Ok Mark, you just put me in the same list as Mark, the bacon and sex guy. I blog about cartoon characters and wine.

I am the first one to say, its the company you keep Mark and thank you for being there for me since day one.

The more I look into blogging the more I think it is really all about the people, and not just any people. You mention Trolls, yes there are some of them out there but there are not important. The special folks you mention are important. They care, they share, they help each other.

Have the people in my community impacted my blogging efforts? Well they are the reason I write, they support my efforts and they always have my back. Now I just want to make sure I can do the same for them.

Now back to my usual programming of cartoons and wine. Ola Mark!

You guys kinda balance each other out : )

Have to agree with your input John. Just keep your head down and build on the good : )

There’s some interesting synergies and relationships developing… I’m sure it will eventually lead to some interesting opportunities in the near future.

Thanks for your continued support John.

I’m just trolling. You missed a comma.

Ha! You didn’t think I would pass by without more response than that, did you? Thanks for saying it, Mark, because I was just about to bust out my discipline stick to rap some trolls on the head, myself.

LOL!

Crap, now I have to find where I left it out!

Take it easy Mark, most don’t know any better

You lost me in your 2nd paragraph when you used the word “retard.” Really? All credibility went right out the window. Sorry.

Likewise. If you are aiming to make THIS blog awesome, you should definitely omit that word because you lost my interest right away.

You Know Rhea – it’s one of those honest mistakes a young writer makes that when it’s pointed out, you just shake your head, promise yourself you’ll never make it again.

I’m almost tempted to change it, but I think it might be better to leave as an example of what is not appropriate and how to take correction.

It was an honest mistake in bad taste (attempt at humor), no excuses.

Thanks for taking the time out to share this, I’m very thankful. Geez, a horrible first impression, I probably won’t see you again, but just know this lesson will never be forgotten. My apologies for the offense.

I’m going to take your advice Cheryl… I just wasn’t sure if that would just make it worse than it already does. Changing and thank you for taking your time for the suggestion.

Great content makes a great blog and the community help you to grow your blog in no time. Thanks for sharing the wonderful article.

Wow Mark, I arrive here to read the next piece of awesome content, and I find a mention. Like a gift-wrapped box of chocolates. Thanks man

I admit, I’ve been indirectly using your approach to finding new bloggers; if I read an awesome content which ‘grabs’ me, I’ll head over and check this cool person out. I did it with John Falchetto, I did it with Davina Brewer, I did it with Danny Brown, and if I’m not mistaken, I did it with you Mark

Thanks for the kind words you’ve said about me since we’ve known each other, you’re a true gent

Mark, I saw that word and I though oops. I guess we are from an older generation which wasn’t raise with PC words.

I have never seen the word retard as an insult to people who were challenged. Rather I always saw it as an insult to people who were acting very stupid and had a backward behavior.

My cousin is mentally challenged and I don’t take offense when people use that word because I look at the context and the meaning.

There is always the letter of the law and the spirit and in this case the word might not be the most appropriate but the spirit is absolutely not offensive.

Mark is one of the most generous and kind man I know and I never doubted for one second that he meant to be insulting to some people.

If we are told which words we can or can’t use I say F@@#) that, I lived in countries where speaking out your mind could land you in jail or worst and I will never tell anyone not to use a word or another.
Omitting words? Jeez

Oh, by the way Mark, don’t sweat your little “R word”. It didn’t offend me any. I don’t whip this out very often, but I lose 1,000 readers every time I say “fucktard”. I also gain 1,500 readers every time I say “fucktard”.

Be reminded that the spirit of a word is far more important than the words themselves. People who find themselves offended by a word for the word itself are often just a little more righteous than sensible.

Intent matters a lot, and I realized your intent. Here is an example of using an array of words that many people hate. Are they so despicable in my usage? I apparently don’t think so. This is a quote from my 2009 book “Living in the Storm”:

“If you find that you are more offended by words like jerk, creep, fag, queer, dummy, shorty, fatass, idiot, moron, nigger, chink, coolie, gook, wap, spic, beaner, hymie, kike, bog, or others, than you are inspired to overcome and conquer these despicable standards of hatred and demoralization, then you may as well accept them.”

I appreciate that John, I should have known better, now I do!

I wrote it, proof read the post a dozen times before hitting publish and it just didn’t register. It took me all of a split second to realize my error and thanks to Rhea and Cheryl, I’ll never have to apologize for that again!

It’s one of those lessons nobody likes to learn.

Have a great day sir!

A bit speechless Mark, but I get the gist of your quote. As you know, I’m a bit new to actually attempting to write content that actually means something.

I have ton’s to learn and I’ll just chalk this post up to one of those learning lessons I won’t soon forget.

You’ve made sure of that!

Thanks for popping over and lending some support, I appreciate that.

Hey there Stu, I don’t throw praise around lightly. I wouldn’t mention you in this fashion if wasn’t absolutely sure people would be moved by your work. It’s important, and you make a difference.

That’s what folks need to connect with so they experience aspects of how their blogging efforts can impact others.

I’m certain you’ve made some solid connections with the people you’ve mentioned in your reply (Interesting idea you’ve pointed out for a post). They’re like you Stu… super smart people who genuinely care and can enhance you’re overall life/ blogging experience.

Now these are the kind of bloggers worth connecting with!

Thanks for your continued support Stu, it’s much appreciated : )

And thank you Vivek for taking the time to share a piece of you mind here, I appreciate it.

Have a great day sir!

John,

You make an excellent point about community and having your back. I always say you know you’ve built something good when you don’t have to worry about readers respecting each other’s point of view, because anyone that is an idiot will soon be weeded out.

And an awesome community is clearly something the likes of you, Marcus, Mark, Gini and everyone else mentioned in this post has.

You’re speaking my language, Mark. It’s all about contribution. Sure, what goes around comes around, but mostly when you stop thinking about what’s coming around!

I’ve found new bloggers in exactly that way, too. That’s how I found you – thank goodness for this!

Okay, this is (with no word of a lie) quite possibly the best post I’ve read on what makes an awesome blog, mate.

You have it bang on the money with the community angle. People say, “Yeah, community, it’s a pipe dream for hippies.”

Really?

- Your customers are your community (business blog).
- Your constituents are your community (non-profit blog)
- Your employees are your community (internal blog)
- Your fans are your community (musician blog)
- Your townsfolk are your community (political blog)

Community isn’t just about tree hugging and pipe smoking. Get your community right – AND look after them – and you’ll get the results you want from your blog (sales, donations, profit, etc).

Cheers, sir, great read!

Hey guys … I happened upon this YouTube video and just had to share! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc86ZXFsriM

I’ll take that from you Danny any day of the week. Over the last nearly 3 years we’ve been connected, I’ve learned and grown as an individual, much of that thanks to you.

I’m a bit slow as you know, and have only recently really dove all the way into the “community,” and I can clearly see how looking after the people and communities you’ve develop have taken you to the top of your game.

I can also see for you it’s not about reigning over anything, it’s just a perspective you operate from and a responsibility you take serious. Leaders are drawn to that and it’s no surprise that your community if filled with thought-leaders and quality people all the way around.

I love how you expanded the application of community. It’s everyone that you’re connected to, whether virtually or otherwise. It’s our existence and how we interact and express ourselves to the world in which we live. It sounds deep, but it’s not. Its reality and how you approach blogging will be how the virtual world and/ or real world view who you are as a person. There really is no difference. The real you will come out, even more so, through your writing.

Thanks for being part of my life Danny, it has meant more than you know – cheers mate!

Hi Danny – the feelings are mutual my friend. I have only just recently subscribed to your blog and it’s very cool that we’ve connected.

I like to surround myself with super smart people who desire to change the world through their work and from what I’ve seen, you’re going to leave a big mark!

So cheers to you my friend and I’m ecstatic that we’re going to get to know each other better.

Cheers to you Danny!

We can’t please everyone and if we are trying to then I think there is something wrong.

In any case, I got your six.

LOL – Mark, you absolutely kill me!

Mark,

I hate Trolls. They have bad hair and always are harassing people trying to pass over bridges. What is their problem? I had a big problem with this very thing. I actually was in a deep deep conversation with Jk telling him about how I was going to remove comments from my site. I got tired of people using me to build backlinks and not build relationships. He thankfully talked me out of it because he understood the power that building community has.

There stil are a lot of trolls out there but there are also great people who are genuinely interested not only in your blog but the person behind it. If I comment on your site it is because I found value in what you have written and I want to get to know you. I don’t have time to waste making useless connections. To me a community is a group of individuals working together to build and develop on another. We challenge each other, give honest feedback, and pass on best practices.

It took me a long time to learn this valuable lesson because for months when I started I was investing a lot of time making kids solve my riiddles. (Grumpy ole troll from Dora the Explorer)

Great Post Mark

Hi Mark – late the party! I tell you, it’s been such a busy week. Monday was all nice and relaxed, but once Tuesday hit – it HIT HARD!

But I’m back on the grind and happy to here.

When I think of an awesome blog, I think it carries every element that you personally have here. Great content (check), great comments/conversation (check), great continuation/replies to comments (check), great promotion of others (check), real relationships and connections (check), and a consistent feel/tone (check).

As for myself – I think I’m slowly getting better at each. One area that I only recently started to adapt is promoting others. I’ve learned this through you, Marcus, Griddy, John F and Danny B and even Stu Mills (who featured me in a piece about blog commenting!). You all do a great job and cross promoting. It’s now apart of my MO. I’m not trying to shine in a light by myself, I want my entire network to feel it too. And that’s exactly how you make it happen.

It’s amazing how fast you’ve climbed the ranks Mark. It goes to show. It’s not just about writing. It’s about writing with a purpose driven by adding value.

Thanks for being a great leader and example.
And of course….thanks for the mentions!

Hey Frank, yes, Jk gave some stellar advice here. I’m sure you saw this quote from @John Falchetto above as well;

“You mention Trolls, yes there are some of them out there but there are not important. The special folks you mention are important. They care, they share, they help each other.”

Hmm, Frank, I do believe you two of are like minds… those of us who share the same mindset are experiencing the value of community. Once you get a taste of that, everything you create and do will be to support people you care about.

That’s a worthy and wealthy purpose for blogging my friend. It’s hard to imagine anyone would be actively be involved in blogging for any other reason, but many just either don’t get it, or won’t bare their soul to another to experience the magic of be part of something bigger than themselves.

Cheers to this journey we’re on together Frank, I pretty excited about the future for all of us.

Late? You’re right on time my man : )

You’ve definitely added some great elements here for what creates an awesome blog Jk. Wish I could rewrite my post. No need though, the community can see this as plainly as I can and I’m going to keep these elements in my mind as I continue to build my presence.

As far as you and the others mentioned in this post, I can clearly see how it is elevating everyones work and progress. We are all slowly reflecting the strengths of each other. That’s pretty darn cool eh?

I admit it, I have big ideas and dreams… that vision is driven by a desire to change the world for the better. I am more certain than ever that by making the right connections with like-minded solid people who share similar aspirations, we can make the world a better place.

It’s great to hear from you this morning Jk, thanks for popping in sharing a piece of you mind here : )

Hey Mark,
You know I’ve never heard it put that way! I love it. A blog isn’t about the blog itself. It’s about the community. I think that’s one of the things I love the most about the smaller blogging circles. It IS community. It’s not a troll fest or comment parade. People connect. Get to know one another. Support one another. And it’s those blogs that I enjoy the most. You nailed this one!

Hi Marlee, it’s great to see you here today.

Those giant blogs you see out there like Chris Brogan or a Danny Brown all started with community. It’s a bit harder to invest yourself into thousands of people, although the two folks I mentioned certainly get a lot of work done!

I just look forward to working with people like you and others we’re mutually connected to. Ultimately, if we just keep our down, work our behinds off and surround ourselves with the right people, the sky is truly the limit on how far anyone cares to go.

I am absolutely sure that there are those in this little community who are absolutely going to hit it out of the park with their work and I’m thrilled to part of their journey. I expect you to right there miss : )

Make it a great Thursday Marlee!

Mega dittos Danny, well said.

Wonderfully done Mark.

For about a year, when I started writing my blog, I wrote decent stuff but got no traffic. So did I have an awesome blog then? Nope, note even close.

For the last 4 or 5 months, I’ve continued to write decent stuff, but now I get tons of traffic and visitors and all that stuff. So is the blog awesome now? Yeah, I’d like to think so, but the only difference between the two, so as to verify exactly what you said above, is the fact that today I have a community that absolutely rocks. I care about them, they care about me, and together we’re crushin it. Kinda like a tidal wave of awesome people looking to reach the same goal.

So yes, it’s all about community and finding like-minded people who ‘get it’, and share the same abundance mentality.

Love what I’m seeing here Mark. Huge growth. Tons of comments. GREAT community. And proud to be a part of it myself.

Marcus

Marcus, I’ve learned more from you about building community than from any other single resource. As you know, I’m a bit of a green horn here, and connecting with you has been a godsend : )

As a result, I’ve met many other great like-minded folks who are doing some amazing work and I believe some of the folks in both of our community’s have made some strong connections as well.

If you’re part of this tight nit group of great folks, you really can’t help but make some good progress with your blogging efforts.

I won’t miss a SalesLion post and I just look forward to my continuing education from one of the finest bloggers/ human beings on the planet : )

Thanks for all you do Marcus.

I’m with you Mark on the growing through a connection with Danny Brown – I could go on and on about that.

I’m also with Danny on his comment about the greatness of this blog post. Something very special here.

Your thoughts on community – powerful, inventive, top notch.

How in the world is this my first time here to your blog?

I’m in!

Hi Frank – it’s so good to see you here sir. And cheers to our mutual friend Mr. Danny Brown. He’s a pretty cool cat and one decent human being.

I’m a bit new to this blogging stuff Frank, so I’m sure that is the reason this is the first visit. I started this blog the first of this year, so I have a ways to go yet…

I’ve jotted some stuff down on some free platforms, but it wasn’t a serious effort to blog and connect with others through blogging. It was just a place people could find out more about me if they wanted to from my main social platform which was and still is Twitter. That’s where Danny and I hooked up a few years ago.

Thank you for your kind words of support Frank. Your work over on For Blogger By Bloggers is exceptional and it’s been a great resource to learn how to blog. I’ve only recently subscribed to FrankDickinson.me, so I’ll be popping over there as well.

I excited to be seeing more of you in the blogosphere : )

[...] Blogs referenced above addressing blog trolls: What Makes A Blog Awesome? by Mark Harai Bring IT! What Are Your Blogging Pet Peeves? by Ingrid [...]

Hey Mark,
I absolutely agree it’s about the community. You can write your heart out but it only gets good when people come and get in the conversation.

I think there is a balance between content and community members. If you don’t have good content, the people won’t come back, and shouldn’t no matter how much you might support their blogs. I want authentic feedback, not compliments, and please don’t throw me a bone. If I can’t provide what it takes to have you fall in love with my blog either we’re not a match or I haven’t done my job. I want to build a community of people who rally around our topic and enjoy chewing it out together. Life.
Thanks for this!
Lori
P.S. NO WAY are you new to this blogging stuff! You’re a pro in my books!

Hi Lori – thanks for taking the time to share here, its much appreciated!

And, I agree with you, you need to create content that is relevant and moving to the community. Otherwise there won’t be much to have a conversation about.

But, you also have to personable, transparent, and real with people. I think right here is where many bloggers stumble a bit. It’s not a comfortable thing to put yourself out there not knowing if you’ll be accepted or appreciated.

That’s where people miss it the most. If you’re being real, people will be attracted to you. There’s like-minded folks out there just itching to connect with genuine. It’s not being real that you’ll find yourself struggling with your efforts.

I’m really excited about connecting with you Lori and chewing on somethings : )

I love to surround myself with smart capable folks I can learn from. I appreciate all you do and will see you soon!

As a newbie blogger, I appreciated the write-up. As I have started following other bloggers, content and presentation style….not beautiful grammatically correct prose…is what attracts me.

Hey Brian, it’s great to meet you, welcome to the party.

I’m a bit new to blogging myself, so we have our work cut out for us. Make sure you check out the folks in this comment stream. If you’re about adding value to the community, you just hit pay dirt. These folks are going places quickly and If you jump in the conversation, connect with those folks you jell well with, it will be a big boost to your efforts.

Hope to see more of you here and I will try to find you on some other platforms and see what you’re up to.

Have a great weekend : )

I loved this article. Many of the items were obvious, but at the same time the one that resonates with me is the community. I feel it hard to build a community from scratch. Sure, you can have the social media outlets, your blog, etc.. but the ability to keep people commenting, engaged, etc.. is priceless!

Hi Mark,

I’m learning that an awesome community makes for an awesome blog. Building retention to your blog from the blogging community who leave added value content in their comments. We all leave other comments that were left on a blog before we leave our comment. An awesome community for your blog becomes a place for viewers to meet and discuss things aka your blog post.

I’m still trying to grow my awesome community.

Greaat post

Hi Mark,

Well said! I’ve always thought blogging to be all about the community and the interaction between yourself and your readers (as well as other bloggers). After all, without a loyal following, you really have no blog.

But it was only recently (the last couple of months) that I finally got it. I’ve been blogging for about a little over a year now, and over the course of that year, I haven’t really made an impact until now.

Why? It all boils down to networking – building relationships and watching those relationships grow. Essentially, building a community and reaching out toward others in and outside of your community. And once you’ve mastered this one step, only then can your blog truly mature and flourish. The sooner you start, the faster you’ll grow.

It took me about a year to get it, but once I did, I can’t get enough of it. There’s nothing like the feeling of being part of a community of friends who care about you and who you care about.

And, in a way, my blog feels like a second home.

Thanks for the inspiration, Mark! You hit it right on the nail.

Christina

Mark,

It took a while for me to get comments on my blog and as a blogger you feel quite lonely. It feels like all your good writing just doesn’t get noticed.

But by commenting on other sites…eventually people find your site and start to comment.

Some of the comments I get are awesome. I love the ones where it makes me take action…it could be feedback, an improvement, an ideal for my next post.

Andrew

I am 100% with you Christina. There’s something very special about a solid, motivated group of people who connect in a meaningful way. The next evolution will be the financial rewards that come from contributing value to other people’s lives.

There is so much to be done, so little people at this point in the grand scope of things doing it right and so much opportunity to establish and build a valuable social footprint that many people can benefit from.

We just need to keep our heads down, write our hearts out, serve up value to the community, connect with others in meaningful ways and everything will fall in line like we always dreamed they would.

Sounds like a fairy-tale, eh Christina???

Let’s make this one come to life : )

I really appreciate your contributions here and I’ll be supporting your efforts as well. Have a wonderful day!

Hi Chelsea, it’s so good to see you here : )

We’re all striving to build awesome in the community. I don’t that process will ever end with blogging. There’s always room for improvement, things we can do better, new opportunities to help others in unique ways.

As you’re probably aware, there are some stellar folks in this little community who are shaking up the blogging world and what they do best is help folks out who are driven to contribute value to the community.

If you haven’t already, you should jump into the conversation on these folks blogs, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed ; )

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts here, I appreciate it very much. I look forward to sharing in the community much more in the near future.

Cheers!

Hello ?

Thank you for sharing here, I hope to learn your name at some point ; )

A strong thriving community is made up of strong relationships, especially small bloggers that haven’t blown up to hundreds of thousands of readers yet. They can get away with not connecting in meaningful ways per se and their content is superb.

However, everyone of them got started with a smaller community of tight knit folks who cared deeply for one another. You can’t build community without strong connections with people you care about.

Develop relationships like these and you’ll start experiencing and building priceless.

I hope we can stay connected so I can introduce you around to some awesome people who are building community in this fashion. It truly is awesome!

Cheers to you!

Hi Mark,

This is the first time I am at your blog, although I have seen you all over the place.

I haven’t focused enough on things like networking and building a community – because I haven’t had the time (I am writing a novel). Well, I thought I didn’t have the time, so instead of putting building a community on top of my priorities, I was writing content.

Like you said, a blog is nothing without awesome people. I don’t have a business model for my blog, other than that I am going to be using it to launch my first novel.

By the way, I have just subscribed to your blog and will continue to read every new blog post.

- Jens

Hi Jens, I have just sub’d to your blog too : )

I’ve been seeing all over the blogosphere. You’re plugging into the right communities and adding valuable comments and input.

It will be very interesting to see what a valuable community can do for a novel. I’m looking forward to supporting your efforts on this : )

I look forward to getting to know you better and learning and sharing in the community Jen’s — thanks you so much for reaching out today, it’s very cool indeed.

Have a great day!

HI Mark,

First I want to thank you for visiting my blog and I knew I would end up here due to how many times I’ve heard your name mentioned on some of the awesome blogs I follow. I knew I would have to check you out and I’m glad I did.

Okay, I LOVE this topic and let me tell you why! I started commenting on blogs just a few months ago with the sole purpose of receiving more traffic. Boy, was I ever surprised at the learning experience I continue to receive. AND, the awesome people I’ve met and now have formed some of the most amazing relationships with in such a short time. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to have run across so many people in the blogging community who really in truly are eager to reach out to me just because. Of course, I really enjoy doing the same which is why I believe we’ve had that instant connection.

I visit just a few of the blogs you mentioned above but I understand what you mean by being involved in a wonderful blogging community. They continue to inspire me each and every day.

Thanks for sharing this post with us and again, it’s a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

Adrienne

Hi Adrienne, I appreciate you stopping by and lending words of support and inspiration. As you’re probably aware, I just launched this blog the first of this year, so I’m very much new to this as well.

The relationships and connections I’ve made over the last couple of years on Twitter has helped me get some traction, but it has been jumping in conversations with cool bloggers that has been one rewarding experience that has led to friendships I value greatly.

I hope we can make this connection a productive one as well. I love to surround myself with capable, smart, caring people who know how to get things done, and I know that shoe fits you well : )

Cheers to the community and you Adrienne!

Mark, Thank you for this very helpful blog post. As a new blogger, I have been focusing a bit too much on proper grammer, spelling, etc. and not enough on community. I have learned through trial and error that my blog does much better when I maintain an upbeat tone through my writing. My blog is about helping non-techies learn about the wonders of personal technology and, while I knew not to use geek-speak, I have underestimated what a difference a positive attitude makes.

This post has really helped me focus on the important part of blogging: community. I loved your sentence: “Blogging is not about creating great content that stands alone, but rather content others can expand upon and contribute to.” You’re right, that’s the difference between blogging and writing essays and throwing them in a drawer.

I, too, have been overwhelmed by the warmth and support of the blogging community. I have asked questions to bloggers about many aspects of blogging and have received helpful, intelligent and insightful answers every time.

Thanks to Adrienne (who is one of the bloggers who has kindly helped me) for tweeting your blog and leading me to a new favorite!

Hi Carolyn — Wow, what a great comment to receive : )

I am moved by your words here, they are beautifully written!

Now that you’ve invested yourself fully in to the community, there’s no limit to high you can go. You’ve got the chops and the heart to accomplish great things.

I hope I get to share in your journey… I’m off to see if there are some other platforms we can connect in.

Thank you for this thoughtful reply Carolyn.

I love comments from readers that challenge my way of thinking. My readers are so much smarter and articulate than I am, but learning from them really helps me step up my game—not just because I’m “hanging” with them, but because I know their expectation is that I be on my “A” game every post.

Community is key! You’re so right on this.

I love this comment Steve and your way of thinking.

It’s so true, while it takes great effort to churn out an article that will get the community contributing, the depth of the topic isn’t amplified until the community weighs in.

That’s where the gold is ; )

Have a great Sunday Steve and thanks for popping in and sharing a piece of you mind here sir : )

Great article Mark! My first visit to your blog. I have been following Marcus Sheridan and read one of his blogs that directed me over here. I appreciate your thoughts on building community – something that Marcus does really well too, and something that I am working on. I look forward to reading more of your stuff.
Brent

Hi Brent, thanks for stopping by. Marcus S. is one of the sharpest guys in social media/ inbound marketing. One of the nicest guys you’ll find online.

Best to you with your social media endeavors ; )

I am the first one to say, its the company you keep Mark and thank you for being there for me since day one.

My apologies, I’m not sure who the author of this comment is!

I appreciate this comment very much though, and I am happy to support awesome people and meaningful work : )

Cheers!