The Networking Blog

Your blog can be utilized for networking, especially by linking to other bloggers – your potential connections. In two previous posts, we’ve discussed two methods of linking: a short link post and “linking by the way”. Both methods discussed linking to a single post. This time, we’ll explore a different approach – linking to the whole blog.

Linking to the whole blog means linking to the home page. The main drawback of this method is the lack of focus. Your readers aren’t directed to specific content but to a person.

Another issue with such a post is that there’s a chance that your gesture may be received as flattering – a stronger approach than you intended to do.

Writing a post praising the person you wish to connect will probably intimidate him, and will make the a follow up by email quite hard.

Even so, there are a few cases in which such a link will work well:

1. A new blog: If your fellow blogger just started a new blog, you can write a short post about this event, link to him, and wish him good luck. The context of the new blog will make your out-reach more comfortable, and may earn you points with that person.
2. Mentioning a meeting with the blogger: Similar to the case of “linking by the way”, you may mention the person you’ve met at a convention (or elsewhere) and link to his home page. This method also makes the “big” link more smooth.
3. List of bloggers: If your fellow blogs about a specific topic, and you’re writing about it, you can mention his name (with a link) at the bottom of the post, using text such as: “Bloggers who also write about these matters are: …”. Putting his name alone in the list might be a little too strong. Adding another name or two will help.

I’m sure there are other examples in which you can link to the whole blog in a way that will be moderate. The goal is to reach out and network, not intimidate. Networking is never instant.

Further reading: the introductory post about Networking through Blogs – 4 Ways of Linking. One more post to complete the series…