Other Blogs in Your Niche; Friend or Foe?

This post is inspired by the recently written post at problogger.net. Please head over and read the article. It is something we should all strive to understand, as the nature of blogging is about forming allies and ultimately being on the same side.

In an article I wrote last month called Blogs Are Roads; Intersections, I address the fact that other blogs in your niche are not necessarily competitors but sites you actually “want” to be associated with. The realities of blogging is that associating yourself with other blogs like your own will actually bring you more traffic.

I see too often where bloggers remove a blogroll from their sidebar in fear of linking out to competitors. I understand the fear but the blogger fails to understand and grasp the true nature of the beast… The beast is the overwhelming and not yet tamed blogosphere. What is it they need to understand? Other blogs can be competition when it comes to writing styles, voice, etc. But blogs allow you to be who you are and be the best at it. It comes down to what you are selling, and in a sense, it is YOU. Essentially linking to other bloggers is a good thing as it opens doors to your blog. But linking to off topic blogs can hurt. Linking to relevant blogs will help.

Most bloggers get it backwards. They link to off-topic blogs more frequently because there is no fear of competition. The trick is to link to other blogs that are doing the same things you are. But what else can be done besides linking out to other related blogs? Why not email them and get acquainted? It’s all about Networking isn’t it?

So you need to ask yourself whether or not other bloggers in your niche are Friend or Foe…? Ally or Competition?

If you can honestly see other bloggers in your niche as friends and allies you are one step ahead in your blogging career.