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If you’ve ever felt like you’re blogging into the abyss, you’re not alone. There are a ton of people blogging out there, and you can find them by joining blogging communities.
I’m not going to lie, blogging can be a lonely game. Sure, blogging can improve your mental health and positively impact other people’s lives. However, much of the activities that go into creating a blog are solitary (i.e., you’re on your own, kid!). Bloggers can go days or even weeks without leaving the house, let alone talking to another human being face-to-face.
I know, I know… it’s easy to be an introvert glued to the computer screen, but that’s not necessarily healthy. At some point, you’ve got to stretch your comfort zone. That’s why it’s so important to engage in communities that understand what you’re going through and can provide support (#thestruggleisreal).
How Blogging Communities Help
Whether you’re a new or established blogger, blogging communities can be incredibly helpful. These communities can help you by:
- Answering all of the questions when Google fails you
- Providing constructive feedback on your new post, page, or product
- Growing your following with real followers (after all, these are real people)
- Serving as a safe space for you to vent your frustrations when your technology is on the fritz
- Giving you encouragement and support when you need it
I started my first blog in 2012, and it’s been an incredible yet crazy journey. When I first started blogging, I literally didn’t know anything about how to start a blog. Seriously, I was lucky if I could get onto the internet without crashing my web browser. I wouldn’t have made it this far without the help of some of my friends. And by friends, I mean random strangers I met online. Of course, we got to know each other through social media. And now I couldn’t imagine blogging without their support!
Being a part of blogging communities has helped me find answers to my burning questions when I couldn’t figure things out. It’s also provided the encouragement I needed to keep moving forward. I’ve met new people, learned about new products (including some highly profitable affiliate programs, such as A Self Guru’s comprehensive legal bundle packages, which offers a 40% commission on each qualified sale), and have become more confident in my chosen career as online entrepreneurs.
What to Look for in Blogging Communities
Like most things in life, blogging communities aren’t “one-size-fits-all.” There are different types of groups for different types of bloggers. You should also consider the following when finding blogging groups to join:
- Type of group: Are you looking for a general blogging group or something specific to your niche?
- Size of the group: Do you enjoy interacting with large amounts of people? Or do you prefer a smaller, more tightly knit group where you can get to know everyone individually?
- Number of new posts each day: Do you like having lots of different posts to look at throughout the day? Or would you prefer one or two share threads to have everything in the same place?
- Overall look and feel: Are you looking for information? Encouragement? Engagement? Does the tone and activity of the group reflect what you’re looking for?
- Community guidelines: Would you enjoy being a part of a group with strict rules? Or would you prefer a group that’s more relaxed?
*NOTE* Obviously, you’ve got to be safe on the internet, so don’t give out your personal info or anything like that, but it doesn’t hurt to connect with like-minded folks who can help you grow your blog and business.
Here are a few of my favorite blogging communities that I know you’re going to love too!
Best Blogging Communities and Facebook Groups for Bloggers
In alphabetical order:
- A Chronic Voice – Monthly Linkup
- A Self Guru – Biz Blog Community
- Blogs by Christian Women – Christian Blogger Directory
- Supporting, Inspiring, Promoting Bloggers (SIPB)
A Chronic Voice
A Chronic Voice is a blog about living with chronic illness. It’s written by Sheryl, who deals with multiple chronic health issues herself, so she knows what she’s talking about.
You’d think that a blog about health problems would be terribly depressing, however, A Chronic Voice is surprisingly encouraging uplifting. Sheryl shares the realities of her experiences in insightful ways. In doing so, she positively impacts the lives of people who are suffering. She reminds us that it’s okay to feel depressed, sad, or frustrated sometimes.
“Let us simply get through it together one day at a time, and if need be, one second at a time – I can, I can, I can. That’s 3 seconds down.”
– Sheryl Chan
In addition to providing encouragement, Sheryl also collaborates with other bloggers. She offers chronic illness bloggers a chance to contribute to A Chronic Voice by writing guest posts. She also hosts a monthly linkup for people with chronic illness to share their stories around a specific set of prompts. I participated in A Chronic Voice linkups in 2018 and found them helpful in processing my experiences, getting vulnerable online (yikes!), and also making new friends who’ve gone through similar situations. It’s one of the things I looked forward to each month.
If you don’t have a chronic illness (count your blessings if that’s the case!), you can still join her community of bloggers by following A Chronic Voice on social media. Sheryl runs a colorful Instagram, an informative Pinterest, and one of the most consistent and helpful Twitter feeds we’ve ever seen.
*BONUS* If you like birds, Sheryl owns a couple of them, which she frequently features across her various social media accounts. They’re cuties, for sure!
A Self Guru – Biz Blog Community
A Self Guru – Biz Blog Community is a free Facebook support group for bloggers, aspiring bloggers, go-getters, and entrepreneurs supporting and collaborating with each other. While I’m fairly selective about which Facebook groups we join, something about the term “go-getters” really resonated with me. Once I joined the group, I quickly found out why;.
The A Self Guru – Biz Blog Community is a highly-engaged group of serious bloggers and business owners. However, instead of being cut-throat and competitive, they’re all about community and connection. Everyone’s there to help each other out. This collaborative effort has had a positive effect on my business and experience as a blogger.
A Self Guru – Biz Blog Community shares helpful content in a non-spammy way to help you grow your blog and business. There are weekly share threads to help grow your business and increase your social media following. And, luckily for its members, this isn’t a “follow-for-follow” thing that boosts numbers without any real engagement. I’ve personally seen my social media engagement increase drastically as a result of connecting with like-minded bloggers in this group.
Legal Bundle for Your Website
The Biz Blog Community is run by Amira, the lawyer turned full-time blogger at A Self Guru. Amira is a knowledgeable lawyer, talented blogger, and business coach who enjoys teaching people how to become their own boss. Amira also helps bloggers learn how to protect their blogs legally. She offers an incredible legal bundle on her site that can help you protect your online business.
The legal bundle includes three super useful templates to protect your blog:
These are the templates I wish I’d had when I first started my blog. While these templates are available separately, it’s a much better deal to purchase the complete legal bundle for your website. Plus, you just can’t put a price on the peace of mind knowing that your blog is fully protected.
I totally appreciate everything Amira does to help out her fellow bloggers and business owners.
Christian Blogger Directory
The Christian Blogger Directory is organized by the team at Blogs by Christian Women (BCW). The directory is a wonderful collection of some of the best inspirational and lifestyle blogs written by women of faith. If this sounds like you, you can apply to be added to the directory here.
Additionally, BCW provides opportunities for women of faith to share their lives, experiences, and empower other women in the blogging industry. This blog aims to pull women of faith together to share stories and encouragement. You can share your story here.
When you visit BCW, you can also opt-in to their newsletter to receive free printables and weekly inspiration. Wanda, the Editing Manager at BCW, is an incredible encourager and her positive vibes definitely come across via email.
Sharing, Inspiring, Promoting Bloggers
I’m picky about which blogging groups I join, since many of them can be spammy and unhelpful. However, this is not the case with Sharing, Inspiring, Promoting Bloggers (SIPB). This gem of a Facebook group popped up on the sidebar of my newsfeed one day, and I’m so glad I joined!
SIPB is run by an incredible team, led by Esmé of Esmé Salon. The SIPB team runs daily share threads and actively participates and interacts with the community members. When sharing on Twitter, you can also use the following tags for an extra Retweet:
Whether you’re looking to learn a thing or two about blogging, grow your following, or connect with fellow bloggers, I highly recommend you request to join SIPB. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more encouraging, uplifting, and supportive group of bloggers.
Conclusion
I hope these suggestions have shown you the incredible benefits of joining blogging communities. There are a lot of blogging groups out there, so you’re bound to find a few that you’ll enjoy and get a lot of value from. If you do join a group and you’re just not feeling it, don’t be afraid to leave. Save your time and energy for communities that you can really engage with.
Are you a part of any other spectacular blogging communities? Let me know about your favorite blogging groups in the comments below!
For more social media strategies, check out these social media tips.
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