential traffic growth.
Nice List. Another option would be to leave comments on other blogs - a great way to meet and discuss with other bloggers.
Great list! Thanks for including BlogCatalog.
Cheers. You reminded me to join MyBlogLog. I’d been meaning to do that for a while. And yes, never underestimate the power of MySpace.
Nice list. You missed SpicyPage.com They are growing and have a great layout.
BeachBum
Have you used SpicyPage.com? Any positive results. I haven’t personally used.
Great list! A lot of new sites are popping up for blog networking.
Great List there … never heard of ryze …
Darin
Ryze has been around for several years. I used it for a while a long time ago. Similar to a lot of other networking sites I guess.
It’s amazing how many sites there actually is - and I’m sure that the number is going to increase, which is probably a negative thing: It’s going to make it even harder to find relevant sites. It’s like your TV, there are a hundred channels and you can’t find a thing to watch….
It’s a handy list. If yo had to pick just one, though, what would it be?
Can I pick two? I would say BUMPzee and the Bloggeries forum. Partially because those two are the ones I have been most active with (some like MySpace I have never personally used). That’s a good question though. I don’t think any of us have time to use more than a few. I think concentrated efforts on a few will bring better results than scattered efforts on a lot of networks. I know that a decent percentage of the people that I have interacted with on Bloggeries have actually visited my blog and even left comments.
MyBlogLog has helped send me a lot of new visitors and I have found a lot of new blogs through their as well. If I get a second I visit the bloggries forums. I’m sure BlogCatalog and Bumpzee, similar to MyBlogLog can have a similar affect too. But for the forums, theres just too many now all of a sudden. Will be interested to see which ones succeed.
learnt about a few I have never heard of.
technically not a place to “meet bloggers” but technorati is very useful as well
I guess I will join one of them,, Thanks for the list
Anyway,,, I have join Mybloglog a few minutes ago. Then I change screen name in mybloglog so I change my nick here too (my Nick was Cutiegadget) I have join pureblogging community too, but my Avatar doesn’t showing..
Anyone can help me please? Thank you..
StumbleUpon is another site that people should checkout - I am getting a ton of incoming traffic from it!
How are you getting the huge traffic from stumbleupon? Would really appreciate the help!
Steven - Great list. I’m glad you received so many comments to this list, as it is always interesting to hear what other people are thinking, doing, not doing.
My method of socializing is to find like minded people, people who seem interesting, people who can help/teach/instruct, as well as those who I may not agree with.
In regards to commenting, I don’t comment for the sake of commenting only. In my comments I don’t say - “hey, come join my site” or phrases similar to that - I feel it’s cheap promotion and negates anything they might have said in the comment.
I’m presently using half of the sites you mentioned in you article and look forward to checking into the rest of the sites you listed as well as those in the comments. Thanks for the list.
Morgan,
Thanks for your feedback. Are there any particular sites that you use the most for networking? Looks like your blog has a good bit of info about Facebook.
You list a lot of blogging forums; there are so many out there it is easy to lose track of them all.
This article is a great reminder that there are other networking opportunities out there besides MyBlogLog and Bumpzee!
- Martin Reed
Great list Dave, networking is so important as Vandelay pointed out it has the potential for exponential traffic growth. Personally my network has expanded immensely through guest blogging, blog contests and of course blog forum participation.
One of the best ways to break the ice is to join a community that lets you show off your blog. By showing off your blog you get some additional exposure, hopefully constructive critcism and at the very least a strong backlink if the site hosting the forum is powerful.
From there whether you become active or not in the community is up to you but I”ve signed up at most blog forums and definately found some to be more active, helpful and friendly than others.
Best Regards,
Rob
Agree, this is a really Great list
[...] 15 Places to Network with Other Bloggers - PureBlogging [...]
So many places to network, so little time..
i prefer blog catalog it’s the best
[...] 15 Places to Network with Other Bloggers - A list of some of the best websites for networking with other bloggers written by Steven Snell. [...]
I am good in SEO, SEM strategies and marketing, but I don’t have the right connections, that’s why I always fail.
Ok - I thought I was doing pretty well - however I just found at least 8 new places to check out - yeesh! Thanks!!
This is a great list you’ve put together here - I really like mybloglog’s stats and have used several of these - need to check some of the other’s out - thanks!
great list. I really need networking since i’m lacking of online friends and readers.
This is a great list!. To be popular, a blog needs good content. But people need to visit it at least once to see how good that content is!
That’s part of the game, thanks a lot for the list!
Thank you for this informative list. There is also Bloggertalk.net
Thanks for the list. There are quite a few I am familiar with and others I am not. I will be checking them out
For Real Estate activerain.com is one of the best.
I have looked through all the list of these sites. I consider that it is a very useful article. Thank you. Especially I liked the site MyBlogLog, there is a large quantity of opportunities for communication and development of your blog. I will read your blog, for sure.
Thanks for such an informative list!
Thank you for this informative list. I like mybloglog’s stats too.
Wow, I am amazed I didn’t hear about many of these sites till now. I might just have to do some research. Thanks for sharing you wealth of knowledge!
Love the list… but is that really all?
Thanks for links!