Social Networking Sites Can Be A Very Powerful Tool For New Bloggers

Social networking sites can be a very powerful tool for anyone and especially new bloggers who are just starting out, I admit that it took me a little while to grasp this concept when I first started. Don't make my mistake and get yourself out there if you haven't already started, you will thank me later, I promise! I waited like 6 or 7 months before I signed up with Twitter and then another 2 months until I joined Facebook. Now looking back on it I realize my mistake in not getting into the game sooner.

I didn't see the reason why I should sign up because I thought it was a big waste of my time and I was not about to drive traffic to Twitter or a Facebook when I needed traffic for my sports blog! What an idiotic way to think now that I look back on it, but you live and you learn or at least your supposed too. Don't worry if you don't know anyone on either site because you will be able to find like minded people who share your likes and in some cases, dislikes. The key is to get into the game, because you can't win if you aren't playing.

One of the coolest aspects is that you can set them up to be updated automatically whenever you post to your blog! It will post a link in a tweet on Twitter that links back to your blog and with Facebook you have the option to post a link or the whole post. These sites can not only help to drive traffic to your blog, but help you earn money as well or even land you a job. I wouldn't worry about trying to make any money on them until you have built up some credibility.

I'm a huge advocate for using social networking sites because there is a lot of benefits for you if done correctly. You don't need to spend all your time on these sites because you still have a blog your trying to get off the ground. It's very easy to lose track of time and to get sidetracked which is a huge problem for lots of bloggers because I see other people saying the same exact thing. It was something I struggled with after I got into it and realized that I had made a mistake and should have arrived at the dance a little earlier.

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5 Blogging Tips To Grow Your Audience

1. Post frequently when you first start your blog
2. Post comments on other blogs that you read
3. Respond to comments and emails that your readers send to you
4. Don't try to push crappy products to your readers for the sake of making a dollar, because they will not remain your readers for long. 
5. Join the social networking party with Twitter, Digg and all the others that are out there in the Blogosphere.

There are plenty of other tips for growing your readers and gaining traffic to your site, but the main thing is to get out here and join the party! Good luck and have some fun!

Social Networking Has Value

Social Networking has value for your blog no matter what your goals may be. If you are looking to increase your readership or to monetize your blog, social networking can help you to achieve it. I know firsthand how it can increase your traffic because on my other site Beltwayboysports.com I saw an increase immediately in my traffic after I started using Twitter, Digg, SBNation, MySpace etc.. I'm still learning how to maximize them to their fullest extent, but I wanted to write this because I wish now that I had started using them sooner! You can start using some of them before your blog is up and running. It's a good thing to start getting your name and blog out there in cyberspace. All of these services are free and the sign ups are a breeze. Just be yourself and you will be fine. Don't be shy, get out there and start building your brand!