Lots of blogs exist. In 2014 many new blogs will start and many old blogs will crumble. So what’s the magic recipe for success? I don’t know.
There are a few things you could do this year to make things work for you, however. These include:
Alright, let’s just not waste time today and dive right into it, huh?
There are a few things you could do this year to make things work for you, however. These include:
- Setting your blog’s tone;
- Drawing generational lines;
- Defining your blog’s following;
- Establishing a commenting policy;
- Choosing your economic fence;
- Putting a promo policy into place;
- Clearing your bookmarks;
- Establishing an author platform;
- Coloring your language;
- Throwing it all to the wind;
Alright, let’s just not waste time today and dive right into it, huh?
Setting Your Blog’s Tone
Who are you talking to? If you’re targeting grandma’s with your awesome crochteting and knitting website then you should probably use some homespun language that comes in at around a ‘G’ rating.
If you’re writing for snowboarders in Colorado that are spending most of their time playing video games and taking bong hits while waiting for the next unemployment check to come in then you should probably use colorful language and lots of cultural references that will surely get an easy laugh.
Setting the tone for your blog is important, but don’t be afraid to change it up. When I first started this site I had a pretty casual tone that was a lot more descriptive. One day I put up a post that kind of said ‘fuck it’ and ever since I’ve kind of melded the two together.
You have to find what you think works to get some traffic to your site and then hopefully some regular users, then maybe you’ve got to press the envelope a bit to get a few more, perhaps alienating those you’ve already obtained. Growing pains.
If you’re writing for snowboarders in Colorado that are spending most of their time playing video games and taking bong hits while waiting for the next unemployment check to come in then you should probably use colorful language and lots of cultural references that will surely get an easy laugh.
Setting the tone for your blog is important, but don’t be afraid to change it up. When I first started this site I had a pretty casual tone that was a lot more descriptive. One day I put up a post that kind of said ‘fuck it’ and ever since I’ve kind of melded the two together.
You have to find what you think works to get some traffic to your site and then hopefully some regular users, then maybe you’ve got to press the envelope a bit to get a few more, perhaps alienating those you’ve already obtained. Growing pains.
Drawing Generational Lines
Just like you have a tone directed at your target audience, so too do you need to have a clear idea of what generation you’re writing for.
I remember one commenting spree on Copyblogger where old and new viewpoints were clashing, especially over the use of the word ‘mo-fo,’ which older people found offensive. This was right around the time I was thinking of putting out Visit My Site, Bitch so I felt a little worried.
I guess it mainly comes down to whether you want to gear your site toward the past or the future, between the establishment of yesterday and the fringe of today – really whether you’re for the old and the policies they represented or the young and the policies they’ll implement.
It’s a tough call, but the sooner you figure out where you stand the easier it’ll be to make content for your site. And that’s what it really comes down to for anyone, regardless of age or income level – the ability to consistently put up relevant, unique, and entertaining content.
I remember one commenting spree on Copyblogger where old and new viewpoints were clashing, especially over the use of the word ‘mo-fo,’ which older people found offensive. This was right around the time I was thinking of putting out Visit My Site, Bitch so I felt a little worried.
I guess it mainly comes down to whether you want to gear your site toward the past or the future, between the establishment of yesterday and the fringe of today – really whether you’re for the old and the policies they represented or the young and the policies they’ll implement.
It’s a tough call, but the sooner you figure out where you stand the easier it’ll be to make content for your site. And that’s what it really comes down to for anyone, regardless of age or income level – the ability to consistently put up relevant, unique, and entertaining content.
Defining Your Blog's Following
Who is reading your blog and do you want them to be? Recently writer Hugh Howie put a post up on his site saying that he’d put a sidebar up directing people to his older articles on writing. He was doing this mainly, he said, because there were a lot of writers reading the site – really the only ones at times.
This site is a little different. I know I have a lot of writers reading it, some even leave comments from time to time. I also know I have a lot of strays coming in off Google, mainly through Search and something they typed in about 19th century history that directed them to my Montana blog.
Comments there are quite elusive, and that tells me there’s not much of a following for the site, and therefore that’s not an area I really want to focus too much time on. Does that mean people aren’t reading it? No, people are reading it big time, but I’m just not sure that’s where I want my following coming from, for now.
This site is a little different. I know I have a lot of writers reading it, some even leave comments from time to time. I also know I have a lot of strays coming in off Google, mainly through Search and something they typed in about 19th century history that directed them to my Montana blog.
Comments there are quite elusive, and that tells me there’s not much of a following for the site, and therefore that’s not an area I really want to focus too much time on. Does that mean people aren’t reading it? No, people are reading it big time, but I’m just not sure that’s where I want my following coming from, for now.
Establishing a Commenting Policy
I’d do this early. A sure way to anger old users is to start moderating their comments. What, they’re suddenly the enemy? While I can understand your desire to limit spam and even flaming, how far does that extend. And can’t you just delete a comment once it’s made. Sure, it might go out to everyone, but didn’t they choose that?
Stifling debate is far more dangerous than ensuring your peace of mind. If it’s peace of mind you’re looking for don’t write.
Stifling debate is far more dangerous than ensuring your peace of mind. If it’s peace of mind you’re looking for don’t write.
Choosing Your Economic Fence
Which side of the fence are you on? There are those in America today with money and a helluva lot more without. Which are you writing to?
And remember that earlier point about tone? You can’t write for the rich and then ever go back and think you can write for the poor. Or can you? If you alienate all of your users enough they’ll eventually go away and you can start from scratch.
And remember that earlier point about tone? You can’t write for the rich and then ever go back and think you can write for the poor. Or can you? If you alienate all of your users enough they’ll eventually go away and you can start from scratch.
Putting a Promo Policy Into Place
Hey, we all love to sell our wares, but why are people coming to your site? I think a lot of people come to my site to read about writing, but just as many come to read about old Montana history. That’s why I have two blogs.
And sometimes I promote what I’m working on on those blogs. Will this anger some people? Sure.
The best thing to do is promote in a way that doesn’t seem like promoting. When I put out my Amazon box-set a month or so ago I put an article up about it. But I also included easy steps on things authors can do to make their own boxed-sets, as well as some perils and pitfalls to avoid.
In other words, I gave my readers value while also promoting. This is just good copywriting. When I put out my 75 eBook cover design book I made a blog entry that listed the top 10 eBook cover design sites. Lots of traffic comes to that, although that so far hasn’t translated into sales.
I do a lot of promotion on my ESL website. What I’ll do for content marketing is choose one of the many ESL PowerPoints I haven’t written about yet and write up how to use it, what’s worked for me, and other good ideas for teachers struggling with their classes.
If you can do it in such a way that you’re providing value whether they buy the product or not you’re much more likely to get them to buy the product. Furthermore, they’ll remember you more.
David Ogilvy, a great copywriter, did an ad with 10 ways to eat oysters, something that advertised a beer or liquor. People pored over the ad and learned something, got value, even thought they may not have bought the product.
The chances of someone buying a product from someone that provided them value are much greater than those that provided no value before the sale.
And sometimes I promote what I’m working on on those blogs. Will this anger some people? Sure.
The best thing to do is promote in a way that doesn’t seem like promoting. When I put out my Amazon box-set a month or so ago I put an article up about it. But I also included easy steps on things authors can do to make their own boxed-sets, as well as some perils and pitfalls to avoid.
In other words, I gave my readers value while also promoting. This is just good copywriting. When I put out my 75 eBook cover design book I made a blog entry that listed the top 10 eBook cover design sites. Lots of traffic comes to that, although that so far hasn’t translated into sales.
I do a lot of promotion on my ESL website. What I’ll do for content marketing is choose one of the many ESL PowerPoints I haven’t written about yet and write up how to use it, what’s worked for me, and other good ideas for teachers struggling with their classes.
If you can do it in such a way that you’re providing value whether they buy the product or not you’re much more likely to get them to buy the product. Furthermore, they’ll remember you more.
David Ogilvy, a great copywriter, did an ad with 10 ways to eat oysters, something that advertised a beer or liquor. People pored over the ad and learned something, got value, even thought they may not have bought the product.
The chances of someone buying a product from someone that provided them value are much greater than those that provided no value before the sale.
Clearing Your Bookmarks
A new year is a great time to clear-out your old bookmarks. Sometimes these bars get built up quite a bit and they need to be cleaned out, kind of like a forest and the dead wood that accumulates there.
I wrote about taking back your internet bookmarks a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, I haven’t really missed any of those sites in that post except Copyblogger, which I usually get to through Google now. Hey, I’m stubborn and won’t add them back to my bookmark bar for another week.
The point is, think about what’s there that’s helping you and what’s there that is just rubbish. Act accordingly.
I wrote about taking back your internet bookmarks a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, I haven’t really missed any of those sites in that post except Copyblogger, which I usually get to through Google now. Hey, I’m stubborn and won’t add them back to my bookmark bar for another week.
The point is, think about what’s there that’s helping you and what’s there that is just rubbish. Act accordingly.
Establishing an Author Platform
If you haven’t gotten all your gravatars working in unison, your social media footprint easily identifiable, and your blogging authority established with Google+ and any number of other services out there then I’m sorry my friend, but you’re behind.
I love it that I can post a comment on my local newspaper’s website, put one on someone’s ESL site in Europe, and then use another for my forum comments on writing sites. Each of them uses my author photo, which is just a really simple and affordable way to get your image and backlink out there to many sites.
I’ll tell you, there are several authors in my genres I know at a glance. Sometimes they leave comments on the same sites I do and they’re also using the same photo as they do everywhere else. This is a simple exercise in online coordination you can do now to really make your year better and to get your name and message across in a more effective and memorable way.
I love it that I can post a comment on my local newspaper’s website, put one on someone’s ESL site in Europe, and then use another for my forum comments on writing sites. Each of them uses my author photo, which is just a really simple and affordable way to get your image and backlink out there to many sites.
I’ll tell you, there are several authors in my genres I know at a glance. Sometimes they leave comments on the same sites I do and they’re also using the same photo as they do everywhere else. This is a simple exercise in online coordination you can do now to really make your year better and to get your name and message across in a more effective and memorable way.
Coloring Your Language
My latest two novels have extremely bad language, stuff my mom would have tried to fast-forward when I was a kid and which would get an ‘R’ rating today. Of course these books will offend a lot of people not expecting that, but I make it clear what to expect. One book has a warning on it and the other has pretty foul language in the preview.
So should you use colorful and possibly offensive language on your site? I do, mainly because I just don’t care if I offend anyone. They can hit ‘back’ and never come back again. Besides, I’ve never once had a comment or email about the language I use on this site. I don’t think people coming here really give a damn.
Now, do the people coming to your site care? If you were to put up an article with a few cuss words tomorrow, would it make waves? Sometimes a fire storm of comments because of your potty mouth isn’t such a bad thing. And it also culls out some of that dead wood that may have started to cling to your site.
So should you use colorful and possibly offensive language on your site? I do, mainly because I just don’t care if I offend anyone. They can hit ‘back’ and never come back again. Besides, I’ve never once had a comment or email about the language I use on this site. I don’t think people coming here really give a damn.
Now, do the people coming to your site care? If you were to put up an article with a few cuss words tomorrow, would it make waves? Sometimes a fire storm of comments because of your potty mouth isn’t such a bad thing. And it also culls out some of that dead wood that may have started to cling to your site.
Throwing it All to the Wind
There’s a lot of expressions for putting it all on the line, for taking risks. If you don’t do this then your blog gets boring after a time. I’ve read some pretty boring blogs and I’ve also noticed that some I started reading months ago have become boring because they say the same kinds of things over and over.
Jeez, take some chances, will ya! This really offends me because my local newspaper, and many in the state of Montana, are owned by Lee Newspapers, a chain with serous financial worries. This means they’ll often not put out any stories that could rock the boat. It makes for some pretty bland reading.
Sometimes I think blogs must be getting a lot of affiliate money or something – why else would they publish shit that I don’t want to read, or worse, that I read on their site 3 months ago? I don’t know. I guess the point is you should just say screw it and throw all your hard work to the wind sometimes. There are just too many blogs to do otherwise.
Alright, that’s a little more than 1,800 words and I think we’ll just leave it there. What, no closing, no conclusion, no call to action? Alright – Buy My Shit!
Jeez, take some chances, will ya! This really offends me because my local newspaper, and many in the state of Montana, are owned by Lee Newspapers, a chain with serous financial worries. This means they’ll often not put out any stories that could rock the boat. It makes for some pretty bland reading.
Sometimes I think blogs must be getting a lot of affiliate money or something – why else would they publish shit that I don’t want to read, or worse, that I read on their site 3 months ago? I don’t know. I guess the point is you should just say screw it and throw all your hard work to the wind sometimes. There are just too many blogs to do otherwise.
Alright, that’s a little more than 1,800 words and I think we’ll just leave it there. What, no closing, no conclusion, no call to action? Alright – Buy My Shit!
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