In over a year since I have been blogging, I have come across some awesome people. When I didn’t know much about blogging, I still was able to meet some great people along the way to help, inspire and teach me what it means to network. Each week I want to feature men and women in the Blogger Spotlight that has inspired, taught and supported both myself and other bloggers. Introduce Yourself to Susan:  Please comment, visit Susan and keep the support flowing to every blogger you know!

Please introduce yourself and tell us about your blog?

My name is Susan Silver and I am a contractcopywriter. It is a fancy way of saying that I have done contract writing for blogs. It is has been a lot of fun and now I am taking on other projects like landing pages and email. My personal blog is Cirquedumot, which is a funny title. It translates to “Circus of the Word” which is how I envision digital media. Everything out there, including my blog, is a tool of communication. I want to teach my audience how to make those tools work for them with real applications instead of generalizations.

What most influenced you to launch your business?

100% my support network. I started off writing in 2010 as a way to work in the bad economy. It really blossomed for me and I find some awesome friends that support my writing. Now I take what I do online much more seriously as a real career option.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced so far with your blog?

Building an email list. I made the number one mistake of new bloggers, I didn’t set up a newsletter option. It is a great sales tool, but I guess I haven’t given the right pitch for people to sign up. I think I need to give an incentive, something for free, that is of value to my audience. Then win them over by sending good content their way.

What role do social media play in your blogging life?

It is my main source for promotion. SEO is a large part of the online world, but if you are just starting out, it isn’t that reliable for traffic. You kind of have to claw your way to the top sometimes. That is why I prefer Social media. It gives me a direct line to my readership and I can connect on a personal level. That makes my audience more engaged and it has helped me to build my subscriber base.

How has blogging affected your career?

At the moment, it seems to be my career. I don’t begrudge that at all. While I do want to move into full-time work, I am getting great experience in the trenches. I know how to connect with other bloggers and that is an asset for the advertising/marketing world.

What advice would you give to aspiring bloggers?

Stay motivated! I had a previous blog last year that went bustinJune 2010. I was really devastated because it was becoming an outstanding blog in its niche. I was interviewing people from Klout and Oneforty and having fun. Then my co-founder get a job and told me that she had to shut the blog down. I didn’t want to come back from that. I almost quit entirely, but an acquaintance told me not to give up. So, I reformulated and started working on Cirquedumot . It can take a year or more to find your tribe, but stick with it.

What aspect of social media has helped your business?

How easy it is to find contact information for people. I have had some success reaching out to the so-called “gurus” for advice. If you respect their time and send an email straight to the point they will help you. It has been awesome to get even a one sentence response from someone I admire. I never reach out for promotion, but to build relationships and knowledge. I think that is the key thing you have to remember about social media. I think of it this way. The Me in Social Media doesn’t refer to you, but to them. All the other me’s out there struggling to be heard. Help them along and you will get much more in return. I don’t see bloggers as competitors, because we all have our own style even on the same topics. So, I guess then the real answer to this question is networking! In Real Life and Online Life.

What would you say is the single biggest reason for your success?

Understanding the cycles related to news. Don’t pander to it, but be aware of the trends going on around you. Readalot! Industry blogs, friend’s blogs, and people outside your niche. Try to get a pulse on what matters to people, and put your spin on it. You don’t want to be the first person to publish a piece of news. You want to be the reference that someone puts in their blog to talk about the news. That means you need to have an awareness and be able to translate that for your audience.

If you could step back in time to when you were just starting out, what advice would you give yourself knowing what you know now?

Don’t worry, be happy. It sounds trite, but I have stressed a lot over the idea that I will be able to make money from what I am doing now. I am not making as much as I would like, but that comes with time. Right now I am focused on getting out there with my writing and getting on people’s radars. I think that is going to be the first step for my copywriting business. Writing guest posts for blogs that cater to advertisers, marketers, and small business. All potential clients.

Do you have any big projects in the works?

I just entered my first ever Blogging Contest! It is being held by Genuine SEO and I am very excited. I wrote my entry about a topic important to bloggers, promotingyourcontent. I use a strategy based on leveraging many small but tight-knit groups. The power of tribes is unbelievable, and you need to know how to find and connect with them. I also have an ebook that it almost ready for beta readers that should be a boon for writers who need help with coding.

What websites to you visit most?

• Tentblogger
• 12most
• IdeaMensch
• Heidi Cohen
• Smashing Magazine

What is the best way for our readers to learn more about you or contact you for more information?

I keep a listing of all my social media accounts on Google Plus . My preference for contact has always been Twitter, and I monitor my feed while I am working. It is the quickest way to reach me, so send me a tweet @susan_silver and say hello! I also have an email contact form at http://cirquedumot.com/contact/. Thank you Susan for being apart of this series!