Are you wondering how to find and use blogging tribes? This #LearntoBlog hangout covers just that!
How To Find a Blogging Tribe
Don’t be overly niche specific because you don’t want to post the same content. Having a topic/theme in common is good enough (i.e. saving money). Seek bloggers that are of similar blog age and with a similar amount of monthly traffic.
Lost for where to start? Ask yourself these questions: Who do I follow? Who do I support (sharing their links on social media)? Who supports me? Check your social media profiles & Google Analytics to see who is sharing your information and sending you traffic. Start there.
How to Maintain Your Blogging Tribe
Keep a spreadsheet with stats for all members (pageviews, affiliate income). It helps to encourage, track changes, learn how to replicate their successes. Be willing to share your secrets to success. You’ll need at least 5 members with a maximum of 10 members.
Regular actions you and your tribe members need to participate in:
- Retweet
- Guest posting
- Promoting on Facebook
- Keep group small
The group leader has to be okay with people not liking them (ring leader). Make the rules clear at the beginning.
How to Build Your Tribe
In order to grow your blog, you need to participate in goal oriented tribes (with about 5-6 members). The encouragement, accountability, and support you get from your group is key. Mastermind groups can be larger.
Tribes require commitment. Be willing to have discussions, scheduled weekly meetings, and accountability.
How to Conduct Tribe Meetings
- Weekly
- Goal oriented
- One runs the meeting + Assigns tasks to meet weekly goals
- Note taker
- Calendar to coordinate guest posts
- File where all minutes are shared for reference
- Schedule of social shares
How to Strategically Utilize Your Tribe
- Weekly task(s)
- Determine a common theme keyword that all want to work on (i.e. “coupons” – how to find or how to use). Each person comes up with a keyword for example “free printable coupons” or “online coupons” or “free grocery coupons” or “couponing lingo” (http://3boysandadog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Printable-Coupon-Lingo-Cheat-Sheet.pdf ). Create a landing page about that keyword. Link to remainder of tribe’s posts with their keyword linked as anchor text.
- Promote everyone’s posts (on all social media sites)
- Setup a post or page on your site (This helps give you better SEO with links out and links in and improves your Alexa rank, page authority, and SEO)
- List your tribe in your blogroll
- Swap ad space (shows your ads as filled)
- Pin / Repin
- Comment
- Refer to for links for roundups and link to their site using their anchor text as their keyword.
- Share pitches
- Host multiple blogger events
- Share your knowledge and ask for their knowledge
Using Guest Posting Within Your Tribe
Select two keywords for your site you want to rank for (don’t have to have anything in common with others). Create a schedule. Your post should fit the niche, topics, and keyword goals for the hosting site. The post should link to a specific page on your site for that keyword. Be open to new topics. The more often you do it, the better the result (every 3 months is ideal).
Guest posting on several sites about the same topic shows your authority and increases your likelihood of getting your guest post accepted on bigger blogs. One of Kelli’s & Crystal’s supporters is Gail at Grow Map.
Quick Tasks:
First: Setup a tribe this week and establish where you want to run it (i.e. Skype, Yahoo Group, Facebook Group, email, etc.). Make sure that it is a goal oriented tribe. Identify and ask members. Worst they can say is no and you move on. Don’t put it off!
Second: Once your tribe is established:
- Setup a Goal Spreadsheet (include traffic, income, ranking, etc.) and where you want to be in 3 months
- Create a task spreadsheet to outline how you will get to the goals
- Do it
Growing takes time. Maintenance phase is easier.
Learn More About Blogging
Check out all of our 85 learn to blog videos.
Jess @ Room Service Required says
Love this, and our new tribe and I are working on putting it into action. Do you have examples of the goal, task, and metrics spreadsheets you use in your tribes?
Raki Wright says
Hi Jess!
Setup a Goal Spreadsheet (include traffic, income, ranking, etc.) and where you want to be in 3 months. We don’t have an example, but you could setup a simple spreadsheet with these columns:
name, traffic, income, ranking, or whatever goal you want to reach.
Then, check everyone’s progress every 30 days. Give each other feedback and suggestions on what actions to take to meet your goals.