Last week I shared the three cardinal rules of blogging, and specific reasons they are so essential to follow. This week, we dive into something even more personal...
Why just having your "great idea" is not enough.
As creative individuals, you and I know what it's like to reach an inspiring idea and want everyone to pay attention to it. We are convinced of its value, practical or otherwise, and we assume since we see so much beauty in it, others will too.
Unfortunately, that's not true...
At least, your idea alone will not catapult you into the success you desire, and even if it did, you'd have to follow it up by supporting others, which is a learned skill set in and of itself.
What You Need Aside From An Idea
Your blog requires fantastic ideas and proper strategy. Otherwise, you risk floundering in deserts of digital nothingness. I don't want that for you, and I'm sure you don't, either. :-)
Because there are so many blogs on the Internet, it's tough to distinguish your
blog from all of the others. On top of that, thousands more people come online for the first time every week, so you have to give people a reason to pick your content over others'.
Whether you are starting up a new website aimed at bloggers or you are looking to make your existing blog more distinctive, the key to building and maintaining a
site that will capture and keep the attention of writers and readers is solidifying your niche.
If you can fill a unique need in a way that no other blog does,
you'll be able to build a lasting readership with your visitors. Once you build a quality relationship with them, they'll quickly want to tell others about you.
Once you have settled on your niche, you will still have a lot to
do, but finding your place in the blogosphere is the place to
begin.
Every great blog starts with a great idea, and you can't build
a long-lasting blog without one. But since there are so many
great sites for bloggers today, competition for readers
is fiercer than ever.
Here's How You Stand Out In A Crowded Sea
To make your blog stand out from the rest,
you will need to offer something that no other blog is currently
offering, or you will need to do the same thing that an
already popular blog does but in a bigger and better way!
One way to discover an ideal model for your blog is to look
at other blogs that have successfully captured a big audience.
Then determine if you can use some of their strategies to help
realize your vision.
To help you in this goal, I've compiled some of the best blogging and writing resources I've ever come across:
The reason I provide this list is because I have personal experience using the above resources. I make it a point never to recommend services/products/freebies I have not used myself, because this supports success for you and transparency for me.
Your Blog Is Boring Without That Personal Touch
Beyond these, you will also need to add
a unique flair to your blog in order to set it apart from your
competition. This could be the language you use on every landing page, the types of pictures you use, how simple your blog layout is, or something else. Just remember to make it user-friendly and true to your own style; don't try to be someone you're not.
Once you have a great idea for your blog, have pinpointed a niche that you are well-equipped to fill, and have
infused your blog with your own personality, the next step is getting the word out to people who are interested in consuming your content.
So as you can see in the long run, a great idea isn't
enough to make your blog a huge success. You will also
need a smart and actionable marketing plan to
draw readers to your site, and keep them coming back!
Follow-up writing and blogging tips coming in next week's email.
To your grandest writing visions,
