#31 WBGB ~ Week 9 ~ Participate In An Online Genealogy Group




I am following Tonia's Roots as she brings several GeneaBloggers through 31 weeks of working towards a better blog prompts written by Darren Rowse. 
Tonia's blog states~
Welcome to Week 9 of 31 Weeks to a Better Genealogy Blog!
Our topic this week is participating in online genealogy groups.  These could be forums, mailing lists, message boards, facebook groups, etc.

Why Should We Participate in Online Genealogy Groups?

There are three main reasons to participate in online communities:
  1. Profile Building – if you put consistent time into an online group, you can build a significant profile in the genealogy community.  Keep in mind the “What’s In It For Me” perspective of the other group members.  If you are able to provide value in the form of information, advice, or support, you are more likely to develop fans among the other members.
  2. Driving Traffic — when you provide value and become a resource to others in the forum, they will want to know more about you and will be more likely to click over to your blog.
  3. Understanding the genealogy niche – Not only will you learn about the genealogy niche that the forum pertains to, but also you’ll get a lot of ideas for topics to write about on your blog.  Keep your eyes open for questions being asked repeatedly and then write posts to answer them.

Finding Online Groups

There are plenty of groups around that you could participate in.  Some categories include:
  • Groups related to being or becoming a professional genealogist
  • Surname or locality groups
  • Genealogy software groups
Take a look at Ancestry’s message boards, Genforum’s forums, RootsWeb mailing lists, and GenealogyWise groups.  Also search Facebook for “genealogy groups.”  And don’t forget about Google – a search for “Genealogy Forums” will turn up other possibilities.

Action Items

  1. Join an online genealogy group that is geared toward one of your interests.  If you are already a member of one or more groups, then:
  2. Spend 10-15 minutes participating.  Notice the bold font.  Don’t just lurk.  Get in there and join the conversation.
  3. Tell us about your experience in the comments section:  a) what group(s) did you join (or what groups are you already a member of)? b) did you come out of lurkdom in any groups this week?

I understand this concept, I really do. Hang with people who are like-minded... learn, share, listen, participate. I have belonged to groups such as this before. 


I recently "introduced myself" under the introduction section over at Genealogy Wise as part of the National Institute For Genealogical Studies Social Media Class. That reminded me that I hadn't been very active over there for some time. I have participated in the Sweden group several times, and appreciate the hep I received there. So, as I went over to participate on Genealogy Wise, I actually saw a group entitled "Doolin Surname" which includes many spellings of the name. My great grandmother's surname being "Dulin," I felt a strong desire to ask for permission to join this group. I have belonged to an online genealogy based group for several years. It was a fun and great group, we took genealogy courses together and stayed together I think it has been 5 years now. It isn't as active as it once was but several of us have gone on to "blog-land." I am looking forward to participating more on Genealogy Wise, and with those attending classes at the National Institute For Genealogical Studies.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you success in all of your genealogical treasure hunts!







Copyright © 2011 By Cheryl Palmer All Rights Reserved

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