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http://mobilehelpdesk.blogspot.com

I have found that posing questions gets a good response, e.g. Do your ever overeat?

I have a question on a related issue. How do you build good community in forums? I sometimes provide a link at the bottom of blog entries if I think it relates to my forum topics (emotional eating, insomnia, mental health, stress management) but someone suggested to me that blog readers and forum users may be a different audience.

Any help appreciated

It’s all about getting your readers to own your blog. Then they feel like the content is – in a way – partly theirs.

I think I implement every idea you listed above. I’ve been plugging away at it for several months and am steady, progressive, organic growth.

Your post has merits in so many ways. And it attracted responses, which validate your points.

First I’d like to address the question by Andrea the Consultant, if I may. People hunger for connections, an opportunity to connect with you and other like-minded individuals will be welcome if sincere. The other two things people all have in common are:

* opinions (here you ill need to be a good host)
* skills (and they may not be aware of them – you mention lack of confidence)

These commonalities need a platform and a skilled facilitator to shine through in whatever form they may come.

The other great point you (Darren) make is making people feel useful. That can also be done by embracing *their* project. Two examples:

* online – you mentioned this in your post. I participate in other people’s projects. I did so on CK’s blog [http://www.ck-blog.com/cks_blog/] and David Armano’s blog [http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/]. Both have shared the results of the conversation with their readers/community and given us all a chance to extend the thinking further. So they made us feel included and useful in a professional setting. This can be transferred to any kind of project, of course.

* live – I also moderate a listserv for a professional community that meets on a monthly basis. This is Fast Company magazine readers’ network in Philadelphia. This year, the way I allowed people to participate at leadership level was by supporting *their* projects. This led to the creation of subgroups within the community. These are specialized networks that are interested in a specific topic or type of project. One, the Career Transitions, caters to a well-defined audience both inside and outside the original network. The other, Purple Cow Brainstorming Circle, is a vehicle to take to market ideas and I brought in from the outside. Now we have the benefit of many voices at leadership level — yes, I ruffled my own feathers as the two co-conspirators are quite different from me and that is good. And structured and processes that can sustain better the greater community.

We all have a desire to feel useful and to count vs. be counted. A good thought to keep in mind… and act upon.

people like to share, i am learning… and that makes me want to share more too

regards
sham
http://incomeconcept.blogspot.com

I’d love to hear your thoughts on asking your readers for work as a way to build readership and traffic.

Take Care,
Michael

Andrew

When I became a business owner, I tried to emulate her incredible self-taught networking style when I attended chamber or other mixers and events in my area. It worked GREAT. I had never thought of applying that to blogging until this post.

I shall try it – Thanks!

I agree and would add that a widget like http://www.whooiz.com or mybloglog offers
Building a community is something that is organic and will grow over time…increasing the uptake will help with great little widgets like this.

These widgets in my opinion are better bing than adsense ads and so forth :)