Why We Need to Remember That Blogging is a Community

Hey there! Today I wanted to share something about the blogging community, yes community. I wanted to talk about why we as bloggers need to remember that we are part of a community and we need to support each other, not fight with each other.

Here’s where this all started, I recently was in a Twitter Chat hosted by an amazing blogger Ell Duclos. She hosts an awesome group Boss Girl Bloggers. The group’s Twitter was the host of the Twitter Chat. If you want to view all of the questions, answers, and bloggers from the chat, you can view the hashtag #BGBloggersChat on Twitter. It was so much fun to see a group of ladies, just doing their own thing, come together and give advice and share their struggles with their blogs.

The blogging community should be treated as a community.

There’s a reason it’s called the blogging community. I look at the blogging community as a place that bloggers can go to help each other grow, ask for advice, and just love on others that are trying to do their own thing and make something for themselves. That’s one reason why I love being part of blogging groups, because most of the time, they try to foster collaboration and positive energy and not spam. A community helps all members of the community grow and be better shares resources and advice and collaborates to better the community as a whole as well as the members.

Blogging isn’t a winner-takes-all arena

Everyone can have their own corner of the internet, find their own audience, and succeed. There is no “winning formula” and there definitely aren’t winners. Will everyone become “successful”, well it depends on what your definition of successful is. But, there is no one blogger that will come out on top above the rest, and you should never step on another blogger to try and make it closer to the top. Being successful means taking advice from other bloggers, taking what you can, and being authentically you. It does not mean taking advantage of other bloggers generosity and then tossing them to the side when you get what you want from them. Other bloggers aren’t competitors, even if they are in the same niche as you. Everyone has a unique voice and perspective. There is room for everyone in this community, contrary to poopular belief.

Blogging shouldn’t be about the numbers, it should be about the community.

I know I share a traffic report, as do other bloggers. I know people are interested in that and the strategy of growing that traffic. But, the numbers are not the reason I started blogging or continue to blog. Most bloggers want to share their knowledge and advice to a community of readers that are interested in their help. I think the point of blogging is to grow your own little community of people who want to read and enjoy your content and who want to keep up with you and what you’re doing. Whether that’s a big community, or a smaller tight-knit one, it’s important to keep the community you are trying to foster at the forefront of your reasons to keep going.

Take time to help other, smaller bloggers that may be struggling

Part of being in a community is helping community members. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I helped another blogger with something they needed help with. Whether it was something small or a little more complex, knowing that they were so happy that someone took the time out of their blog and day to help them with something, instead of seeing them as a competitor makes me so happy. Even if helping them out is shouting out their newest post on your social media, or linking their post in your next roundup. Do something that either another blogger did for you or wish they did for you when you were in that smaller blogger’s shoes.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

I love the blogging community, and I love that when you find a community of bloggers that you click with, it makes asking for help and support so much easier. Asking for help and sharing your weaknesses does not make you a bad blogger and it doesn’t make you a failure. Being part of a community means that they are there to help you when you need help. It’s a give and take, you can’t always be giving advice and support and then feel like you can’t take it. If you need help, then ask for it. This goes for anything whether it’s blogging, or personal life issues, never be afraid to ask for help.

Again, I love that there is a community for people like us who want to do our own thing, talk about what we want to talk about, and want to help others. If you’re looking for a community to join, I definitely suggest checking out Boss Girl Bloggers. You can also ask on social media if anyone has a Facebook group, just make sure you find a group (or groups) that you vibe with. You can also start your own if you’re not finding anything that vibes with you!

What do you love about the blogging community? Do you have any advice for new bloggers out there? Share them below!