A lot of bloggers and webmasters fall into the trap of statistics, viewing backlinks as nothing more than a number which increases their SERPs and potentially sends additional click traffic. What people seem to forget is that backlinks (more often than not) are coming from other people who saw your content and thought it was worth sharing with their own readers. Sure there are social media scrapers and bots that will account for some of your backlinks, but the majority of them are coming from other people in the industry. So how can you manipulate these other bloggers and webmasters in such a way that they’ll link back to your site? Maybe you could call another blogger in the industry lame. That will get them linking to you. Or maybe you could call someone a spammer. That’ll do it. You don’t even have to go the low road, you could take the high. You could praise and flatter another blogger so much that they give you a courtesy link. Hey, a backlink is a backlink, right?
But wait, have you ever tried just talking to them and being friendly?
Introduce Yourself & Your Blog
Most bloggers out there are a lot like you (despite their epic RSS numbers). Many of them don’t mind taking a minute or two out of their day to read an email from another blogger even if they’re just starting out. They might not always have the time to respond, but they usually don’t mind getting the mail. Just by putting your name and blog in front of other bloggers’ faces you’re exposing yourself and opening the doors for further networking later on.
You don’t have to convince these other bloggers that you’re the next Arrington, but let them know that you are aware of them and their blog, and you would like it if they stopped by yours whenever they get the chance. There’s no need for over-the-top flattery. Just a courteous introduction often does wonders. The worst they’re going to do is ignore you. People can’t really be mad about a friendly email between bloggers. Now if you turn this introduction email into a blatant, impersonal spam then you’re probably going to catch heat. Don’t do that.
Make Friends via MyBlogLog
MyBlogLog is a wonderful new social networking website made specifically for bloggers. Most bloggers who register for MyBlogLog do so because they actually want to network with others in the industry. Browse the communities, find other blogs that interest you, and add them to your list. You can also add and message contacts to get to know more people. Even just browsing around other users’ profiles will get you additional traffic.
Pay it Forward
Other people like being linked to just as much as you do. By showing that you respect other bloggers enough to link to their work you’re more likely to have the same courtesy shown to you. Keep the link chain alive by trying to link to other blogs as much as you can. Blogging is different from most conventional sites in that even in the most competitive markets blogs can grow alongside each other. Many blogs share the same readers, and it doesn’t affect their revenue. Help promote yourself and your colleagues by linking whenever you can.
People spend so much time trying to learn how to game the system, write the best linkbait, and come up with automated methods for promotion, that they tend to ignore the basic strategy of networking. Be friendly to your fellow bloggers and they’ll be friendly to you.
Protecting Your Business’s Name
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