A secret ingredient powers relationship building and SEO work. Referrals are also possible.

It’s not something that I will keep secret. It’s linked. That is why the web is called the “web”.

Websites linking to you are confidence votes. 

This is the most difficult part of any SEO strategy. You need to get enough links from the right people.

1. You can link to great content
2. Building relationships with trustworthy web publishers

You’ll be bombarded with #1 advice. Today, I’ll talk about #2.

Building relationships is the most valuable resource you can have

By being online and sharing content, you can create a portfolio of assets.

Your website is probably hosted on your domain.

Your reputation can be the most valuable asset you have.

Are people aware of who you are? 

If the answer to either question is a large No, you have a relationship-building problem.

You must first be connected before you can build relationships.

Who are your content crushes

Only build a relationship with a publisher when you love their content ideas.

Due to the popularity of compelling stories, some people will have large audiences. There are active sites.

These people might not be your target audience. Help them find a home.

Is it their work? Is it their values?

Learning from a lot of work can make your work more interesting. Don’t copy, but be inspired by others.

Don’t try to make relationships work – be kind

People who are content-crushing should not be considered degenerate. They will be confused if they go straight to their site and start “squeezing over your shoes,” Pace Smith’s brilliant phrase.

Content creators share in our insecurity, preoccupations, and problems. Good people don’t want their good works treated as deities.

Don’t make your content a god. Get to know more about your topic.

Write about subjects. This is a great way for people to build relationships and have meaningful conversations. Discuss the post structure, visual details of YouTube tutorials, or the absurdity of the last rant.

We all have made the awkward squeeze. You can just move on to a better approach.

Create relationships with teachers by searching for them

We are unable to publish content because so many teachers teach both part-time and full-time.

A workshop or talk might be held at a conference. I believe that meeting people in person is more important than in the digital world.

We live in a digital age, so it is important to make connections online. See if they offer any online classes.

This will allow you to take a closer look at the work of these people and let you learn more about them.

Look for social playgrounds

Gary Shteyngart is an excellent writer.

I admire Salman Rushdie’s multilayered verbal embroidery.

I had the pleasure of witnessing them play handball on Twitter. In a dizzying rush, they were exchanging tweets back and forth. It was an amazing way to see language at its best.

Yes, I fangirled. )

Social media is a great place for creative people.

Many people love the simplicity and speed of Twitter.

Facebook hosts thriving groups that support nearly any type of endeavor, from Zentangle and Activism.

Where can you crush?

There are many other options. You can often play in the same sandbox. You might make a connection to your content crush. Either way, you’ll expand your ecosystem and strengthen your relationship-building skills.

Now, let’s get to the important part…

It is impossible to build a system from just one person.

I don’t judge people who dream of sailing away with their content. 

It is frustrating to try and communicate with just one person while completely disregarding the rest of the group

It is possible to build relationships with content crushes and also within the ecosystem. This is where you’ll often find the greatest value.

• This allows you to connect with support groups. 
• Students are connecting.
• Connect with other writers or experts

You may not be an expert yet. It takes lots of practice to create better content.

Working (and playing) within a creative ecosystem makes that relationship-building practice a lot more deliberate, and a lot more inspired.

You will find others with whom to share your passions as you grow. 

These relationship killers should not be taken lightly

I would think all of these things are obvious, but I’m constantly amazed by people.

Relationships take time, but they can easily fall apart. Keep the friendships that you have made by building good relationships.

• Don’t be annoyed by anyone in your network. Instead, speak privately with them.

• Beware of “Vaguebooking”, a method where people complain on Facebook without naming them.

• If you are given the chance to work with people, be honest and keep your promises.

• Don’t offer inferior work to others. Great material should be posted wherever you post your blog entries.

• Stop gossiping. It always returns to the person it is vilifying.

• It’s OK to say or do things that aren’t great. Not admitting your mistakes makes them worse.

You already know all of these relationship-building pointers, I’m sure, but reminders can be useful. Let’s take a look at how these ideas work in practice.

How do you build relationships?

Polly Professional currently has many activities. A YouTube video is due, Storysellingcopy needs to be written, an employee review must be conducted, and two Zoom calls with clients.

It happens. Ding.

Steve Stranger sent an email.

Although he may be a sales representative trying to arrange a meeting to discuss company solutions, it is obvious that he does not know anything about Polly or her role.

He may be searching for work. He is learning how to become a freelance writer even though he does not know much about the topic.

Worst: He may want to pick her brain.

Is time more valuable?

Polly grins, counts to 10, and deletes the message. 

Steve will not answer her emails.

Why? Steve didn’t respect her writing time. He didn’t do his homework.

It’s annoying for Polly but it’s death for Steve. We need to support one another in business.

Steve could spend preparing for this request. And Polly would be much more likely to consider it than Steve.

This is how to do your homework and not get lazy like Steve.

Tip 1: Get to know your employees

I can’t count the number of cold sales emails I have received from people who don’t know anything about me.

These are marked as spam and not the Polly type.

Take the time to get to know your potential contacts. This is an important step in building trust in relationships.

View their website, YouTube videos, podcasts, digital products, and any other content they have posted. 

What are their recurring themes and why? How do they differentiate themselves from others? Which language do they use?

What is their business model? Who are their customers?

Now, let’s get to the second point…

Tip 2: Get to know your audience

It’s common to take time to look at a company’s website.

Smart networkers know that this is only the beginning.

it’s the audience, regardless of whether you’re trying to reach a person or an entire company.

When approaching a blogger, these viewers are people who are interested in connecting with a YouTuber, a celebrity, or a customer.

Social media has made this easier than ever.

Can they leave comments on blogs? See them.

Are they on Facebook or LinkedIn? Tune in to the audience conversations there, not just what the influencer is saying.

You can socialize later, but it is possible. 

This audience will be your target audience. What problem are they trying to solve? What is the process?

Homework tip 3 – Play along

Although it may not always be available, it is worth the effort. 

What topic are your influencers and organizations spending the most time on?

Are you launching a new product? Do you have a promotion or challenge? Maybe they do a lot for charity.

Stay with what you can find online. It is a great way to build relationships.

Do your research to stand out.

This may seem like a lot of work. It isn’t as time-consuming to approach five people who have marketing ethics as it is to approach 100 monkeys that throw paintballs.

These five people are more likely to listen to you than your communication.

We’ll notify you because paintball after painting ball makes up the majority of our inboxes.

Building relationships is just one side of this equation

You now have a large network of acquaintances, friends, and professionals that write content about your topic.

That is correct.

Your content masterpiece doesn’t need to wait to be seen. 

You can inform your community about the work you’re doing. People should be able to see your content.

Be aware that relationships are wonderful, but they are just one part of the equation.

Building relationships won’t bring you any benefits if there isn’t something worth linking to.