I think it may have a lot to do with the amount of blogs out there, and it might be that the mass amounts of blogs are mildly successful and they can get to that point with out relationships.

The blogs that are really making progress and gains are the ones who have found out that relationships are the way to get there.

“Broken down in the simplest of terms, what are the direct benefits of linking to a competitor?”

Most of the previous commenters, taken together, make a strong argument for a bit of “self-serving altruism” in blogging… but to break it down to the “simplest of terms” – and especially if those simple terms include the acronym ROI – well, that’s a challenge to articulate!

Let’s hope some other bloggers are brave enough to wade in here and give the 1-sentence “elevator pitch” for out-linking with a free hand. I’m still thinking about it… ;)

Ironically, this post almost started with the word ‘I’. However, I caught myself in time.

I enjoyed the unique angle of your post.

I consider your sentiment sound.

While blogging has become good for a lot of things so far as marketing is concerned – SEO for example – it’s my hope relationships remain at the core.

That’s one reason I accepted the offer to become president of the International Blogging and New Media Association (IBNMA). Relationships matter. They always have and I hope they always will!

Moreover, nearly every comment is in direct response to Darren because he asked everyone a question. But Rebecca Leaman went a step farther by not just posing a question but responding to others who responded to her. THAT is the essence of relations and THAT is what commenting on blogs should be about.

If people can pose questions back and forth, even without using a question mark, and other people can be engaged by a comment regardless of everything else on the page, then, no, Darren and everyone else, blogging has not lost its relational focus.

our site :http://www.allystone.net

@ Wayne Tully, when you say that “everyone has their own unique insight that really adds something to other bloggers” – I think you’ve put your finger on one of the things that keeps a lot of bloggers going when those inevitable ‘down times’ come around, and that’s the sense of community spirit that Darren alludes to in this post.

Sure, the blogosphere is a bigger place now, and perceived competition (and information overload?) can cut back on the ‘connecting’ that used to take place when there were fewer blogs and we were all just hanging out there on the fringes of ‘citizen journalism’, making it up as we went along. Pioneers of the wild west… But there’s still lots of evidence, even in the fast-paced Big City Blogosphere, don’t you think, of neighbourhoods and allegiances of common interest?

I think that relational blogging is split between those that want to build networks with other bloggers and those who are selfishly opposed to it, the ideas behind blogging for profit get in the way most times and finding the need to stand out and dominate becomes the obsessive for most.

I tend to look for small and big players that will compliment my blog and their blogs, it all comes down to a lot of reading and deciding and commenting to find them, but they are there….somewhere!!

BTW – I just came back from BlogHer 08 in SF: I doubt you could find 1,000 more relational bloggers in one place.

It is simple.
There are 2 kinds of people: those who come into a room saying, “Here I am” – and those who come in saying, “There you are!” –
Which would you like to spend time with?

Thanks to the comments :)

I have a couple of bloggers that I am becoming friendly with that I met through blogging but it’s to visit their blog and commiserate on what we have in common (kids and husbands usually).

There are a few bloggers that I don’t have a relationship with that I subscribe to (like you, lol) because I find it very informative.

I think the nature of some bloggers (introverted) crosses over into their blogging. With others, they find blogging freeing and their normally introverted nature in real life doesn’t play a part.