I was very, very impressed by this guest post on Problogger from Gala of iCiNG about the 9 Lessons she’s learned from blogging. Yes, she’s a niche blogger -her blog deals with fashion and style, which are common topics in the blogosphere but she definitely adds her own unique spin to everything. She points out an incredibly important aspect of blogging that I’d be willing to bet all successful bloggers know.
And I quote:
Blogging isn’t about shouting the loudest or being really important, it’s about connecting & engaging in a dialogue with other people. If you’re not actually interested in interacting with anyone else or hearing other people’s opinions, you might as well be keeping a diary for yourself. Like it or lump it, having a blog is like being in retail. If people don’t like you, they will go (& spend their money) elsewhere.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times - successful bloggers manage to connect and communicate with their readers, and that’s what makes them so popular. On the most basic level, they create value for their readers, and that’s why readers keep coming back.
Yes, listening and responding to your readers takes some time, but remember that they are like customers - keeping readers interested is essential to your success. If you put in the hours creating compelling content, whether it’s a how-to or a round-up of useful resources, it will eventually pay off. Of course, you need to promote it with SEO and link-building, but you had better concentrate on creating something quality to market first.
One excellent way to create value is to teach your readers something. If you’re a business blogger, chances are there’s at least one area where you possess some expertise, so share your knowledge with your visitors. By helping others you can help yourself. An example from the sports world - hockey great Wayne Gretzky recorded more than twice as many assists as goals (1963 career assists vs. 894 goals), and he still holds almost every possible scoring record. It’s clear that he helped his teammates succeed, and now he’s considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
Focus on what you can give to your readers - “ask not what your readers can do for you, ask what you can do for your readers“. Yes, I took some serious liberties with John F. Kennedy’s classic phrase, but it’s important for bloggers to remember that they must contribute to community in order to reap its rewards.
Posted by: Blogging Coach
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