by Deb Ng
Community outreach doesn’t only mean reaching out to the people who visit this network, it also means reaching out to like-minded communities. If I had to attribute this blog’s success to one thing, it would likely be due to community outreach.
What is Community Outreach
Community outreach is exactly what it sounds like. Reaching out, or contacting, the blogs, forums and social networks in your niche and related niches. It’s spreading the word about your blog, your products or your writing by introducing it to others or even asking others to write about it.
How Can Reaching Out to Other Communities Help Me?
As freelance writers it’s good to know people. Especially people who are in a position to hire or recommend you to people who are in a position to hire. When you become a regular in a community for freelance writers, your will soon become familiar to many. Plus, you can talk about your work in progress, learn about who is hiring, find some cool (ahem) blogs to visit and share tips and commiseration.
As bloggers, you’ll want to reach out to other communities for the same reasons as mentioned above. Participating in community discussions is a wonderful way to establish yourself as an authority and bandy your name about. Because many blogs and forums allow you to drop a link to your blog in your signature line, you’re sure to bring in new readers.
What are Some of the Ways I Can Reach Out to My Communities?
There are many ways you can reach out to different communities.
- Visit blogs and leave comments
- Visit forums and participate in discussions
- Participate in Yahoo or Google group discussions
- Set up a Facebook account and join the groups that interest you
- Sign up for Twitter and follow the people who interest you
Keep in mind that community shouldn’t only mean other freelance writing and blogging groups. For instance, if you’re a romance writer, visit the romance writing and reading forums and communities. If green living interests you, check out the environmental groups and blogs, and so on.
Yes, social networking and community outreach can be a time suck, but in my opinion it’s necessary to succeed. What are some of the ways you reach out to your communties?
Image by Robyn Saul via stock.xchng
I’d love some suggestions on what Facebook, google, and yahoo groups are particularly productive and active. It can be difficult finding that combination. Thanks for the informative post!
I just started my blog a few weeks ago in an effort to start a freelance writing career. I’ve had the best luck so far with Twitter.
Thanks for the other suggestions. I will try those as well.
Thanks for such a great blog. You have a new reader.