One of the things I like about blogging is that it makes me feel connected to the rest of the world in a way that I never have felt before. I have always wanted to be a part of something bigger, and I think blogging is that thing. At the very least, blogging is one of those things.
A Benefit to Linkbacks Beyond SEO
SEO experts will tell you that getting linkbacks to your blog or website is one of the better ways to give you that “google juice.” At one point that was important to me. Google juice is still important to me, but as I’ve gotten some linkbacks, I am discovering a better benefit—the feeling of connectedness. As I surf the internet and especially other blogs, I find things to write about, and I link to that person. That person finds out about me and later (but not always) they end up linking to me about something. If they don’t link to me, it seems like there is always some sort of exchange somewhere, whether on Facebook, email, Twitter or LinkedIn.
How Danielle LaPorte’s Burning Question Created Connections
Recently, I found Danielle Laporte’s website and blog and I wrote a “burning question” post. The burning question was “what money resentments do you have that you could let go of?” I submitted my post to her website, as did other bloggers, and several of us connected. We were all blogging about that “burning question” and so we already had something in common with each other. Conversation about our money resentments evolved in the form of a blog post from Mel Ann Morales who shared her experiences with her audiences. While I had resentments that centered around not having money while growing up, she had the opposite problem: her money resentments came from the wealth of her family, and the power over her that it had.
By reading my post, she was able to see the other side, and because she linked to my page, I found her and was able to see a perspective opposite mine! I responded to her, and she responded to me and when I went back to her page, I was able to see others respond to her as well. On the other side, I was having this same conversation with my audience, either via my blog comments, facebook, or email. And so, what I’m trying to communicate here is the awesomeness of the connections that were made—across the country and even across the oceans! I never would have been a part of this without my blog.
Going Beyond Social for Stronger Connections
But it gets even better. I’ve done two interviews of other bloggers so far—one which has already been posted, and another which will be posted next week. First, I was humbled that these people would share their lives with me and trust me to write something about them. Second, the connection that was made there is something that goes beyond the linkbacks and tweets and Facebook messages. We connected in real life. Outside of social media.
The thing about blogging is, if you blog and I blog, even if our topics are on a totally different subject, there is already something pretty powerful that we have in common. We are both sharing our lives, or a part of them with other people (i.e. readers), we are both familiar with the obsession of stats pages, and the difficulties of getting and maintaining readers, the frustration with getting our blog designs right, and the joys of certain posts and the connections we make. This alone is a powerful similarity.
Creating More Connections: Bloggy Bootcamp and Meetups with Other Bloggers
I’m going to be attending Bloggy Bootcamp in Philadelphia in May, and I’m really excited about connecting in real life with other bloggers. If you are attending this conference, please, please let me know. I would love to check out your blog, see what you are writing about and then get to meet you in person. I’ve been looking for blogging groups in my community. So far, I’ve come up with nothing. I don’t want the responsibility of starting one, but because of these connections, I’m starting to think if I can’t find a group, I just might have to start one.
*Chain picture courtesy of Max Klingensmith on Flickr via creative commons license.
