Why You Need a Blogging Tribe

Reasons why you need a blogging tribe: a group of like-minded bloggers committed to supporting- not competing with- each other.

I’ve been at this blogging thing for much longer than the 10 months this site particular site has been around. In fact, I had two blogs before I started Winstead Wandering. Each taught me a lot about blogging, about myself as a blogger, and about what I wanted to achieve by having a blog. I started this site back in January because I was finally ready to put everything I’d learned into action.

That’s not say I know it all; I so don’t. I like to share a lot of what I have learned, but I learn more each day.

One of the most valuable things I ever stumbled across as a blogger was this video about growing your blog with a tribe. I’d seen the word “tribe” thrown around a bit in a few of the big blogging Facebook groups I’m a part of, but I was unfamiliar with how they work and, most of all, with how vital they are to your growth as a blogger.

Now, six months after first watching that video, I’m a member of two tribes. I can wholeheartedly say surrounding myself with hardworking, funny, savvy women is one of the best blogging decisions I’ve ever made. If you aren’t already part of a blogging tribe, let me explain why I think you need to make finding one a priority.

Why You Need a Blogging Tribe

1. Collaboration

Having a squad of blogging friends gives you instant access to guest posters and collaborators. Need someone to write a post for you during your upcoming vacation? Ask your tribe. Want to boost SEO by writing posts with similar keywords and linking to each other’s blogs? Do it with your tribe. Looking for co-hosts for a link party or blog hop? Share it with your tribe.

Your tribe is a ready-made group of bloggers designed to help each other grow, and one way to do that is through collaboration. One of the best parts of collaborating with the people in your tribe is you already know their niche, and they know yours. It’s way easier to write a guest post for a tribe member because you already know what she blogs about.

2. Troubleshooting

Why isn’t my Google Analytics working? How do I get the most out of this new social media scheduler? Is my new plug-in working? Where can I find free photos for my posts? Can you pin/stumble/share this post of mine that’s going viral?

These are all questions posed in the last few weeks by members of my tribes. Instead of turning to the endless search results you’re sure to generate in Google or on Pinterest, you can ask your your tribe members. They’re always willing to help share your content. Chances are, at least one of them has experienced the exact technical issue you’re dealing with at any given moment.

3. Encouragement

Blogging can be discouraging. I blog because I love it, but there are certainly days I wonder if it wouldn’t be easier to quit, or at least to not put so much effort into it. Some days my traffic is dismal or I’m unhappy with the quality of my photos or there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done.

Those are the times your tribe rallies around, giving real encouragement from the we’ve-been-there perspective. Often, that encouragement is accompanied by practical advice. It’s a two-fer.

4. Sharing

In both tribes I’m in, we have a running post (in our Facebook groups) where we each share links to our new posts. We leave links to our new blog posts, plus the pin for the post, and then we share, comment on, and pin each other’s work. It’s a great way increase engagement on our own sites, plus it gives us each a built-in place to find posts to share on social media.

5. Motivation

My tribes are great at pushing me to try things I might not otherwise do. As a blogger, I tend to plan and research so much that I often delay implementing new ideas way past when I should. Having a group of like-minded women to blog with means they’re great about not letting me get away with “I’m thinking about…” They encourage me to take action and try new things, either because they’ve tried it and have seen success, or because they’re willing to get started right along with me.

6. Accountability

In my tribes, we share our goals for the month. The goals can be broad and month-long, like posting a certain number of times each week. They may be smaller and easier to accomplish, like creating a blog button or installing a particular plug-in. Most of us share three to five goals each month. By putting our plans out there on virtual paper, for our other tribe members to see, we’re asking for accountability, and we’re able to check in with each other throughout the month to make sure progress is being made toward those goals.

7. Friendship

You probably already have friends. But do those friends “get” blogging? Unless they’re bloggers themselves, they probably don’t. That’s why your tribe becomes a place where everyone understands the tightrope act of balancing blogging with everything else in your life. You inevitably become friends with your tribe members and you begin to celebrate all their victories, not just the blog-related ones.

It might seem strange to develop authentic friendships with women you’ve never met online, but that’s what happens when you’re honest with each other about your goals and dreams. Just like in-person friends, you want those people to succeed in all aspects of life.

I could go on and on about why you need a blogging tribe, but I’ll end with this: if you aren’t already part of one, change that ASAP. If you think your blog is too small, just find other bloggers of similar size and grow together. As soon as you get plugged in with your new squad, you’ll wonder why you ever waited so long.

Don’t forget to read my other blogging posts!

Are you in a tribe?