Bloggers Payback Bonus & Review

Archive for the ‘Blog Networks’ Category

by Rob Metras

In the past couple of years, many opportunities have become available for people that are looking for a way to earn money online. One of the concepts that has been growing recently is that of social media. Instead of advertising in publications that are driven by funding from media companies that have large budgets, social media use the power of social connections and word of mouth to spread information.

While there are a number of social media options available, a weblog or blog is among the post popular choices. A blog is a remarkable tool; it offers anyone that has something to say a convenient place to do so. Once a message is posted it can be read by anyone at anytime.

Take a minute to think about how that statement could impact your business. Before social media and the internet, the cost of spreading a message was prohibitive. You could use either television or radio to spread the message and would need a healthy budget to reach a national or global audience. Not only will using a blog dramatically lessen the cost, they make the platform available to nearly everyone.

There is one major down side to this power, however. Quite simply, how does your message not get lost in the noise? This is where social media’s networking aspect shines through. Yet even this has its down sides. How can someone without the necessary social capital to get started break into these networks to use the very strengths that social media is supposed to offer?

This is where blog networking can really help. Simply put, a blog network is a group of blogs that are related to specific niches that are grouped together to commercial, as well as other forms of support. Since these networks can take on many forms, generalizing them can often be a challenge, but we have given a few of the broad characteristics and the advantages that each of them offer.

First and foremost, blog networks combine many blogs into a single feed. Ideally you should be able to draw visitors directly to your site, thus generating ad and other revenues directly. However, before you can make money online you must first make your content available to many readers. If those responsible for administering blog networks feel that your content is in keeping with their guidelines, your articles will suddenly be syndicated to however many readers happen to be following that particular network. As such sites are quite convenient for readers with a passion for the topic in question, this number can be quite large. If your posts are interesting enough, readers will visit your site to join the discussion, and suddenly you’ve attracted viewers you’d have missed had you instead focused on drawing traffic directly.

Blog networks also capitalize on social networking to promote both themselves as well as their individual bloggers. Integrating your blog into social networks can be tough work, particularly if you aren’t familiar with the many opportunities available or the numerous ways in which a large number of technologies interact. As most blog network administrators aren’t quite as concerned with content creation, they can instead focus on promotion while letting you create the content. For instance, blog networks might automatically post links to Twitter, and with the right catchy title, your blog post may not only draw curious readers, but may also be retweeted and distributed far beyond the individual network.

Another benefit to joining blog networks are the relationships formed within. For some, blogging can be lonely work, and getting started without the social connections can seem quite difficult. Even bloggers who would be quite good given time might give up in frustration due to lack of initial support, and the feeling of being a part of something larger. For the new blogger, such support and motivation may make the difference between a successful career and something tossed aside in frustration.

There are a number of networks from which to choose, ranging from the general to those focusing on very specific niches. Blog networks also exhibit a wide array of models, from highly informal aggregations of feeds to well-structured businesses with associated benefits and costs. Before committing to join any blog network, research the choices available for your topic, as there are many lists published online. Also, investigate the blogs of network members to ensure that theirs are weblogs with which you wish to associate.

Just like many other things, blog networks aren’t right for everyone. However, a blog network is a powerful tool that can help harness the power of social media to your benefit, and should be given serious consideration by anyone wishing to make money online.

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