Photo credit: First People
A blog pack is my way of describing a group of bloggers who agree to help each other:
- Get established
- Build personal networks
- Increase traffic
- Increase RSS subscribers
- Get organic backlinks
Being part of a blog pack helps you and your fellow pack members get some momentum going for your blogs together as a group. It’s a loose, informal alliance between people who are all near the same level in order to help each other grow.
I have been recommending this strategy to my blog consulting clients, lately, and seen some decent results.
Why Form a Blog Pack?
When you start a new business, you create a website for ecommerce but you don’t have much else. You want to network not only with established bloggers, but also with other new bloggers. Why? So you can form a pack and grow your blogs together much more effectively than you could if you were isolated.
Networked Growth, Not Gaming the System
Being in a blog pack is really nothing more than a sped-up version of what happens naturally when like-minded bloggers become acquainted with each other. They link to each other, stumble each other’s posts, add links to each other to their blogrolls, and are frequent commentators on each other’s blogs.
How to Create a Blogger Pack
- Find other bloggers to be in your pack. Look for bloggers who seem to be at the same level you are. Bloggers who have far more traffic and subscribers than you may not be interested in joining your pack.
- Find other bloggers that you genuinely like (more on this in a minute).
- Contact the other bloggers privately and ask them if they would like to enter a mutually beneficial exchange of attention, where you link to each other’s posts, and bookmark and submit each other’s posts to social media sites, and comment on each other’s posts. Inform the blogger that you want to bring in more bloggers into the pack, so that you can all help each other.
- Each blogger in the pack subscribes to the feeds of the other bloggers in the pack. When bloggers in the pack post, other bloggers in the pack comment, stumble, bookmark, and tweet the posts.
Be Genuine, Form Real Relationships – This is not about Using People
I must state as strongly as I can that this is not about exploiting people or pretending to be something you’re not. It’s very important that your efforts to establish a pack are not exploitative. This isn’t about what you can get out of others, it’s about how you and others can help each other together in an alliance.
That’s why I said above that you should only do this with other bloggers you like, respect, and get along with. If it’s not real, it’s not going to be effective. It will feel forced and you won’t get the results you were hoping for. Truly help the others in your pack. Think of it as your sworn duty.
Do Blogging Packs Really Work?
I’ve been sitting on this post for a long time–months. I wanted to publish it as soon as I wrote it, but I held back, because at the time there was no proof. I didn’t feel right about just making an unproven assertion, so I withheld publishing the post.
Now, all I can say is that I have anecdotal evidence at best. I wish I had hard and fast numbers to offer you, but I don’t. Unfortunately, I’m not much of a hard and fast numbers kind of guy. I go by the gut, by instinct, and by observation. So let me tell you what I’ve observed from my own blogging pack.
My blogging pack is not official. I never approached anyone and said, “hey, let’s do this.” I just naturally did this with people I liked and observed the results. You could do the same, but a more deliberate process will speed things up.
I hang out a lot (online) with James and Harry of Men with Pens, Naomi from IttyBiz, Mark Dykeman from Broadcasting Brain, Dave Navarro from Rock Your Day, Christine O’Kelly from Self Made Chick, Chris Garrett, and Brett Legree from 6 Weeks, to name a few. I am constantly stumbling, commenting, and bookmarking their posts, and I have noticed they do the same for me. It’s all genuinely mutual. These people are my friends. Nobody is exploiting or using any one. You could say we’re an unofficial pack.
In fact, I could and should be doing more for them than I am. The day I decide to finally publish this article I realize I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve been neglecting my friends a little bit. In fact, although I chat with Brett a lot on Twitter, I wasn’t even subscribed to his blog until today. I feel like a jerk. Sorry, Brett! The situation has been corrected!
But you see, our audiences cross over to each other’s blogs. We’ve each helped each other grow. That’s really what it’s all about. Yesterday I posted about how to make your blog into a relationship hub. I guess this post is my answer to my own question.
So now that I’ve brought this out into the open and given it a catchy name, I hope it can work for you, too. Try it. Look for others with whom you can form a blog pack. Follow the steps I’ve outlined above. I think you’ll be very glad you did.
This is a great post, Michael (and Stumbled, as good friends do lol).
It’s something Harry and I have known for a long time. Online, together we stand and divided we fall. Online is no place to be alone.
Find friends. Make friends. Network and develop relationships. Help each other out. There’s a lot that can happen behind the scenes that benefits a group of skilled, qualified professionals all in an honest manner using integrity.
Helping each other is just the right thing to do. The world is vast… don’t face it alone.
This was an excellent post; have I said that already?
Oooh! Oooh! Me, too! I wanna be in the pack! Pick me! I say “Niebu” and everything!
Seriously, though, you’re onto something here. Blogging packs tend to develop naturally, over time, but I think you can certainly devote some energy to analyzing your pack and actively seeking others to join it. Recruitment is a big part of this process, and I don’t think a pack can really get too big. When one benefits, we all benefit.
Good stuff, Michael.
@ Bob – You twit. You’re already part of our pack. I’m the Irraka, Harry’s the Hunter… pick your moon, wolfman.
Very practical post. I have tried this and it has worked for me and I still continue doing it. Being a freelance writer, I get to know more about the bloggers who write for the blogs I write. So I have a few more people to add to my blogging packs.
Thanks for the good post, Michael.
Unknowingly to you I’m also kind of a unofficial member of your pack as you so wish. Although I’m not counted, I still visit most of the blogs you mention a lot (as time permits) and am subscribed to them plus stumble and comment.
I think the importance here is to do it naturally as you already said.
The audience cross over is very remarkable actually. We seem to follow each other all around the net visiting the same type of blogs and commenting to form one huge circle.
That is what I love so much about being in this community. Having made many new friends and continuing to do so all the time is just short of magic.
Thanks for a great post Michael.
I have noticed this pattern before as well. I see it on blogs, on twitter, on friendfeed, stumbleupon, digg and so on. It only makes sense that we should form groups. We all share similar interests, so it’s very logical.
I actually remember this type of pack existing back in the days of the 1997-1999 web era, where we formed “sister sites.” It also happened a lot for young bloggers back in those days too. Of course there was no digg or stumble, but it made sense to link to each other and visit each other a lot.
This is a great alternative to forming formal networks such as b5media.com or eden.cc (Freelance Switch, among others). You get a lot of the advantages of the network, without the overhead (e.g., no need for a boss, meetings, etc).
@James – Thank you. Allies are a must (especially when it seems so easy to make enemies, too). Reaching out to people gets easier with practice.
@Bob – Welcome to the pack. Orientation is at 3pm.
@Ramkarthik – Thanks for the additional confirmation on the concept! What would you say are the benefits you’ve received from this approach?
@Monika – My apologies for the oversight. You are indeed close to all of us and I consider it my mistake for not subscribing to your blog before. That is now corrected.
[...] Create a Blog Pack to Get Blog Traffic and Increase Subscriptions [...]
This is an excellent post and observation. I have found this simply happens naturally when you are genuine with others.
When people look to game the system it is so obvious as to be offputting.
Thanks for giving it a name.
This is a great idea. I already do this in other places where I hang out and it works well.
Thanks for the great post! I’m working on my blog pack now and I’ll definitely use some of your tips. I guess I will come back to this post later and comment again to share my own progress
Michael, mine is a one-man service biz in a niche market (coaching for triathletes and distance runners).
There are some “brand names” who blog and then there’s, um, “everybody else.” I’m distinctly in the latter tier.
Indeed, I’m my blog’s only (!) subscriber, for some reason that eludes me, given my it’s had a fair number of views over the months plus it doesn’t entirely suck.
So I could really use the kind of ad hoc support you describe, and your method for generating it seems sound.
What inhibits me? There are maybe 3 bloggers in my niche whose approach resonates with me (I’m far more likely to Stumble exercise physiologists’ pages). And they’re all A-listers.
Any advice?
Michael,
A great explanation of something that we seem to have been doing intuitively for a while, which is neat.
I really do feel a part of this community, and everyone of you is so eager to give a helping hand, a kick in the butt, or an honest opinion when needed – it just works.
(And no need to apologize, it seems at least twice or three times in the last couple of weeks I’ve come to the same realization – “crap, I’m not subscribed to this person!” When we hang out with each other daily, it is easy just to click on the CommentLuv link to get to the goodies… actually, I feel bad because your post yesterday was really good and I don’t think I said a single word about it!)
great post this is something I havent really thought about but would be interested in doing..
@Mark – If you’re using your blog to attract clients in a very small market, you have a ceiling to deal with. On the one hand, you’ve got to write material designed to attract someone who may interested in hiring you. On the other hand, you don’t want a ghost town of a blog. You can widen your appeal by writing more generally and by forming a blog pack with others into athletics, specific athletic diets or supplements, and so forth.
@Brett – Yeah, we’re all in that same boat once in a while, aren’t we? Keep rockin’.
@ James – Voice of Luna, bro. Want to know your destiny? Get in line.
@ Michael – EST, or what? I’m scheduled for a massage at 2:30.
@ Brett – I find myself trusting Twitter to send my my pack feeds, and using RSS about once every 2 or 3 days as a backup, so there are all sorts of folks I am not subbed to that I should be. Long as they keep tweetin’ I’ll be fine.
This post is great! I’d never thought of a concept like this before. Once again it pays to have you in my reader. I’m finding myself here quite frequently. One of the great things about SOBCon08 is that I learned about you!
@Michael,
Just plugged in my guitar, brother… we’ve all been rockin’ so hard we make Slayer look like easy listening.
@Bob,
You know, that’s a good point, and probably explains it… gosh I miss having that here at work!
(Really, probably a good thing though.)
Great idea!
I’ve been so busy doing other stuff lately that I sometimes feel like the “pack wannabe”. I tweet with you guys, and visit comment and stumble every now and then, but not consistent enough to be a “pro-member” I guess
@ Bob – Would the voice of Luna be the opposite of the voice of Reason? Because impulsive Irrakas need a little lunacy now and again. Especially Iron Masters.
I love this idea. I subscribed to your blog; I posted this on FB and I stumbled it. Plus, I’ve joined the pack @chrisgarrett is putting together.
In the 20 minutes since I did that, I have over 25 new Twitter followers. Haven’t looked at my blog subs yet.
Thanks for your contribution.
Blog on!
@Bob – After the massage, before the animal sacrifice.
@Mary-Lynn – Well, shucks, thanks! That’s really what it’s all about: helping others. Sure, I benefit, but the focus isn’t on me, it’s on others.
@Brett – is that what that noise was?
@Lode – Pro membership is only $199/month.
@James – What the hell are you talking about?
@Denise – Twitter is insanely effective at driving traffic and new followers.
@ Michael – The New World of Darkness RolePlaying system, which is a game based on psychological behavior of people, separating them into groups that players choose to create a character from.
One of nWoD’s systems is Forsaken, a werewolf rpg (hence, the reference to pack and wolves). People choose the type of personality and philosophy of their character (hence, the reference to Irraka and Iron Master). The system includes an Otherworldly guide, Luna, and an effect of coming face to face with a werewolf, lunacy.
What I found most interesting was how the system is based on much of modern day psychological theory.
That was your rpg gaming lesson in a nutshell. Bob and Harry (and possibly a few others) know what I’m talking about.
@James – OMG, you are talking to a long-lapsed D&D player! That sounds like an awesome game system! I should learn more about it.
@ Michael – Dude. You can. You will. We’re launching our new rpg site in about a week
We’d love to have you come play – and I think you’d enjoy the escape from reality.
@Michael: My, my, would you look at that? Another gamer. Welcome to *our* pack, bro. We’d love to see you at our new gaming launch.
I like your pack concept too. Very refreshing read.
@James and Harry – you guys are launching a gaming site? Must be all that spare time you have. Wonders never cease! I’m there.
I have just formed a mini alliance of sorts, or as you would say, a blog pack. I am interested to see what it does, especially after reading this article. I will report back when I have some evidence of what happens.
@ Michael – This thing could be awesome.
That’s cool about D&D, too. All the cool guys play. If you’re interested, here’s my D&D Blog. It’s nowhere near as popular as my writing blog, but it’s more a labor of love anyways.
Oh, and “voice of Luna?” A reference to the Cahilith faction in Forsaken.
@ Bob – Cahalith, huh? With Rahu edges?
@ Michael: woohoo, I’m in…I’m in. Thanks you ever so humbly for reading my rag too. Just for the record, my last comment wasn’t intended as a reprimand at all, just an observation.
[...] Michael Martine of Remarkablogger posted the concept of using a ‘blog pack‘ to enhance the promotion of your site. A blog pack is a group of bloggers who set up an [...]
[...] to, linking to, and commenting on other blogs. But not just any blogs. The right blogs. Forming a blog pack is one way to accomplish this. Becoming active in a few social media networks you like will help [...]
Sorry it took me a day or two to comment on this post… I’m been comatose since James pummeled me in the last post…
If I go around singing “Werewolves of London”, will that work? Can I affirm my pack status? ‘Cause I’m not familiar with the Forsaken RPG
(Although I did play a lot of AD&D as a teen… and I still enjoy online or PC-based RPGs)
I see this kind of “buddy system” behavior happening a lot with the social news/social bookmarking crowd. In that realm, it’s more about supporting each other’s social media submissions since a fair number of them do not blog.
I guess when it comes down to it, I think the people you named in the pack have similar temperaments (well, maybe), interests, and senses of humor.
The other day, I was (semi) kidding around with James and Harry about making an “eh list” of bloggers, kind of a more down-to-earth alternative to the A-list (although you must be getting close to getting on the latter, Michael…)
Canadian citizenship not mandatory, BTW, or so I think.
Maybe that’s another way to categorize this blog pack (but kudos to you for having this idea first.)
Feeling warm and fuzzy (figuratively… literally too?)
Mark
I’d be honored to join – might I come aboard? I run an entrepreneurial blog among others.
Hi Michael,
My 12 subscribers have seen me write about this, though I’ve never quantified it like you have.
My first blogging experience was with a MASSIVE pack (a mob, really) at WritingUp.com.
WritingUp was more than just a community blogging site. it was a COMMUNITY of bloggers. It was more like a forum.
So I am 100% in agreement with your concept.
The beauty of the pack is that you really don’t have to worry about exploitation. As the founder of BNI stated, “Givers Gain”. The implication is that “Takers Tumble”.
While it is true that good intentions sometimes get lost in the busyness of the day-to-day, you have no need to apologize or feel guilty … as long as you’ve taken the time to establish the relationship(s) in the first place.
Heck, things got so busy for me, I had to unsubscribe from all email lists and go with bloglines.com. Now I’m too busy even for that.
But this pack concept has always stayed with me. Now that you and Chris are working it proactively, I am motivated to renew acquaintances and make new friends.
Cheers,
Mitch
I just wanted to clear up a little something. I didn’t write this post because I wanted to start a blog pack. I wrote it because I wanted YOU all to start blog packs!
Blogger-to-blogger type stuff is often already too incestuous and turned in on itself as it is. But for those of you blogging in other fields, a blog pack should be very helpful!
Now, having said that, if you keep commenting and stumbling and tweeting my posts, I can assure you that no good deed will go unpunished. Sooner or later, you’ll find I have reciprocated.
[...] Michael Martine, author of Remarkablogger described how bloggers should run in packs, like wolves, to get the most effectiveness out of [...]
Michael,
Your last comment was the best part. LOL.
I don’t think an official thing would ever work for me. It’s a little like real life “networking groups,” which I can never really get into. Online, I just get friendly where I’m happiest, and wander here and there, virtually speaking. As far as I know, I make myself useful, so I’m welcome.
If I can contribute somewhere that smart folks congregate, good. If others think I’m smart too and come to check me out, even better. When I give a recommendation, or a shout-out, it’s totally genuine, no strings attached. Of course I’m not really pursuing blogging as an end, and that may make a difference. My blog is an addition to my RL business, not the other way around.
I seem to have breakfast with buddies a lot, and I don’t even have to bake the muffins. That’s cool.
Very thought-provoking. Thanks as always!
Regards,
Kelly
@Kelly – Whether you are running a business or not, I think this strategy works because it can be done so naturally. It really only requires a small amount of conscious steering. I’m running a business, too, but that business happens to revolve around blogging, so I do spend more time on it.
Michael,
I can see the potential, and I’m certainly not against it at all. It could be very useful.
For me, I wouldn’t be too comfortable with the “conscious steering” part. It’s just not in my nature to scratch someone’s back with the understanding that they’ll make time to scratch mine later, you know what I mean?
Regards,
Kelly
@ Kelly – You’re already doing it whether you realize it or not. You run in our pack, and we’re cognizant that you offer a service we don’t. Hence, we may refer people to you. Hopefully, you’ll refer people to us. We may refer people to Michael and vice versa.
The point is, because we’re all in the same pack and have developed relationships of trust and knowledge of quality, we’ve all come to know that we’re each good resources and we share.
The only slight conscious steering is the vague, “Hmmm… what does this woman do? Hmmm…okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Am I making sense or do I need more wine?
James,
That’s exactly the way I like it, dear ol’ Canadian wolf. I’d refer you to half the planet if I could. Same with my real life relationships. Word-of-mouth is everything in small business. All I said was an official setup wouldn’t work for me.
Have a glass for me. Fear not, you always make perfect sense.
Until later,
Kelly
@James – You need more wine, regardless.
@Kelly – The operative phrase here is: mutually beneficial. Effort and reward do not always follow each other directly. Often they take indirect paths (think Karma). It’s not any more calculating than eating good food because you know it’s good for your body.
@ Michael – Thank you. Now I can blame you when I have one too many
James, what are friends for if we can’t be enablers for each other?
Michael,
I am all about the karma.
James,
People do not use the word “cognizant” enough while drinking wine. That is a dying art, and you may be its sole practitioner. Rock on.
@ Kelly – It just goes to show you that fine wine enhances the penchant for such excellent words.
I rather felt smug typing it in, I admit.
@ Michael – I’ll happily do the same for you. And I’ll also ask you WTF are you thinking sleeping only five hours a night?
Even I manage to squeak in 7 hours. And I’m omnipresent.
@James – I guess I’m used to it. Truth be told, I supplement my sleep with an occasional short nap and I sleep in on the weekends. Otherwise, my eyes snap open. Bedtime: 1am. Wakeup time: 6am.