5 Things You SHOULDN’T Do When Approaching Bloggers

32 Responses to “5 Things You SHOULDN’T Do When Approaching Bloggers”

• Judith Swartzon October 05, 2009 5:33 pm

  MY website and blog are not yet live and I certainly want to be correct; greatly appreciate your comments. Do the same blog link rules apply to websites? For example, if I mention your name, is it rude to link your name to your website?

• hikayeon July 07, 2009 12:32 pm

  Solid tips Daniel. Just emailed this to a few of my clients who I’m helping do blogger outreach.

• Medyumon June 26, 2009 5:36 pm

  Thanks for the reply there.

  I had a sponsor once, and he was very happy with the perfomance. Since I have fewer ad blocks, each block gets good no. of clicks.

  But I am having a hard time convincing sponsors. As always, it will be better soon I guess.

• Phaolooon June 15, 2009 1:33 am

  They are all real things bloggers encounter everyday, my inbox is always hit by link exchange requests or ask for links to their posts.

• arka sokaklaron June 14, 2009 10:24 am

  I agree to your post. I run a free service on my website. I do not indulge in link exchanges nor do I ask for a back link. I email to the blogger and offer my free service. If the blogger agrees, it works for me. I do not pressurise the blogger or pursue him aggressively.

• Claus D Jensenon June 08, 2009 6:24 am

  Hi,

  This is a very useful post!

  I totally agree with you, and love the idea of sending an email, and go straight to the point!

  That will make it more like you will get a straight answer! 😀

  Greetings,
  Claus D Jensen

• iWrite2knowon June 06, 2009 8:26 am

  I agree to your post. I run a free service on my website. I do not indulge in link exchanges nor do I ask for a back link. I email to the blogger and offer my free service. If the blogger agrees, it works for me. I do not pressurise the blogger or pursue him aggressively.

• LaurenMarie – Creative Curioon June 05, 2009 5:09 pm

  Daniel this is great! I added as a recommended read on my contact page because I’m definitely one of those website owners who gets a lot of “promote my new service!” requests. Tweeted the article, too.

  I particularly related to your idea of how to get the attention of bloggers: link to them first. I’ve found myself much more interested (and likely to recommend) someone’s site if they mention my site first or contact me on Twitter and say they like my content. Then I want to explore who they are so I can give a more personal “thank you.” I think using this tactic also makes it feel like it’s my choice—better yet, my idea!—whether or not to promote someone’s site.

• gaus surahmanon June 05, 2009 2:46 pm

  Yes, networking is not selling products. It is a matter of building relationship rather than gaining all the profit to your pocket 🙂 It needs sincerity more than trickery. Geez, did I say anything right here? Thanks for well-phrased basic advice on blog promotion.

• Boerne Searchon June 04, 2009 2:10 pm

  All good tips. I like #6 too. It does seem that some people can become a little too dependent on there help. This is a quick write off for me. Ever have someone ask for help and them sit there like you’re going to take the ball and run with it as they recline and relax.

  No Freeloaders! 🙂

  Kane

• Ecommerce Help – Tyrone Shumon June 04, 2009 1:09 pm

  “Proposing a deal where only you have something to gain

  The summary of this point is: don’t try to be a smart ass. If you have a blog that receives 30,000 monthly unique visitors, don’t email another blogger who receives 500,000 monthly unique visitors asking whether he is interested in exchanging banner ads with you.

  Networking is about finding win-win situations.”

  Regardless to say, asking for a favor wherein you are the only one to gain is something that can trigger a unhealthy relationship between you ad the other person. I don’t want to be harsh, but basically all of us would want something that can also be of a benefit to us when ask of something like a favor like this. Apart from this, we should also make sure not to ask out of the blue to have your link posted in their site. Be considerate and tactful.

• Harrison Schmidton June 03, 2009 11:00 pm

  Those are great tips, especially “Proposing a deal where only you have something to gain”.

  Another tip – If you want other bloggers to promote your affiliate program, you should pay atleast 50% or better 75% so they actually make some good money from the sale and will want to promote it. Clickbank or Commision junction are good system to have your affiliate program with. And promote the bloggers affiliate programs on your blogs in return.

• excITingIP.comon June 03, 2009 2:40 pm

  That was an informative and a frank post. Since my website is fairly new, I was also having the same question in my mind as to how to approach others in my niche. I think your suggestion at last was a gem. Thanks, Daniel.

  One more thing: What is this Alexa rank that one commenter above is talking about?

  excITingIP.com

• opiton June 03, 2009 12:16 pm

  Many bloggers post linking policies on their blog. Even though I run an atypical site in that I actively promote new content, there is a cameraderie which is there to encourage new talent. Every year there is a push to list new blogs at major sites so as to poll the online community.
  There are also bookmarking social sites to promote those with similar interests. Spiders read self-chosen tagfiles and people can network with those of similar interests : all in the chase for personal instead of routine contact.
  Blogging is like shouting at the breeze and getting no response too much of the time. If one does not use social communities and comment…there may not be much uptake.

• Focused Awareness | Matton June 03, 2009 9:45 am

  Blogger etiquette was a mystifying subject to me and probably many blogger. Thanks for putting the info out there so everyone can be more successful and use the power of the blog-o-sphere to its fullest.

• Melvinon June 03, 2009 9:11 am

  Oh thanks Daniel. When I was starting I was like that to be honest. Luckily I have completely learned that, that’s not the way to do it. ironically when someone does those things to me I get pissed off easily,LOLz…

• Daniel Scoccoon June 03, 2009 7:22 am

  @bilin, either post a comment or email it to me.

• LithiumMindon June 03, 2009 6:19 am

  i am glad i read the above post. These are definitely mistakes that should not be made.

• bilinon June 03, 2009 3:41 am

  my blog just startup and there are so many question need to explain by superior like Daniel, how to sent the question to you?

  and i notice that you put Brian’s link in the post, could i get the same process while i ask a question?

• rajsekhar291on June 02, 2009 9:51 pm

  good ideas.I’ve never read any tips like this.I think these can make a big difference.good post and thanks for the post.

  freedombusinesssystem

• Michael Auliaon June 02, 2009 8:24 pm

  I have a few emails asking for link exchange and mostly I replied by saying I’m not interested.
  As you say, it has to be a win win situation. How can I do a link exchange/banner exchange when his/her blog’s Alexa Rank is still in 1,000,000 mark? (mine is around 59k)

• Arun Basil Lalon June 02, 2009 7:34 pm

  Daniel,

  Thanks for the reply there.

  I had a sponsor once, and he was very happy with the perfomance. Since I have fewer ad blocks, each block gets good no. of clicks.

  But I am having a hard time convincing sponsors. As always, it will be better soon I guess.

  Thanks again 🙂

• Daniel Scoccoon June 02, 2009 7:13 pm

  @Arun, in the early days you need to hunt sponsors down. But make sure that you will be able to deliver value to them (i.e. brand awareness, clicks and leads).

  After a while sponsors will start to inquire about advertising opportunities on your site, and then you can sit back and work on other activities.

• Zemalfon June 02, 2009 6:56 pm

  I wonder how bloggers choose who they pitch to? Blogger of similar status (e.g. both beginners) or shoot to the top straight away?

  And how often bloggers get these suggestions from other bloggers? I’m assuming, top bloggers must have a filter in their gmail to handle’em 🙂

• Davidon June 02, 2009 6:00 pm

  I have a service and would like you to take a look. The URL is above.

  Kind regards

  David

• Arun Basil Lalon June 02, 2009 5:49 pm

  Tip 6: Do not take a Blogger for granted:
  Most bloggers when approaced would be willing to help you out. That doesn’t mean he has nothing else to do. When you approach someone for help, make sure that you have done whatever you can to solve the problem yourself.

  At least, Google (or Bing) your problem for a solution. Make the Blogger feel that you have done your part, and he would be glad to help you out 🙂

  Daniel,

  Do you think one should wait till advertisers find us or should we ask them if they are interested? As a popular Blogger, I guess that your Sponsors came to you naturally. How did you find them in the early days? Any tips on contacting them?

  Thanks.

• Heidi Coolon June 02, 2009 5:17 pm

  Solid advice. If you build up the relationship first, by leaving insightful comments on their blogs, linking to them, following them on Twitter, FriendFeed, etc. then they’re likely to take a look at your site of their own accord. I’ve gotten many links this way.

  I’ve also found this is a good way to get blogging ideas. For example I’ve written blog entries that follow up on an article someone else has written and vice versa. I then link to their post accordingly. Sometimes they’ll write another post in response and you can build up a nice blog-to-blog dialog. If you build up such a rapport, and if that person keeps a blogroll page, then they may very well add you because they already know that your content also appeals to their audience.

  That said there may be times when it is appropriate to ask. Last year I was speaking at a conference for Web professionals in higher education. The conference site listed blogs related to higher ed/Web so I e-mailed the organizer and asked to have mine added. (I actually did this before my abstract had been accepted for the program.) She added me immediately because my blog really did fit into the specific scope of that links page.

  I’ve also rec’d many link requests and do reject most, but there have been a few exceptions. I used to be Webmaster for Case Western Reserve University and one of the sites I built and maintained was the “Visit Case” site. I had a page there that included transportation information include bus and light rail train routes to the university. Whenever the Webmaster for the regional transit authority would e-mail me suggestions I would add them, because this was information I specifically wanted to be accurate and thorough and he was the one who knew it best.

  I did not, however, add every hotel in the metro area that asked because that would have made the list unwieldy. Instead I restricted the list to those fairly close to campus who had served visitors well in the past.

  So I do think it can be appropriate to ask, but only when the link in question really is the exact fit.

• Adam Pieniazekon June 02, 2009 3:34 pm

  Solid tips Daniel. Just emailed this to a few of my clients who I’m helping do blogger outreach.

• Blogger Useron June 02, 2009 3:31 pm

  I really like the idea of building relationship with the blogger first before asking anything such as link exchange or to link to posts.
  And ya to build relationship one can do things to get in touch with the blogger; such as be active commentator in the blog, linking to his posts or other things that can be done from ones side before approaching him.
  I had read similar post before but this post which comes with a reader’s comment is more interesting.

• Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife.comon June 02, 2009 3:26 pm

  simple, yet elegant advice here. But sometimes blunt asking for something works. Sometimes elegance must be neglected, especially when starting out. Noobs don’t have a lot to offer for help, but if their goals resonate with me, I’ll throw them a bone.