Why bloggers should have blogger friends

Being a blogger is really a personal journey when it comes to content creating. We each pick our own niches and center the content we produce around these niches. Every day we spend some time writing up beautiful articles and fixing broken links. We brainstorm blog post ideas and check the popularity of certain keywords… But is blogging really just about creating content and fixing up our sites? No – what I learned early in the game is that we need blogger friends to stay afloat in this game.

If you are fairly new in the blogging game and haven’t spent much time networking with your peers, you need to rethink your strategy. You can definitely do well on your own, but if you plan to grow and learn faster, blogger friends are a must.

You will learn more about blogging

When I started blogging, I had no idea how to set up and design a website. I winged it and came up with the very first version of GWS which wasn’t too bad. The only problem is that it didn’t have the essentials! Do you know what essentials I am referring to? I see you breaking a sweat… Go and check if you have disclaimers, privacy policies and a contact page real quick, then come back. I’ll wait! Done?

Unless your blog is an anonymous, online journal with no use of stock images, you may get away without having any of these ‘essentials’. But if you plan on monetising your blog or collaborating with companies/bloggers, it is a must!

And then we have the dreaded social media platforms. It sounds a little silly to say as a millennial, but I honestly didn’t know how to use social media for the blog. My focus was on writing, and I assumed that I could wing everything else. It is definitely possible for some people. But kickstarting a blog and making sure you reach the right target audience can get a bit technical.

Having blogger friends to guide you through the process or teach you a few tricks here and there can be a game-changer. As a not-so-newbie blogger who has overcome the steep learning curve, I can’t take all the credit. I really have to tip my hat to all the bloggers that taught me a thing or two about this big black hole! In return, I also try to share some information here and there with the newbie bloggers of the season.

You get to socialise with like minded individuals

Blogging is just like any hobby. Your family and friends won’t always jump for joy or understand what you’re up to. I don’t say this in a negative way because not everyone is obliged to enjoy reading or writing. Can you imagine how boring it would be if we all had similar interests? Well, just as a blogger is allowed to enjoy writing, your family and friends are also entitled to their own likes.

Making friends in the blogging community is a surefire way to find people who also enjoy writing. Think about it, it can give you a small circle of people who you can rave to. Want to talk about your latest ideas, growing stats, product ideas, etc. turn to other bloggers you can trust! In my circle of blogging friends, I find that I am able to share my concerns and get valuable feedback. Asking the same thing to my non-blogger friends doesn’t always bring about solutions.

Blogger friends may help you grow

Sometimes with blogging, you will experience the dreaded “writers’ block”. I’ve been there and it wasn’t fun, but the person who helped me through it was a fellow blogger! After the writers’ block, came a growth plateau which really felt like the end of GWS. There were many times that I felt like giving up, but my dear friend, Olivia, encouraged me to try Blogmas and redesign my page. In just a few days, my blog was blowing up! Now we are releasing our own blogging plan!

Reading about the tricks of the trade and actually experiencing it are two different things. I found engaging with people who experienced different issues with their blog and overcame them to be worth far more than any research I could’ve done! Of course each of your experiences will be different. But from my personal experience, I do think that such a friendship has allowed me to grow.

Blogger friends can turn into valuable friendships

If you followed my Blogmas series, you may have seen my post on internet friendships. The main question was, are cyber friendships really a thing? After all, there are many creepers on the net right? It’s something that some of us are afraid of, and rightfully so. But once you break past the barriers and booby traps that the web has, you might find a pot of gold. And I’m not just saying this to encourage you. It’s no secret that I have made some great connections on this platform!

What I have really enjoyed most about the process, is realizing that there are people who basically share a brain with me. And to know that we are on different continents but speak as though we are in the same room… Priceless! How likely would it have been to meet such incredible people otherwise? It is so much harder to make friends once you leave school. Mainly because your life is consumed with work and other responsibilities. But when you start interacting with others in the blogging community, you will get the chance to meet great people.

If you’re a blogger, do you have blogger friends? What are some other benefits of such friendships?