We learn about blogging from many sources. We have access to many free services, software, plugins, themes, photos, and most of all, knowledge
Even before I went live with my blogs, I spent many hours pouring over articles written by other bloggers.
I was amazed at how others were so willing to share years of knowledge, all for free.
I did learn, through linking, I could potentially drive more traffic to their sites and build up their numbers and/or revenues.
With that in mind, the third post I wrote was titled: “Give Credit Where Credit Is Due”
It was all about gratitude, and I listed and linked to each blog/website that helped me get started.
I have continued this practice. If I add a plugin or change my theme, I write a post about it, link to and thank the author. I link to other blogger’s posts that may add value to what I have written, or ones that inspired me to write on a specific topic. I also link to new blogs in my NBOTW series.
Some will argue, linking to other sites may take traffic away from our site. It may. However, linking won’t necessarily keep visitors away.
Most visitors will come back and read what you wrote. When you refer them to great sites, you’ll soon be seen as an authority figure. Loyal visitors will continually return to your site to learn what you’re reading. Instead of fearing a loss of traffic, the opposite may happen, and your stats will show an increase.
Lesson Ten: This scenario reminds me of a fabulous post written by Jennifer, at Empowered Reader. It’s titled: Steps To Happiness – The How Tos of an Attitude Of Gratitude”. Showing your gratitude is powerful. We often hear the saying, “what goes around, comes around”, that holds true for giving credit where credit is due, too.
Equally important, if someone links to your blog or a blog post, blogging etiquette and common sense suggest a thank you is in order.
Today’s Assignment:
Do you freely link to other sites, even if the blog is similar to yours?
Do you show your gratitude to those who have helped you along the way?
Do you see traffic increases from others who link to your site (referral traffic)?
Do you remember to thank others for link love?
Photo Credit: yoppy’s photostream
Hi Catherine,
You’re great at linking to informative sites, or fun sites like the “rice” one. I like how you explain why you’re linking to particular sites.
Thanking others for a link is so important. You’ve always showed up to thank me, and that’s always appreciated.
Hi Barbara – I like to link out a lot but I won’t do links just for the sake of linking to others. I do like to do resource posts – but I prefer to use a description. Sometimes I see people just doing lists of links with no description and I don’t think that is helpful to readers or the blogger you’re linking to.
I try to thank most people who have linked to me by leaving a comment on their blog.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..Dirty Little Secrets 2 – The Investigation
I link out to others without thinking about whether I’ll lose any traffic. There’s enough success to go around that I don’t think we have to be competitive with each other. But I don’t link to someone just to say “this person wrote a good post.” I usually link only if I have something to add.
I recently discovered Google Alerts, which emails you to let you know when people are writing about you. There have been cases where people have written about me and linked to me but I didn’t get a trackback (like if they link to my home page or a PDF file), so this has done a great job of keeping me updated. I like to leave a comment in return, especially if the person is a new blogger who probably treasures every comment.
Barbara, I noticed that your PageRank is now 3. If I remember correctly, it was 1 not that long ago. Congratulations!
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Mastering The Most Powerful Force In The Universe
Hi Barbara,
I absolutley link to others if I need to thank them or if they have given me an idea for a post. I had someone not link to me one time and her post was very similar to mine. In fact, her comment on my post was the basis of her post. I was pretty upset. I don’t know that it was an intentional snub or just ignorance on blogging etiquette (I prefer to give her the benefit of the doubt and go with the latter) but I was still hurt. I would rather give credit and lose a reader than upset someone who has helped me. My moral compass comes first and I believe that will show in your writing and your blog. Even if you lose that reader, if you stay true to yourself, you are sure to gain others.
On a completley unrelated note, I just joined twitter but didn’t see you in my e-mail search. Are you a member, and if so, could you give me your user name? You can email me if you prefer not to list it here.
Debbie Yosts last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – The Problem with Dolls
Do you freely link to other sites, even if the blog is similar to yours? Sure
Do you show your gratitude to those who have helped you along the way? Of course
Do you see traffic increases from others who link to your site (referral traffic)? I don’t know, I don’t check. How do you check, your hosting stats?
Do you remember to thank others for link love?
I try, but I may not get to everyone…more of a time issue than an oversight
Naturals last blog post..Shameless Blog Promotion
Hey Barbara 🙂
Link Love is very important to me – perhaps I’ll check out the Google Alerts Hunter mentioned because I sometimes don’t see those trackbacks. Lately, I’ve been poring over blogs I read regularly as well as new ones, bookmarking those that I think my readers benefit from. I am working on increasing the link love as I think its great to share great finds
I don’t usually link for the sake of a super long blog roll or things of that nature. But I definitely link for thank yous, to point out great writing, useful tips, or just an overall wonderful blogs that I think people should know about.
BTW, your link love not only let me learn about your blog, but come to it as regularly as I can. Its more than the linkage though – its warm on this side of the blogosphere and very welcoming 🙂
JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, Yous last blog post..Self Fulfilling Prophecies: Getting Your Life Back
FRIEND–you have a great attitude and so have many of your followers–
Bernie Deschlers last blog post..THE DEACON’S STUDIO: THE SHEPHERD
Hi Hunter,
I like that “there’s enough success to go around”. How true!
Based on your recommendation, I just signed up for Google Alerts. I have noticed that some links do not come through on my WordPress dashboard, so hopefully that will solve the problem.
I agree, new bloggers love comments. All the more reason for all of us to leave a comment, even if it’s to say, “Hi, welcome to blogosphere”.
Page rank 3…Yes, I just noticed that yesterday. I’m guessing longevity is paying off. Thank you for the Congrats.
Hi Debbie,
That can be maddening when someone writes a similar post and don’t credit us, but some don’t know they should, some don’t know how to, and others don’t care. Giving her the benefit of the doubt was the best thing you could do.
Re Twitter: I have read a lot about it, know it’s extremely popular, but also am aware it’s another time consuming social networking tool. Thus far, I have chosen not to sign up for it. When and if I do, I’ll let you all know.
Hi Natural,
Will it surprise you if I give you another “A”? 🙂
Checking for referral traffic is done my using a statistics program. Your host (which I think is Bluehost), offers AWStats and Webalizer. All you have to do is activate them. I like AWStats the best.
Hi JEMi
Link love is very important, and you’re great at letting us all know about sites you find.
I still remember when Natural told me about your blog, and am so happy she did. You know you’re always welcome here, and as a NBOTW, you’ll be forever embedded in my reader.
Your kind words are truly appreciated.
Hi Deacon Bernie,
It’s great to see you here again.
I know you took a little time off to learn more about blogging, so hopefully now we’ll see more of you.
I am humbled by your compliment.
BTW: I’ve been enjoying your beautiful artwork.
Hi Jennifer,
I LOVE your new site. Did you change the name too? I’ll be back over later today and check it out more closely.
I really enjoyed your gratitude post. There is so much truth to it, and we often forget to be grateful for those little things that happen each day. I’ve often read that if we are not grateful for what we do have, we don’t make room to receive more. I find that to be true.
Thank you for adding me to your Blogroll. Ironically, that’s another link that has not come through to my site. I’m hoping the Google Alerts will pick those up, otherwise I’m going to start looking like an inconsiderate person (if I didn’t acknowledge a link).
Promoting other bloggers is a great way to build a community. I, too, enjoy Shilpan’s work. It was through him that we met. :). I love how that works.
Barbara, no wonder you were asking me when my new blog would be ready… You were going to link to me…. You are fabulous!! Your readers can also now access that same post at http://principlesforpeace.com/?p=61
I think a huge THANK YOU is in order here, for linking to my site!!
I have been grateful for you since I fist visited your site. You are on my new blogroll. I will be mentioning you more. I’m certain of it.
Along these lines, one of my favorite things to do is when I make a comment at another blog I like to leave a link to my friends’ blogs that are relevant to that discussion. I have made some great freinds like Shilpan at http://www.successsoul.com who have helped me drive traffic to my site. I am so thankful for all my blogging friends and love promoting their sites whenever possible.
Jennifers last blog post..Welcome! Come on in and Relax…
Hi Jennifer,
You’re welcome!
I’ll have to change my feed so I can follow your progress.
Isn’t that just the greatest law? So simple, but not practiced by many.
Supposedly Google Alerts will send an email to you, so we’ll see how well it works. You can sign up for it at GoogleAlerts.com.
Thanks for your comment about the new site. I look forward to you visiting later today. Yes, I changed the name too – It’s now Principles for Peace.
I’m grateful that you got a lot out of my gratitude post. 🙂 No, really I am. Each time I get feedback from helping someone it makes my day.
Yeah, I often tell of this law: What you think on expands. If you are always thinking on your blessings you get more blessings. If you think about what you don’t have you just keep getting nothing since nothing times nothing is still nothing. It took me a really long time to figure that one out. I think it was the book, “The Magic of Thinking Big” where I first was exposed to that concept.
Hopefully the Google Alerts will get their act together. 🙂 Is that a service that works automatically? I did get a message the other day in my email…
Jennifers last blog post..Welcome! Come on in and Relax…
Barbara –
Wonderful post. Lori aways says – “Genius minds think alike.” :), my post
http://www.successsoul.com/2008/04/28/3-life-lessons-from-3-months-of-blogging/#comment-262
echoes what you are talking about. I am learning a great deal from your selfless character. I can only try to be as good as you are in helping countless bloggers in the blogospehere.
keep up the good work. We need many more bloggers like you to help all who need their foot in the door.
Shilpan
Shilpan | successsoul.coms last blog post..Guest Article at TheChangeBlog
HI Shilpan,
Wow! All of these wonderful compliments and kind words. I feel so blessed, humbled, and honored.
My goal is to continue helping new bloggers, and continue to showcase them and their posts. You all are producing great stuff, and I want to help it get found. It takes patience, so don’t get discouraged!
You’re welcome J.D.
I appreciate the great compliment.
Thank you. Your lessons are throughtful, insightful, and they have a personal touch that makes them stick.
J.D. Meiers last blog post..Nuggets from Coping with Difficult Bosses
Sorry, I should have given the URL for Google Alerts. It’s http://www.google.com/alerts. GoogleAlert.com is not affiliated with Google, and I don’t know if it’s any better or worse than Google’s service.
Hunter Nuttalls last blog post..Mastering The Most Powerful Force In The Universe
Hi Glenn,
You’re welcome.
Before I started adding photos, I knew where to get them from, but I couldn’t figure out how to get them to show up. After a lot of banging my head against the wall, I got it figured out. (I like the “Image Manager” plugin).
It is amazing how we find help in the least expected places, isn’t it?
Barbara – your post caught my attention when you mentioned access to photos. I have for awhile trying to figure out where to find pictures to add to my blog posts. Might seem something fairly common sense, but somehow I missed it. After reading your post, I looked and saw the photo credit – it was like a 2×4 hitting me squarely between the eyes. LOL
I just wanted to say thank you for opening my eyes and helping me, probably you never would have guessed that someone would be so helped via your post.
Glenns last blog post..Real Estate News 05/02/08