Teach me something!

[DoYouDaveRamsey.com]

Hey guys... I try to hop over here every few days to watch or participate in the discussion and today I figured I'd try to start one.

Here's a couple blog related questions that have been bounciung in my head lately...

I'm NOT bitter, but wildly curious

1 - How do the "little" guys get noticed by the big guys? This is not aimed at any big blog just a question... I've noticed in my short time that us little guys tend to travel in packs but the big boys appear to be more stand along - because they can and I'm cool with that. But how does a little guy get noticed? I (think) I write good stuff and I comment on several blogs... I simply wonder if/when/how this is recognized to the point that I am included in a Round-up or linked in a post?

2 - When do bloggers stop responding to comments... I know some guys/gals get more comments than I get visitors but I notice that few of them interact with the commenters. I find this interesting and wonder what others think or notice... it could be that my comments suck and I'm ok with that being the answer

3 - Related to 1... I'm just in awe of the value of a link... a simple link from a BIG or even a MEDIUM would drive more traffic to me in one day than I've ever had... that's a lot of power that they wield - presumably knowingly. I'm awestruck by that because I know how hard I've worked... I can't think of another industry or economy with such a disparity or influence... again, just in awe

Thanks for sticking with me.... I welcome any/all comments or ideas!

Dave
http://doyoudaveramsey.com

[hermione]

After a year of blogging, there is still a lot I don't know and have yet to learn, but having had a little success here and there, my advice is:

• write good content
• submit to carnivals
• network

I know "write good content" is very ambiguous. I've seen this advice given all over the internet. But how do you know what qualifies as "good content" and what doesn't?

I think we all have a tendency to feel that every one of our articles is good, because we spend so much time and work so hard on them, but I've realized that just because I think it's good, doesn't mean other people do. Like how a parent always feels that his/her child is smartest, prettiest, etc.

Leaving thoughtful comments on other blogs also helps, I think. If someone leaves an intelligent comment on my blog, I often check out theirs and try to return the favor when I can.

This is not to show off, but to give you an idea of which of my content has gotten noticed by the bigger blogs. These are 3 out of almost 200 articles from my blog that ended up being mentioned on MSN Smart Spending - and all as a result of submitting them to blog carnivals.

• 101 Ways to Save Money in Your Everyday Life
• Economical Pet and Child Safe Ways to Repel and Kill Ants, Spiders and Other Insects
• Free e-Book, Audiobook, Video & Music Download and Online Resources From Your Local Library

These made editor's pick in blog carnivals hosted at bigger blogs, were included in Wisebread's roundups, had great StumbleUpon traffic and/or were popular for a while:

• Free and Frugal Things to Do in Los Angeles
• Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt
• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
  

OK, that's enough examples, but I think the common denominator is they're all useful or relevant to everyday life. If you want to see what other posts were popular over the year, I put together a list on my 1-Year Anniversary post.

As I said above, I'm still learning about what readers like. Lately, I seem to be doing better with writing material that encourages linking and commenting:

• Who's to Blame for Your Spending? You or You?
• When “Free” Things Aren’t Free: Beware the Hidden and Indirect Costs

I'm not sure what's changed, except maybe because I didn't really post much for a while so my mind and ideas were fresher when I wrote them. For a while, I'd been feeling devoid of ideas, but hopefully am getting back in the groove.

[financialnut]

Honestly, I've found that you have to offer something unique to get noticed. There are hundreds of personal finance blogs, so why should anybody notice yours (speaking in general, of course!). I still don't feel like I get noticed by the "Big Dogs" yet; however, I tend to socialize and interact with bloggers in a similar spot; and by "similar spot" I mean PageRank and traffic. Bigger bloggers get the most benefit from interacting with other bigger bloggers. Because there are so many of us "little guys" out there, you can't really expect to get any link love from the big dogs yet.

But it will come.

Networking, like "P" said, is key. Network, network, network! The Digerati Life mentioned me because she and I had contact at the Personal Finance Hour blog talk radio gig the other day. It's just so important to network.

So right now, continue to network with other bloggers, especially those that are in the same boat as you. Gradually work your way up. Don't expect the "big dogs" to give you any love right now.

And you don't need it either.

[moneymatters]

I would say networking is key! Get onto forums like this one, the MBN forums, bargaineering forums, etc and chat it up with the big dogs. they're more than happy to chat with you there.

To get noticed i think you have to comment regularly on their blogs, engage them in forums, possibly send them a guest post to use, network with them on social media sites (twitter for example) and just be open to being helpful whenever you can.

I think I've finally been noticed by some of the bigger sites because of my side hustle - doing logos for websites (http://www.logosforwebsites.com) I've now done logos for sites like getrichslowly.org, bargaineering, consumerism commentary and others, which helped put me on their radars. Now i'm getting linked, and ended up winning the Free Money Finance March Madness contest, mainly because of all the networking I've done.. go figure!