Does it ever feel like the tumbleweed is blowing around your blog? Perhaps your posts rarely get comments, and only one or two Tweets or Likes. Maybe you email bloggers to ask for support, but they rarely respond.

Bloggers who might be too busy to reply to your emails may well have time to send a quick reply to a tweet – and this can be a great way to make contact and to build a relationship.

Image from Flickr by west.m

Here are seven dos and don’ts to help you on the way:

DO: Give first.

That could mean you:

  • Retweet some of their best tweets
  • Retweet links to their recent posts
  • Answer a question that they’ve asked
  • Tweet about a webinar or live event of theirs that you’re attending
  • Say how much you enjoyed one of their posts, or how their blog has helped you

DON’T: Be afraid to step up and make contact.

Asking a quick question, or simply saying “Hi, Joe Blogger, I really love your work” is a great way to start. You might feel a little shy at first – but it’s a lot less nerve-wracking than going up to a major blogging name in person.

Image from Flickr by MDGovpics

DO: Be polite and considerate.

If someone doesn’t respond to your tweets, don’t bombard them with more. And definitely don’t whine on Twitter about how Mister Big Blogger is a jerk who doesn’t respond to tweets – that’s not a good way to make an impression.

DON’T: Ignore smaller bloggers.

You never know who might be the next up-and-coming big name in your field … so reach out to lesser-known people too. If someone makes contact on Twitter, do your best to reply.

DO: Pay attention to spelling and grammar.

We all judge on appearances … and basic mistakes create a poor first impression. If you’re struggling to type on your smartphone, use your computer or tablet to tweet instead.

Image from Flickr by MDGovpics

DON’T: Expect instant results.

Building relationships takes time and commitment. It might take repeated interactions with a blogger before they follow you, or even respond directly to you. Keep “giving” through retweets or friendly replies.

DO: Consider the overall impression your Twitter account creates

What does your profile say about you? Make sure you’ve got a good, clear bio in place, and a link to your website – and avoid tweeting anything that you wouldn’t want a big-name blogger to read.

Did you learn something new from this post, or do you have a great tip to add? Let us know in the comments!

Ali Luke will be running social media courses in London from September 2012. If you want to use Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn to grow your business, then book your place now. All courses are one-day, with hands-on exercises and one-to-one support as part of a small group.

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