Want to take your blog to the next level?

I often hear from new, aspiring and even long time social media influencers that they are interested in learning how to take their online brand from good to great; they want to build up their thought leadership platform (brand opportunities, sponsorships, expert status, etc), or simply increase their readership, follower numbers, and engagement.

And while there are a billion and one “hacks” designed to help you up-level yourself online, blogging is like any other job – the real key to success is to network, network, network and then network again! That’s not to say that these short-cuts are not helpful, in fact, I’d argue that many  of them are necessary to long-term success – especially those that are focused on organization, maintenance and time saving – like auto posting content through WordPress plug-ins, scheduled social media sharing (Hootsuite!), newsletter automation (Hatchbuck, MailChimp, etc), or even link love threads!

That said, while short-cuts can be helpful (and sometimes even necessary!), there is no substitute for growing your network. In fact, I attribute the majority of my own success in building my online profile with pure and simple networking.

So whether you’re looking to increase your followers, readership, or engagement, here are a few simple ways you can begin to build your network:

• Develop online relationships with other bloggers (and social media influencers): While this may seem pretty simple and straightforward, true engagement goes above and beyond the occasional comment on a blog or Instagram photo. Here are some quick pro tips for being an expert at engaging with other bloggers:
  • Make a list of some of the bloggers or social media icons that you aspire to be or would love to meet in real life. Once you have your list, pare it down to a manageable size and make goals for yourself – comment on X blog post / week, leave X-Y comments on Instagram / week, retweet or respond to them on twitter X / week.
    • As you do this, fight the urge to get spammy. Your social media crushes won’t love you back if you’re just a spammy sally. Read their content, leave thoughtful responses and maybe cycle through your list so you’re not hyper focused (and seem super stalker like) on one person.
    • Once you’ve been regularly commenting, interacting with them online for a couple of months, evaluate where your relationship is at with each of them – are they commenting back? Are they reading your content? If so, continue the relationship. If not, consider moving on to the next few people you’ve identified on your list.
    • And be realistic…while we all want to be besties with actual celebrities, maybe try to start your list with some real people who you truly relate to and have things in common with (ex: whatttt, we both do tris and are training for our first Ironman? Hey, you’re gluten-free? Me too, let’s share recipes!)
  • Aside from your list, make sure you are also engaging with anyone engaging with you! Is there a blogger with a blog crush on you? Did they leave you a comment? RECIPROCATE!
  • Use hashtags to your advantage
    • Go through the #SweatPink hashtag on Twitter and Instagram and comb the link love threads for engagement opportunities. Comment on the stuff that you truly relate to
• Be authentic, present and engaged: Whether you’re part of a blogging community (ahem, #sweatpink) or part of a group, or none of the above, be authentic, present, and engaged.
  • Write and post about things that are actually happening – it’s called INSTAgram for a reason! The more authentic you are, the more your following will grow.
  • Share your blogger friends’ posts and social media shares.
  • Show up for fellow community members: give advice in the Facebook forums, offer support, congratulate their victories, and offer encouragement.
• Network!!!! Again, I’m coming at you with all this talk of networking. But it’s true, networking holds the keys to the castle. Whether you want to be Insta-famous, a blogger celebrity, grow your following, or get more brand opportunities (and hello, make some money!), then you have to get out there and meet people in real life.
  • Get out of your PJs, step away from the laptop and reconnect with fresh air and humankind.
  • Meet other bloggers at local meet-ups and events.
  • Meet other fitness folks (bloggers or not) and share your online amazingness with them. Whether you took a running group selfie or got suspended with a friend in aerial yoga, share it and tag them.
  • Go to fitness blogging conferences. Just do it. You won’t regret it. It IS worth the investment. I honestly can’t tell you how valuable it is to meet people in real life. Have you ever noticed that if you meet someone in-person after perhaps stalking them on Insta or reading their blog and how fresh they (and their social handles) stay in your mind? I know it can’t be just me…When I meet other bloggers, social media gurus, or fitness enthusiasts, I always remember the ones I actually met in-person first. Hands down. No contest.
  • Don’t know which conferences to attend?
    • BLOGFEST. If you only go to one, this is the ONE to be at. It’s chock full of workouts, fitness blogging education, fitness bloggers (um, helllooooo, networking!) and amazing brands.
    • If you’re not going…ask yourself WHY NOT? And then ask yourself again. And again. And if you still don’t have an excuse, go ahead and get your ticket.

I’ll be back with more blogging tips soon!

In the meantime..stay sweaty friends!

XOXO

Jamie