Aussie Bloggers

A quote from one of the Aussie Forum members “Its all new to me too, I am starting to wonder how I managed before the Forum! Its going to be an excellent learning tool”

If you are a new blogger you may be loath to join forums, or, if you do join, are not keen on posting. (I was the same as a newbie and still shy away from some forums). Posts about issues that are completely new to you, often using terms you have never come across can be complete gobbledygook, their authors seeming to be gobbledygeeks. The presence of experienced bloggers can be intimidating, stopping us posting our own views, experiences or recommendations.

I would like to encourage those new to blogging to participate in forums that are right for them. Why is this?

Reasons for joining forums:

• To learn from those more experienced.
• To get your own specific questions answered.
• To find contacts and friends
• To find readers/subscribers for your own blog via the forums.
• To benefit from the knock on effect of this and gain more exposure for your blog outside of the forums.
• To have fun and enjoy the interaction with others.

What to look for in a forum

• Take the time to browse the topic areas and look for how many comments there are, how many questions get answered and how helpful these are.
• Find forums that are providing answers to the sort of questions you wish to ask and see what sort of response they get. Try and look past the topics that are too advanced for you at this stage although, if you participate in the right forums and ask questions, it will not be long before you understand these too.
• Look for forums that are covering areas of interest to you . If you join a forum just for the sake of it (e.g. to gain backlinks and promote your blog), if the subjects are of no real interest to you, you are less likely to participate enough to achieve your aims.

How to find the right forums

• Join forums recommended by others or those where you already have friends and contacts.
• Do some online research if you do not have those recommendations.
• Look for a forum that also allows for more general friendly chat; to help you get to know more about others than purely the forum subject area.
• Have a look through a forum’s messages, as I suggested above.

How to become part of the forum community

• Introduce yourself. If you are unsure what to say take a look at how others have approached it. You may find, as with the Aussie Bloggers Forums, that you are asked to answer a few questions. This gives you something to write about.
• Find others that are new too, make contact with them and show them support. You will not feel so alone. Leave comments on their posts and make use of the forum’s private messaging system.
• Visit member’s blogs, leaving comments and returning frequently to those you enjoy, getting to know the author and vice-versa.
• Subscribe to the RSS feed of these favourite member sites to keep up to date and as a reminder to return to the blogs.
• Add members to other online communities such as MyBlogLog or StumbleUpon to give you another means of communication and method of mutual support.
• If you are a blogger yourself – Add sites or bloggers you like to your own blog’s blogroll. Refer to them in your posts, where appropriate. This gives them a backlink, which helps them in promoting their own blogs.
• Be a regular visitor to the forums site..
• Ask questions – if you have chosen the right forums site, you will receive friendly useful answers.
• Answer questions when you are able, showing willing to help others too. However basic the question may be there are likely to be others wanting the answer too.
• Join in more general discussion topics, especially those that help you get to know others more fully.

I have been a willing participant in the Aussie Bloggers Forums because I feel welcome there, thoroughly enjoy the interaction and have found valuable information. I have no worries about participating, asking questions or answering them when I can. I have discovered new people, new blogs, new contacts as well as coming across a fair few familiar names. Members have all different levels of general expertise or knowledge in particular areas. New bloggers and newcomers are warmly greeted and their questions enthusiastically answered.