Someone on one of Deb’s posts here asked, “I am working on identifying the important blogs in my various niches – how about a post on how exactly to do that? It’s easy if your niche is tech or web related. You can just look at Technorati’s Top 100. But what’s an efficient way to go about finding other niches? How do you know who’s big? AND how many of these communities is it reasonable to strive to be active in?”
Now, since it was Deb’s post I’m not going to answer the whole question – maybe she’d like to. But I wanted to comment on this, because I’ve always found the whole “who to link to” issue really interesting. I’ve seen people ask this question before on forums, and it’s fascinating to me, because I’m sort of the old school mentality of linking to who I like vs. linking strategically.
Not having performed any serious scientific studies on linking, I can only offer my opinion though. Maybe it would be more beneficial for me to only link to big names, maybe not. I know it’s sometimes beneficial when big names link to me, but the other way around, well, I’m not so sure.
Examples:
For example, at one of my green blogs I’ve linked to TreeHugger on occasion, when I see a post I like there, or when one of the bloggers I know there sends me a link and ask me nicely to share. TreeHugger is arguably the biggest of the big green blogs, but does me linking to them earn me anything? Not that I’ve seen. I get more hits from other green blogs I’ve linked to – smaller, yet equally as good green blogs, where the bloggers have time to come say thanks for the link, and possibly become a continued reader of my blog.
Now to use the TreeHugger example again, they’ve linked to my Offbeat Homes blog before, and yes, they’re huge, but do their readers come visit Offbeat? Some, but they’re not a place I get oodles of traffic from. I actually get more regular traffic from other, smaller, architect blogs – architect blogs that are not as well known as TreeHugger, but who have readers who like houses and structures so they’ll hit that Offbeat Homes link.
This has happened to me a lot. Big blogs don’t always equal big hits. Smaller blogs may equal tremendous hits and create regular readers. That said, on occasion, bigger blogs have linked to my blogs and created a huge traffic surge for me. In most cases these are bigger blogs I’ve never linked to myself, so this isn’t a case of them returning a favor, it’s more a case (I’m guessing) of them seeing something on my blog that their readers might enjoy, so they link me. I always go say thanks, but it doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll link to them.
Based on my rather non-organized findings I think…
Obviously, you can link to who you want, but I think you should link organically. This means link to a blog for the link’s value, not for the blog’s value. Link to what you enjoy reading. If you happen by a small blog and enjoy the read, and your readers would too, well, that’s a worthy link. Same goes for big blogs. I don’t think it’s possible to estimate who may bring you in the big traffic, and even if you could, it looks a little off if all you’re doing is linking to top tier blogs, don’t you think?
In my favorite niches I’ve seen blogs that only link to the big names in the niche, and maybe they get more traffic. The negatives are that it looks totally obvious and it’s so boring. I know about the big blogs in my niche, I can find those links all on my own; show me something I haven’t heard of. You can set yourself apart by finding good links that are a little more unique.
But like I said, I haven’t done any long-term huge studies on this topic. I guess when it comes down to it, to me, the most important blogs are not the ones I “should” identify and link to, the best blogs are ones I honestly enjoy and “want” to link to.
Who do you link to? And why?
Link to what you enjoy reading – I agree! I check every one of my links a couple of times a day because I like reading all of them. I’m kind of inclined to minimalism naturally, so it’d irritate me immensely to have a long list of links, of which I might only read 75%. Anyway, I always think that the bigger blogs are so used to links that I’d have even less of a chance of being “noticed”, so I might as well actually like reading it!
I agree with adding smaller blogs that you enjoy reading to your blogroll and not trying to think about it strategically.
I think readers appreciate seeing your personal reading choices, the ones they might not find on their own. Plus, a well-conceived blogroll adds credibility to your site.
As for length, somewhere (I can’t remember where) I read that 15-17 entries is optimum.
I don’t link to people because I feel they’re the important or popular blogs, I link because I read something I enjoyed and thought others might enjoy it too – and that can mean blogs no one has ever heard of.
Who should you link to? Whoever you like.
Hi, thanks for all the feedback on my comment. I agree we should link to what we like. I wasn’t as clear as I could have been. I didn’t mean ask about linking specifically, but was asking about how to accomplish this part of Deb’s post:
Every blogger should visit blogs within his niche and become part of the community.
So my questions are 1)how do you identify who is doing a really great job (beyond personal preference) in your niche and 2)how many blog communities do you participate in, or how much time do you spend reading and commenting?
Thanks!
@Samantha & Sandy – I was talking about links in posts, but I do feel the same way about blogrolls – link to who you like.
@Sandy Wow, my blogrolls at all my blogs (cept this one) are HUGE. Way bigger than 15-17. But I love a lot of blogs.
@Lela, that was the part I though Deb might answer. What I’d say quickly is that you can’t totally know which blogs are the most successful unless they post their stats. If you’re passionate about a topic you just know which blogs are doing well in your niche vs. which aren’t. To a point you can tell by comment amount, although that’s not a true indicator. I get lots of traffic at Offbeat, but few comments. You could gage it from “Best blog” contests, but those are so mainstream, that no one ever votes for anything new. You might also gage it by who has good unique advertising because more may mean bigger traffic. Beyond personal preference – you don’t have a whole lot to go on. This one reason why you should write in niches you’re passionate about, because then you know when a blog is being lame, or focusing on relevant and cool stuff.
As to the second part of your question I don’t spend nearly as much time as I like at other blogs. But I try to visit other blogs in each of my niches for at least an hour or two a week. More would be better.
Link to what you like and enjoy and keep your blogroll updated.
You strengthen the *punch* of your blog by giving it your personality authentically. That means tell people who you like. I have a Daily Reads links section which says what I read daily – some of these are big time places. Secondly, I have a blogroll that is mostly bloggers well below the A-list. A-list bloggers don’t need you. They have more hits than they can handle. I find it helps to share among your peers. Help, authentically, little guy bloggers who do high quality blogging. Like you said, everyone can find the A-list on their own.
Thanks, Jennifer. There is also a great comment by Fern on the original post.