You really need to have something to say.
No, no, of course everyone has something to say. I'm talking about posturing your blog to mean something to the world you are targeting. It's more than just having a focus. Anyone can have a focus. I could make this blog about skydiving, I could make it about cars, I could make it about how to have a focus(a Ford car or narrowed scope? lol). But, what is going to get you on the first few pages of a google search is not only about the above.
It's about pertinence.
It's about having a voice that people can relate to.
It's about trust.
People have to trust that either you know what you're talking about, or that you will make a comment that they can use.
Maybe you can get people to your blog because of your pretty face, and you have pics strewn all about your site. You might as well have a Myspace account, cuz you'll get more hits that way. No, if you want to really reach people, you need to grab that little niche on the web that you can call your own, that little piece that you can speak to, that you can be an authority on, and make it yours. You need to be able to say something so profound or drastic that people will want to chime in. But you need to keep the conversation going as well.
Social networking is about connecting with others through similar interests, and the blog is a tool to bare your soul, be it about your professional career, some other area of interest you are particularly versed in, or about nothing at all. It needs to be cultivated and sculpted for the masses, because this is who you are, and this is what people and future employers will judge you by.
So, let's keep it clean guys. The Internet is watching.
Comic grabbed from http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/images/ but is originally from http://toothpastefordinner.com/
10 comments:
You raise good points…You are absolutely right…you blog because “It's about pertinence, It's about having a voice that people can relate to, and It's about trust.” But how do you know “how many people” really listen to your thoughts, how many people trusted you. I assume those are the stats really relate you "hat is going to get you on the first few pages of a Google search..."
I was Inspired!
Thanks. I kept thinking about someone getting pumped up for a TV performance only to be reminded that 10 million people will be watching, critics included.
great points.I believe its important that you blog about something that is original and informative, forces readers to think,and is authentic. One should blog consistently including humor and real live scenarios to make blogs interesting to read and comment on.Its also important to market your blog and best way to do so would be posting your blog URL everywhere possible.last but not the least ,maintain integrity and honestly.
idle - you're right. how do we measure that "trust?" Sometimes, I think just being controversial is enough to get you on google, you know, something that gets everybody's motor running at the mouth....(did I just mix 2 cliches?)
shyamli - i dunno...i feel that if you just post anywhere, indiscriminately, that can work to your disadvantage. Take spam, for instance: if I kept getting the same email over and over, I am just that more eager to delete it.
Excellent points Homey - we all can have a voice on the internet, but how we use it is what makes it worth listening to. I suppose that's a philosophical lesson to take to the real world as well. I believe there's a Dr. Seuss story about a bird that wanted to be the loudest in the world, and upon achieving his goal a humble worm asked him, "Yes, you have the loudest voice around, but to what use did you put it?" (paraphrasing, as I can't remember the story offhand).
Awesome post! You summed up it all up right here. It's all about pertinence and trust.
Hmm. I don't know, I think Swissmissme is biased in some way. ;) All kidding aside- Homey is right on the money. Blogs are a public forum and it ought to add some kind of value to the public domain. If you want to blog about your inner most fears and desires- grab a notebook (the paper kind) and write "Dear Diary,"
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