by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging, Guest Posts |
This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
Outreach seems confusing sometimes.
Bloggers offer advice for networking the right way. But the same bloggers cold pitch fellow bloggers guest post opportunities and link exchanges.
Who do you trust?
What does it really mean to network the right way?
I want to give you a short, sweet guide for networking effectively, intelligently and compassionately.
Help People
Generously help people.
Ideas:
- retweet blog posts
- share blog posts on Facebook
- comment genuinely on blogs from your niche
- mention bloggers on your blog
Helping people is the quickest way to get connected. Blogger outreach pros generously help people persistently. Connected bloggers reach out with a kind, giving hand. Fellow bloggers appreciate your generosity. Bloggers gravitate toward generous bloggers because everyone loves people who give freely.
Cut the Strings of Expectation
Release expectations. Ask for nothing in return.
Help bloggers. Cut the strings.
Be disciplined in not asking anything of bloggers you help as the friendship forms organically. Allow bloggers to get to know you, like you and trust you. Let the process unfold gracefully.
Help bloggers, ask for nothing and let these folks see that you are interested in them versus being interested in what they can do for you.
Allow Father Time to Bond You
Time serves as the most critical element in the networking game because time allows bonds to grow organically.
I recall chatting with a fellow blogger for an extended period of time. Neither party wanted anything from each other. We simply helped one another, cut the strings of expectation and allowed our bond to grow seamlessly. Time bonded us. Now we are good buddies because we allowed time to connect us the right way.
Be patient. Relax. Help people freely. Release any expectations. Do not ask bloggers to do anything for you in return for the help you offered bloggers. Take your time. Fall in love with serving people. Father Time ensures generous actions plus detachment makes you a big time, connected blogger.
Common Networking Errors
Look out for these blogger outreach mistakes:
- cold pitching bloggers; emailing strangers asking for guest post opportunities, link exchanges and free advertising on their blogs
- rushing the outreach process; retweeting 3 blog posts over 1 week before asking for a testimonial from a trusted, pro blogger
- asking for endorsements before you have endorse-able skills; an increasing number of new or intermediate bloggers routinely ask me for endorsements but none have endorse-able skills yet
- attempting to manipulate bloggers by asking them to your 100 blogger round up mainly to get a retweet, Facebook Share or list email mention to their large, loyal tribe
Most bloggers network the wrong way because fear makes you do stuff you do not want to do. Perhaps everything seems to be moving along way too slowly with your blogging efforts. Panic arises in your being. Instead of generously, patiently helping top pros in your niche from a detached approach you desperately cold email 50 pro bloggers today asking for a free guest posting opportunity. 49 pro bloggers ignore your email. 1 pro blogger reads your pitch but rejects your offer based on the quality of your writing.
Face, feel and release your fears. Blog from a loving, generous, trusting energy.
Write diligently. Publish posts frequently. Network the right way.
Blogger outreach is less about reaching out and more about helping out. Serve fellow bloggers. Cut the strings of expectation. Earn trust. Prove your genuine interest in fellow human beings.
Do blogger outreach the right way.
by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging, Guest Posts |
This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
5:04 PM.
My ego wants to take a break.
My heart told me to write this post.
I have been a professional blogger for a decade. Hands down, listening to your heart over your head feels incredibly uncomfortable sometimes because professional bloggers are not enlightened beings.
I deeply enjoy helping people. But I also love to kick back, relax and to be comfortable too.
How do you find the proper mix between generous service and a little bit of self-service? Nobody knows. But your heart knows.
I do not advise working 16 hour blogging days. I do not recommend publishing one blog post monthly before putting your feet up until next month. Find the point between rendering oodles of generous service and a tiny bit of self-service to find your professional blogging sweet spot. Or find this point to position yourself to become a professional blogger.
How do you find this critical point? Listen to your heart over your ego. How do you listen to your heart over your ego? Prepare to practice the freeing but highly uncomfortable practice of knowing thyself. Ouch.
Know Thyself
Observe yourself in the light of truth. Own your frame of mind. Become aware of when you think and act from a dominant energy of fear versus thinking and acting from a dominant energy of love. Face, feel and release fears to blog predominantly from love. Rinse, wash, repeat. Fear is selfish. Love is selfless. Move more toward love to be a generous servant.
Observe my real world example.
10 minutes ago, a thought-feeling crossed my mind:
“I already published 2 guest posts and 3 blog posts today. I networked genuinely too. I feel tired after hiking a mountain for 2 hours. That’s enough. Break time.”
Knowing myself and observing my mind as it really was, I noticed my ego’s tabulation of blogging work completed, hike executed and general feeling of doing enough was a self-serving, common limiting belief I need to be aware of. I watched the feelings of fear, discomfort and agitation arise. Ego wants to nap. Ego wants to eat sweets. Ego wants to help itself.
Through this ego shouting I heard a small, still voice suggest I write this post for Cori and you rocking readers. The gentle voice told me it’d require 20 minutes of my time and a scant amount of my energy to write and submit the blog post. I listened to this voice because this voice is my heart. But dealing with my ego’s whining felt uncomfortable.
I wrote the post. I submitted the post. I did not push myself to do it (ego) but I allowed myself to be guided to do it (heart) through the simple but uncomfortable act of knowing myself by observing my mind as it really was.
Pros Are Human Beings
Pros find this lesson uncomfortable to learn and honor because pros are human beings subject to fear, selfishness and self-centeredness. I deeply love helping people. I do my best to be a generous servant. But since I am not an altruistic, enlightened blogging being I wrestle with my ego and its selfish motives begging me to hold back versus letting go and giving even more freely.
Note; the lesson I am teaching does not involve working hard, pushing yourself and forcing yourself to blog because all motives fueling these actions are fears of the ego, not love from the heart. I mean to share how observing your mind as it really is lets you know yourself. Knowing yourself lets you face, feel and release fears so you can blog generously from the heart.
Generous bloggers grounded in trust of both self and the blogging process eventually go pro.
by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging, Guest Posts |
This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
I wrote and published 4000 plus blog posts on Blogging From Paradise.
I wrote and placed 10,000 plus guest posts on various blogs in my niche.
I commented on 100,000 plus various blogs in my niche.
Right now, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn could shut down my accounts. I could care less. Why? I would still be in 114,000 plus spots. I also spend little attention and energy building my business through social media because me and my trusted friends do not own social media sites.
But imagine if I did virtually all of my creating and connecting through social media? Being shut down would mean the end of my business. I do not own social media sites. I am the product. Social media site owners own my social media image, likeness and content. Trying to build a thriving business solely through social media is like trying to build a mansion on quicksand.
What solution works best for building a sustainable business online?
Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your online real estate.
Own Your Cyber Real Estate
Review the numbers above.
I own 4000 plus web pages via Blogging From Paradise. My blogging buddies own 10,000 plus web pages where I guest post. Thousands of bloggers own the 100,000 plus web pages where I published genuine comments. Unless bloggers quit or sell their blogs I will be seen in roughly 114,000 plus spots with or without social media in my blogging arsenal.
Owners create on real estate owners own. Owners create on real estate their buddies own. Think like an owner. Spend most of your time and energy creating and connecting on real estate you and your blogging buddies own to build a sustainable, stable online business.
Minus a tiny bit of ownership or quitting flux, my eBook links, course links, audio book links, paperback links and advertising opportunities remain permanently on sites me and my blogging buddies own. I may know a small percentage of bloggers who own blogs where I published my 100,000 plus comments but most appear to be paying their domain and hosting bills for the past 3, 5 to 10 years.
Lay a rock solid foundation for your online business. Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your cyber real estate. Link to your:
- courses
- eBooks
- coaching services
- consulting services
- freelancing services
- audio books
- paperbacks
- advertising opportunities
via your blog through pages you publish on your blog. Create a lasting online business asset by setting up your online business through content you publish on your blog. Link to your blog through guest posts and genuine blog comments. Grow your online business through the principle of leveraging.
Social Media Changes with the Wind
Facebook allowed for massive organic growth years ago. Business owners boosted their profits by simply sharing content and engaging generously on the platform. But Facebook moved to a pay to play type model to grow your business. Facebook quickly shifted to a paid advertising model if you wanted to even sniff at boosting your profits. Imagine if you depended heavily on free advertising to make coin through Facebook? Wave your online business profits generated through Facebook goodbye.
But Facebook proves even more fickle – and deadly to business owners – by changing rules, regulations and interpretations of said rules as time progresses. I know one of blogger whose 35,000 Like Facebook Page got shut down with no rhyme, reason or explanation. He was smart. He owns his domain, invests money in hosting and owns his email list. But picture if he spent 10,000 hours over the past 12 years creating and connecting through Facebook to build his online business. Overnight, the 10,000 hours worth of status updates, videos, comments and business-profits-driving content disappears forever.
Never build your online business only through social media.
Buy your domain and hosting. Blog on WordPress.org to own your cyber real estate.
Build your online business on a rock solid, stable foundation.
For more tips on how to succeed as a blogger read;
6 Reasons Why Bloggers Succeed
by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging, Guest Posts |
This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
I arrived in the Adirondacks High Peaks Wilderness recently.
My wife and I observed a cute coyote hunting in the field beside the house. We love animals. Seeing a wild coyote casually pouncing on prey in a remote wilderness fascinated us deeply.
One neighbor drove by, He remarked how he hated coyotes. He followed up noting how he’d hunt this coyote that evening.
My wife and I heard someone crack a few shots one hour later. I hope the coyote safely escaped into the forest.
Even though I do not like hunting I saw the coyote hunter’s perspective. He explained how ‘yotes put a serious dent in the local deer population. Hunting these carnivores partially restores a natural balance. I instantly felt a deeper bond with the individual because I saw the world through his eyes. I respected his perspective.
Pro bloggers see the world through reader’s eyes. Amateur bloggers tend to see the world through their eyes. Pros build deep connections with readers because pros address readers with empathy, compassion and a keen desire to solve reader problems. How? Pros recall how it felt to struggle blogging-wise. Every human enjoys the company of someone who appreciates their point of view.
Imagine if I saw the world through my eyes alone while chatting with the coyote hunter? I would deem him a jerk who murders animals at worst. At best, i would disagree with him and leave it at that. But since I appreciate how other people think, feel and act I did not see him as a bloodthirsty killer. I connected more deeply with the individual by seeing the world from his perspective, even though I do not even kill flies and mosquitoes, let alone coyotes.
Develop Empathy
Bloggers sometimes lack empathy. Scared bloggers see the world through the pinhole of their perspective. Do you wonder why bloggers usually struggle? How can you see, address and solve reader problems by seeing the world only from your perspective? Struggling bloggers distance themselves from readers by lacking empathy.
Struggling bloggers tend to just want money for themselves; failing bloggers usually have no interest in seeing the world through reader’s eyes to solve their problems compassionately. Pro bloggers bond with readers by empathetically seeing the world through the eyes of their readers.
I considered hitting the sack early tonight as I drove quite a distance to our new location. But I thought about you guys. I want to help you succeed online. Staying up a few minutes to share this helpful message may help you become a smidge more successful.
I pondered struggling bloggers. I recall the confusion of struggling well; that frustrated emotion of having no idea why you struggle compounds the dearth of traffic and profits. Seeing the world through struggling blogger eyes goaded me to write this post even though I feel a bit exhausted.
Do you see how pros think? Professional bloggers connect with readers, render generous service and grow their business by seeing the world through the eyes of their readers from an empathetic perspective.
Even if you blog professionally you can still benefit from receiving this empathetic tip for seeing the world through your reader’s eyes.
Suspend Your Point of View
I easily write and publish 5 guest posts daily. From my point of view, writing a 600 word guest post consumes 13 minutes of my time. But struggling bloggers may spend hours writing and submitting a 600 word guest post.
Suspending my easy-writing point of view bonds me with struggling blogger readers. Bonding helps me see the world through their perspective. I seamlessly address their problems through:
- blog posts
- guest posts
- courses
- eBooks
Because I put myself in their shoes before creating free and premium content.
Stop judging readers. Stop vehemently disagreeing with people. Cease seeing the world solely through your pinhole-sized perspective. Practice seeing the world through their perspective. Of course you won’t agree with everyone but respecting different viewpoints allows you to connect with more people. Forming deeper bonds makes it easier to succeed because you easily address reader problems by seeing the world through their eyes.
by Ryan Biddulph | Blogging, Guest Posts |
This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.
One thing you quickly learn; successful bloggers step forward daily. Hyper successful bloggers ALWAYS step forward and rarely step back in fear. For example, daily, I publish 10-12 posts because I learned from pros to keep edging forward a little bit day.. Between my blog and guest posts, I hit double digits every single day these days. That is stepping forward.
Every day, 10 more posts point to me, my name and my brand to help you rocking readers out there. Bingo! We both win. I love that.
Stepping forward positions you to succeed.
Stepping forward allows me to experience greater blogging success because doing so increases my exposure, grows my traffic and profits. Stepping forward positions you to succeed. Succeeding allows you to live your dreams, through blogging. My content helps you. You help me. We all help each other because we collectively step forward.
Bloggers usually step backward way too often.
Imagine writing and publishing one blog post. Awesome. Count that as a step forward. See the content expanding your reach, a little bit. But then you spend zero time blogging for the next 3 weeks. For 504 hours, you chose NOT TO BLOG. That means you took 21 steps backward.
The one post published disappears into oblivion because no one reads it or sees it past the first 2-3 days, because you stepped backward once, twice, then 21 times, spending 0 minutes blogging over a 3 week period.
Now imagine 3 weeks down the road. You took 1 step forward and 21 steps backward, so you are 20 steps behind where you could have been, if you began blogging 5 hours daily, 3 weeks ago. No sense crying over spilled milk, you blogging kitten, you. No sense regretting the past.
Blog now. Begin again, now. Start now, again.
Hey; at least you have one blog post in your cyber arsenal, right? At least you write blog post #2. Write. Publish. Good job. You took one blogging step forward. Congrats on being 19 steps behind. But then you take off 1 month from blogging, which equals taking 28 steps backward. Now, you are 47 steps behind where you should be, if you blogged 5 daily for the past 7 weeks of your life.
Blogging simply gives you what you give blogging.
So….if you step backward, you fail and quit. If you step forward, you succeed and live your dreams. But you want to step forward for 4 to 12 hours daily for the next 5000 hours to go full time and to live your dreams in a spectacular way. Spectacular results grow out of taking simple steps forward every day for many years of your life. Simple accumulates to spectacular. Simple builds up something fun, freeing and special.
Plus you need to create and connect generously for those 5000 hours. Plus you need to trust. No panicking and bailing allowed, because every time you panic and bail, you take steps backward, making your job that much tougher and delaying your success by that many more months.
Step forward.
Spend 2-4 hours creating and connecting generously today.
Then, spend 4 hours generously creating and connecting tomorrow. Then, 4 hours generously creating and connecting, the next day. Work done today, is work you never need to do again. Sure you work again tomorrow and do similar things, but the stuff you did yesterday to build your foundation for today never needs to be done, again.
Have you ever pondered blogging in this fashion? My friend Julie Syl Kalungi taught me this concept. I love it. Do the work today. Complete today’s work. Allow the work to work for you. Let it go. It lays a foundation for a successful blogging campaign and you never need to do that specific foundation laying, again, because those specific building blocks, those bricks, well, ya placed ’em.
Tomorrow, you add bricks to the bricks you already placed. All because you only take steps forward in love and service, even if it feels scary, to keep moving forward…..and to never step backward.
Step…..forward!
Never step backward.
Be led by your dreams. Do not be bullied by your fears into stepping backward. Remember why you blog. Seize that fun, freeing reason to wade through fears and to never step backward in fear, ever again.
I believe in you guys.
Let’s step forward together, shall we?
