This is post was written by Gary Kohler from LifeCover.

There are some local communities that are not served by mainstream media news due to their minimal size or far-reaching location.

Keeping up on news and events in these regions can be difficult and relying on the weekly paper may be the only way of getting “current” news. Some traditional media outlets also place restrictions on the type of content they can publish. With a bit of work, your local blog can remedy these minor injustices and help you gain a following within your community.

Writing great content, and lots of it, is always the most important part. The following steps will help you take your community blog to the next level and allow you to get the traffic you’re hoping for. read more

SeededBuzz is a site that promises to help bloggers promote themselves.

Blog posts are promoted using what are called Seeds, which are summaries of a blog post that has been written on a topic that you think other bloggers may want to also write about. The idea is other bloggers read these Seeds, get inspired and write about the same topic, and link to the Seed owners post in doing so.

The blogger that has then written about the Seed can then submit their post on the same page as the Seed that inspired them, under what is called Buzz. The idea is both Seeds and Buzz attract visitors and link.

As a way of discovering new topics to write about this looks like a great idea. Seeds that have attracted Buzz and valuable backlinks should also find that their search engine rankings get a welcome boost. Quality links are never easy to come by.

Other community features I like include the ability to receive and offer Guest Posts, and the tagging of Seeds that inspired you for a later date. read more

Smoke signals. They were effective in ancient China when soldiers needed to communicate over the Great Wall. But send one up today and your message will go up in – well – smoke. Getting the attention of a blogger you would like to work with or for is no easy task. Life feels like one big cluttered inbox. Here are a few ways to cut through the noise.

1) Write about them. Bloggers are not a vain bunch, but they do check their referring traffic on a regular basis. Insult them on your Website and they will defend their honor. Compliment them and they will be thankful.

2) Ask them for help. It’s a generalization but I’m going to go there anyhow; people love to hear themselves talk. read more