Traits you can Adapt to Improve Your Blogging
How hard is it to change a schedule? Can you change something about your self? Would you do it just to improve your blogging? There could be a couple reasons you would:
- Make more money from your blog.
- Increase traffic and readership.
- Build a name/brand.
There could be more reasons, but those are pretty much the top 3 for most. So what can you do?
Be Open Minded and Experimental
This ties in to not being a huge pessimist. I’ll admit to seeing the glass as half empty but the way you approach your blog and writing for it should be more happy and excited. If not, you’ll just post incoherent rants (even though we all have them) and eventually make your readers feel mad. There are some blogs that make their name doing this, but it’s all about your goal.
Looking at every post like something good will come out of it can really help over time as your writing improves. No one starts out good at this, so realize you’ll get better. Things not to think:
- RSS readers aren’t increasing so I’m obviously not getting better. This is usually a marketing thing, but not every one gets hundreds of readers in their first month. People ask me how I got over 100 so quick, and I say, “Are you kidding me? It’s been like 9 months!”
- My site isn’t being discovered, so I’m not good enough and never will be. What is “discovered” anyways? There won’t be a day where all of a sudden you have all these readers and traffic. It can, but think of the odds here.
Overall, the good frame of mind here would be hope for the best, but don’t let the worst change your attitude. RSS readers are bad way to measure growth over a short period of time, because it fluctuates all the time.
Regimented
Falling into a schedule that will let you post every day is crucial to get the maximum potential out of your blog. You should be posting everyday, if you can. Why? Because there is someone else writing on the same topic that does.
There is no way you can not have 30 minutes a day to write some thing. The only way you couldn’t is if you worked 3 jobs and went to school full time. If you have other hobbies, you need to realize your blogging as one of them if you want to achieve one of those aforementioned three points.
Helpful
The quickest way to a reader’s heart (or feed reader for that matter) is to write good content that can help them in some way. What qualifies as helpful? This post would fall under there, because I’m writing about something you can do to improve your life. The “life hack” style blogs that offer personal improvement are popular for a reason. Same with the bigger Make Money Online blogs.
This will also do you wonders in search engines and social traffic. I’m not one to get Dugg of Delicio’d, but StumbleUpon sends a little bit of traffic my way every now and then, and Google helps me out everyday. People use search engines because they’re looking for something - they have a problem. Now all you have to do is offer a solution (there’s more, but we’ll leave the SEO out of this).
Commit
In the end, if you want to have a successful blog, you have to want it. I’m not talking about justing wanting one like everyone else in the world, you have to want it. Too many people write about things that they aren’t interested for a quick buck. Don’t be one of these people. You’ll do better writing about something you’re passionate about.
Committing to your blog is one thing, but it’s more of a commitment to your readers and to yourself. Make goals:
- I want to write 7 times in 7 days.
- This week I will write at least 2 long, in depth posts.
- I will write instead of doing x for half an hour a day.
This comes back the half an hour a day thing. If you’re going to commit, you’ll have the time, don’t worry 
This half an hour a day thing could be an eBook! But who am I kidding, I hate eBooks. Tomorrow I may do part two, but as always I have more ideas. That’s what you get for subscribing here, tons of new content fresh from the presses of my brains. Only here, folks.
Leave a comment
Dave
September 11th, 2007 at 12:47 AM
Real informative post! Thanks for tips and advice Connor.
I espeically how real you were with your readers, “RSS readers aren’t increasing so I’m obviously not getting better. This is usually a marketing thing, but not every one gets hundreds of readers in their first month. People ask me how I got over 100 so quick, and I say, “Are you kidding me? It’s been like 9 months!” ”
And marketing your blog takes work, it tends to be an uphill journey and like you said regimental! Cheers
Mike
September 11th, 2007 at 2:43 PM
I have to start managing my time better. My problem is I say I will make a half an hour to make a post for my blog which I usually do however I dont make time for my personal blog which I want to start doing!
Maybe writting a few days in advance or having a couple of extra articles kicking arround is the way for me to do it. Then if I dont have the time its not a big deal as I already will have a post ready to go.
You make some very interesting points!
Daniel Johnson
September 12th, 2007 at 10:40 AM
Phew, I really need to reorganise my schedule so that it is easier for me to manage my large array of stuff to do.
The holidays are coming up and then another month of Uni then the Christmas holidays and a freshh start. I think that over this time I should arrange my schedule so that I can perform at my peak more easily.
In doing that I will consider the points that you have mentioned.
Vincent
September 14th, 2007 at 7:54 AM
But most of all, if you like to write it would not be a pain for you to continue.
I have a friend that has a blog for both him and her wife. So maybe finding someone that share your life can also share a place on your blog
But this is just a suggestion people.
Thomas Sinfield
September 16th, 2007 at 9:18 PM
thanks. I have just started blogging, and this was an excellent read, and something I will definately be implimenting!
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