Like all aspects of business, networking is key to growth, success and support in the online world. Websites must be aware of the capital in linking up with other digital profiles to make connections with customers, suppliers and supporters.
Success demands a certain quid pro quo, but treat similar or online contacts with respect and they should return the favour.
Share your thoughts
Getting other websites to link back to yours is an excellent way to improve your SEO ranking and push your website higher up search engine results lists. Reaching out to influential bloggers is probably the most efficient way of winning mentions – and links back to your website.
It may feel unusual to promote your own opinions, but a thought piece, or update on the latest development, are clever tactics widely used by savvy online operators.
Reaching out to bloggers
The ultimate aim is to find websites linked to your line of business and write a blog post that links back to your website – which should be mentioned alongside your name. Bloggers can be highly influential and offer a lifeline to organic reach. Pitch your product correctly and blogger endorsement can be a real winner. But what is the best way to move forward?
Research: Identify blogs that you would like to write a piece for – or be mentioned on.
Connect: Follow the bloggers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – wherever they have their main social media profile.
Interact: Bring a human dimension to proceedings – like their posts, comment on them and strike up an online relationship.
Approach: Be concise but accurate. Write a message outlining your suggestion for a piece to write for their site, but don’t make it sound like a sales pitch for you – more a contribution to the wider discussion.
Stick around: Maintain contact even if they may not have been sold on your pitch. Not only is it polite, it’s good business. They may contact you for further blogs, or reciprocate by mentioning your product.
Building successful online relationships requires being on the ball. Make sure you are aware of the latest development that could make a good impact online. And just because you are sitting behind a keyboard, don’t forget your manners – respect and fairness keep you in the picture for the long-run.
Take a chance and reach out to the online community, it could be the best thing you do.
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