When I was just starting in blogging, I used to network myself with a lot of bloggers. I would do anything just to gain more friends online. I ended up making Filipino friends, (from the Philippines and from other parts of the world) more than other nationalities. I guess it's because it's easier to connect and relate to your own people.
For my first couple of years of blogging, I was very social, blog hopping from one blog to another.
I did all sorts of stuff just to help increase my blog traffic. I would do all things which I thought could help with the seo (search engine optimization) of my blogs. I have joined forums and communities, in fact.
That time, I was conscious of my page ranks. Oh not really it's more like my top earning through blogging company was conscious of blogs' page ranks.
And so, yes, as part of those bloggers being paid, I did everything I could to have and maintain higher pr. I would get excited when somebody tagged me in their post. It would mean one thing: I was receiving back links!
I even hosted a meme, mind you. I would host a blog contest, join other memes, etc., for the sole purpose of connecting to other bloggers to gain - yes, traffic. Well, I have gained some friends in the process. And there are few I am in close contact with... after all those years. You know, people come, people go... it's the same thing with blogging. They come to your blog, ask for ex-links, you did actually ex-links. But that's it. No connections made except blog connections.
It was fun though. I had all the time in the world - meaning I had sleepless nights just to be social.
But in 2009, my blog social life declined due to my travels. I couldn't maintain the social part of blogging. And I slowly started going into my cave.
Friends tagged me... I would ignore. I even took away my chat box because people would come and ask for ex-links. I would if I had time.
I stopped receiving awards tags, and I even gave up my food meme.
Blogging life went on sans the networking or social part. Albeit, I still did with some close friends.
It went on until the whole of 2010.
But for these couple of years I was in hiatus in blog social networking, I was still active in paid blogging.
In fact, my earning for 2009 was doubled (almost) in 2010.
And so whether my blogs became social or lonely, it didn't affect my career as a paid blogger.
What's my point actually?
My point is that whether or not your blog is social (with or without readership from blogger friends)... if you manage to make a great content, companies would trust you to give more work. It's not about how beautiful your template is. It's not about how many friends you have in your blog is... no.
Once you get the trust of the company you are working for... then you rock.
But why did I come out of my cave and become social suddenly?
Simple.
It's just for fun.
It's good to be out there socializing once in a while.
But would I get more assignments if I do so?
I'm not sure.
As experience would tell me, it doesn't make any difference.
And so, if your aim to blog is to earn money, that's great. At least you have a motivation to do so. At least you're doing something.
And if you blog just because you love to do so and you don't care about its earnings.. please do so. You have a reader in me.
So to have social blogs or lonely blogs, it doesn't really matter. I have both that land on both categories but it didn't make any difference.
I believe what matters most is the content of your blog and meeting the requirements from the advertisers.
What about you? When your blog became social, did you earn more from it? Do your lonely blogs earn too?
I hope to hear from you.
For my first couple of years of blogging, I was very social, blog hopping from one blog to another.
I did all sorts of stuff just to help increase my blog traffic. I would do all things which I thought could help with the seo (search engine optimization) of my blogs. I have joined forums and communities, in fact.
That time, I was conscious of my page ranks. Oh not really it's more like my top earning through blogging company was conscious of blogs' page ranks.
And so, yes, as part of those bloggers being paid, I did everything I could to have and maintain higher pr. I would get excited when somebody tagged me in their post. It would mean one thing: I was receiving back links!
I even hosted a meme, mind you. I would host a blog contest, join other memes, etc., for the sole purpose of connecting to other bloggers to gain - yes, traffic. Well, I have gained some friends in the process. And there are few I am in close contact with... after all those years. You know, people come, people go... it's the same thing with blogging. They come to your blog, ask for ex-links, you did actually ex-links. But that's it. No connections made except blog connections.
It was fun though. I had all the time in the world - meaning I had sleepless nights just to be social.
But in 2009, my blog social life declined due to my travels. I couldn't maintain the social part of blogging. And I slowly started going into my cave.
Friends tagged me... I would ignore. I even took away my chat box because people would come and ask for ex-links. I would if I had time.
I stopped receiving awards tags, and I even gave up my food meme.
Blogging life went on sans the networking or social part. Albeit, I still did with some close friends.
It went on until the whole of 2010.
But for these couple of years I was in hiatus in blog social networking, I was still active in paid blogging.
In fact, my earning for 2009 was doubled (almost) in 2010.
And so whether my blogs became social or lonely, it didn't affect my career as a paid blogger.
What's my point actually?
My point is that whether or not your blog is social (with or without readership from blogger friends)... if you manage to make a great content, companies would trust you to give more work. It's not about how beautiful your template is. It's not about how many friends you have in your blog is... no.
Once you get the trust of the company you are working for... then you rock.
But why did I come out of my cave and become social suddenly?
Simple.
It's just for fun.
It's good to be out there socializing once in a while.
But would I get more assignments if I do so?
I'm not sure.
As experience would tell me, it doesn't make any difference.
And so, if your aim to blog is to earn money, that's great. At least you have a motivation to do so. At least you're doing something.
And if you blog just because you love to do so and you don't care about its earnings.. please do so. You have a reader in me.
So to have social blogs or lonely blogs, it doesn't really matter. I have both that land on both categories but it didn't make any difference.
I believe what matters most is the content of your blog and meeting the requirements from the advertisers.
What about you? When your blog became social, did you earn more from it? Do your lonely blogs earn too?
I hope to hear from you.
I have lonely blogs... about 90% of them are lonely blogs!
Wow...I was in awe just by reading around 4 of your posts mommy jan..i am really inspired and motivated.. i am technically new to blogging and has done the first few things you've written in your post.. like blog hopping and stuff just to get traffic..sometimes I feel envious yet happy to my other blogger friends who are really successful with their multiple blogs.. The reasons why I want am blogging are these: to share what my life and to earn, of course.. but i am not that successful, yet.. :( By the way, I bookmarked your post and ur blog because I want to make this as an inspiration and would probably make a post about this. :)
Please keep inspiring people, mommy.:)