Photo from ChatInTheHat

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Inner Failure

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I’ve seen it all too often - people who have amazing websites, blogs, designs, articles, etc., but they just aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. Some of this may not be their fault - after all they can’t make people link to them or submit their posts to social media sites. However, a large part of a bloggers failure to be noticed online is a failure within themselves to reach out to the community and other bloggers.

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Uncertainty

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The same is true for many bloggers as it once was for me - nervousness to be seen by big name bloggers. Maybe you aren’t like me, but I was always hesitant to send a request or a question to a blogger bigger than myself. Why? I guess even I don’t know, perhaps the thought that maybe that particular person would scoff at me and disregard me as just another blogger.

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Step Out

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A couple weeks ago, I finally branched out when I felt more confident in my blog. I started requesting to interview other bloggers, and actually got my 5 minutes with a wordpress rockstar. I began talking and just starting up conversations with other bloggers. I got some offers to do some guest posting, and some people have asked about guest posting on my blog.

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The Benefits

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My point is that going outside of my comfort zone has gotten me further in the last month than all my other time online together. All it took was an email, a comment on another blog, or a question to a fellow blogger to get myself noticed and have people become interested in what I had to offer.

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How It Started

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This week, I have been working with a client doing some freelance web design work. How did it start? A simple email. I recently was featured on OpTempo. How? I simply sent an email.

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What To Do

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So hopefully you get the point - sending an email and talking with other bloggers will get you further than any advertising or marketing. But how can you do it? It is always easier said than to done. But I did it and so can you. Start out small if it makes you feel better and write some comments on someone’s site. Maybe even give them a nice pretty backlink in one of your latest posts. This will get them to check out your site. From there, maybe start sending some emails with some questions or comments about their blog or their portfolio. Note - don’t spam email them with something like “Hey! Check out my website at URL.com!” This will only get them frustrated at you and probably eliminate contact from then on.
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After the blogger you are trying to get in contact with has noticed you, and you are hopefully exchanging emails, simply drop the question. Each of my private ads on my sidebar was bought by me simply asking - “Hey would you be interested in advertising on my site?” Now I was pretty lucky to get the ads, but it is definitely a starting point. If you are going for an interview with another blogger, just say something along the lines of “Hey. I’ve become a regular reader of your blog and your content is great. I know you are extremely busy, but I was hoping I could grab just a few minutes of your time and have a brief interview.”

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The Reality

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Now, don’t always expect to get a positive answer to every blogger you email. Be prepared to get the cold shoulder, but the chances are that if someone can’t spare 5 minutes to get a nice juicy backlink from you, then they probably aren’t worth talking to anyways.Summing things up, don’t be scared to get out of your comfort zone and jump into the world of the blogosphere. The only thing it will do is get you noticed by other people, which of course is never a bad thing. So when you have your blog prepared, some good content, a nice design, jump in and see what wonders reaching out can do.