Missed the first posts in this series? Check them out here.
10. Give Generously
I’m going to let you in on a little secret here: Want to know one of the best ways I’ve grown my blog? By promoting other people.
It might seem counter-intuitive, but it’s not. When you live your life with outstretched arms, you are richly blessed in return. You shouldn’t give so that you’ll get blessings — because otherwise it’s not true giving at all! — but I guarantee that you will lead a much more fulfilled and joyful life if you spend your life pouring it out for others.
Promote Others
Don’t keep a good thing to yourself!
If you find another great blog post, pass on the link. If you read a great ebook written by another blogger, share it. Not only is this a great way to have endless blog fodder, but your readers will appreciate the great finds you pass along.
Go out of your way to look for ways to build up and encourage other bloggers. You’ll be blessed and inspired in return!
Share Your Knowledge
If you’ve learned a great tip or trick, freely share it with your fellow bloggers. I can’t tell you how many great ideas I’ve gleaned from people who were willing to share their knowledge. And I find so much joy in being able to share ideas and tricks I’ve learned along way with others, too.
You know what I’ve found? Not only is it a lot of fun to freely share ideas, but it also tends to fuel new inspiration for future blog posts and strategies. The more that I pour out to others, the more I seem to be inspired myself.
Blog For Something Bigger Than Yourself
What is your purpose for blogging? Can I challenge you to make it something that is bigger than yourself? Blogging for income or fame won’t give you the lasting satisfaction and fulfillment that blogging for a bigger purpose will.
Maybe you want to encourage people, share practical ideas, inspire others to be givers, motivate people to rethink their positions on something… or a host of other things. There is so much amazing good that can be done through blogging.
At the end of your life, the money you made won’t matter. The house you lived in won’t matter. The car you drove won’t matter. The clothes you wore won’t matter. What will matter is the lives you impacted and the people you invested in.
Be a generous blogger. Catch a vision for what your unique gifts are to bring to the world and then go invest your life into things that matter! I promise that this will give you more amazing motivation, momentum, and fulfillment than you may have ever dreamed was possible.
Catherine says
Hello Crystal! These couldn’t have come at a better time! I love all these tips. I just started a blog a few days ago and while I’m not new at it I am new at letting the world see my writing. I was glad to see that I have unintentionally been doing a few of these already:-) I do have a question though. How would I go about adding your badge to my blog on WordPress?
Kathleen says
Question: when you share someone’s blog post in your own blog post, and you use their photo to promote their post, do you need to get their official permission? I feel like I’ve noticed quite a bit of that here at MSM, and I’d like to do it, too. In fact, there’s a MSM post I’d like to share, but am hesitant to use a photo without permission. And I’m sure busy, successful bloggers don’t have the time to respond to inquiries from random bloggers about using their photo to promote the post.
Suggestions? (Thanks!)
Crystal says
There are mixed thoughts on that one. I’m okay with using one photo if I’m using it in a way that is promoting another blogger and encouraging people to go click over and read more. I feel like it’s the same as giving a teaser quote from an article and encouraging people to click over and read the whole thing.
But say if I was using someone else’s photo along with my recipe or something, I would definitely ask permission before doing so.
The one exception to this is if the photo is posted on Flickr or another photo sharing site and has permissions set that you may repost it.
{Feel free to email me or comment about the post/photo you were thinking of linking to and I can let you know if it would be the kind of thing I wouldn’t think you’d need to ask permission for.}
Wendy Jahns says
Beautiful! Fresh! Thanks Crystal, I’m still inspired by you.
Wendy Jahns says
Great Character. May God multiply your talents as you share them. Thanks again 😉
Heather says
I really appreciate that you share your blogging tips so generously with others. Your site has really helped me out in trying to get my own blog off the ground. 🙂
Kate SDDS says
Thank you for this series! And thank you for being the first blogger to let me write for you! I cannot express properly what an encouragement that was – that MSM would allow me some of their air space =) I also am always encouraged by how much you and your family give back – you are a light! I know many people come here simply to save money, but I believe you are softening hearts and encouraging folks to see the bigger picture at the same time. Thank you for all you do!
Melissa @ Freeing Imperfections says
I absolutely love this tip! This is something I used to be a lot better about doing. It’s really true that if you promote others, others will promote you too. What you give comes back to you ten fold, usually. Being generous, to me, is so much more important than being all about yourself. Nobody wants to read about that!
Jo Lynn says
I have loved this series. The whole series has been really encouraging and full of really good ideas. This last post here takes the cake though. Your genuineness regarding generosity can really be felt through your posts and the things you share from and about others. Thank you for doing this series and for being such a great example and sharing so much with your readers.
Simon @ Modest Money says
Couldn’t agree more Crystal. I think its a law of life or the universe, give and ye shall receive and you sure can’t receive more when you are still clinging to the little you have 🙂
You touch on a very key point in the post: Blogging with a purpose! Honestly, when blogging for money and fame you can burn out quite fast or getting bored, the passion is not there, but when you have a higher purpose, you are passionate, energetic and full of ideas…simply a powerful concept!
Nicki Schroeder says
Crystal, Your advice has truly been a blessing to me. I just started blogging again this past month and have been putting into practice so many of your wonderful tips. Your series couldn’t have come at a better time for me. You put so much heart, passion and soul into this site and it truly shows. THANK YOU! 🙂
jennifer says
This makes perfect sense, we can grow our blogs the same way we can grow as people–in service and celebration of others. Thanks for this series, it was really helpful.
Johanna Henderson says
I am not a blogger, but have truly blessed by your blog and so many others that have shared on your website 🙂 Thanks!!
Tanya @ Blogelina says
Crystal, I just wanted to stop by and say “thank you” so much for “practicing what you preach”! You’re an amazing example of helping out other people through your blog – and an inspiration to others to do the same! I know I’m not the only one that you’ve allowed God to bless through your blog! Praying He continues to bless you richly, too!