IF YOU'RE A BLOGGER:
I realize my blog has no followers (sad face) and I have to force most of you to read this, but I'm ok with that. I love to give updates on my life, but I enjoy the creative outlet even more. That being said, I've been doing a bit of research on successful blogs as part of a work related effort. We are hoping to get an internal blog up and running and want to make sure we can make it successful before putting our blood, sweat and tears into it. Here's what I've found:
Derek Halpern is a self-proclaimed blogging expert. He has a project dedicated to showing you how to use human psychology to get web traffic and sales as well as a program that teaches you how to build a blog that fuels your business. I subscribe to his regular social triggers emails and they are always extremely entertaining and thought provoking.
- While I am not trying to sell products, it could be argued that I'm trying to sell my story so it's worth a try. One of his mantras is "If you try to target everyone, you target no one." Maybe that's what's wrong here. But am I really targeting everyone?? To me, I'm simply reaching out to family and friends. What do you think?
If you simply Google how to write a successful blog, a plethora of articles appears. 5, 7, 9, 10, 18, 21 things to make sure you do. Huh?! One of the most helpful articles I've read is: http://www.thefutureworkplace.com/blogging-tips-create-maintain-blog/.
- There are things on this list that I think I already do (write what you are passionate about, don't be scared of drafts, make your content easy to read and share); some things that I'd like to do better (create a blog that is clearly branded, introduce yourself). But there are some great ideas that I hadn't thought of, and to be honest, am not sure how to start doing (write as many blogs for other people as you can, interact with people that interact with you). Even if I can't get some of these things to work here, they are invaluable tips for my work project!
Emulate what you've seen work for others. This is just my personal advice. The list of blogs that I follow has grown from just a few to over 40. I chose to follow each of them for a different reason. But two of the most common characteristics I see in my favorite, and what I feel are the most effective blogs are:
- Keep it short and sweet. Which obviously this post is not doing! Posting some entertaining commentary with a few related photos or videos can be just enough to catch someone's attention and keep them coming back! This is exactly what John's cousin Misty does on her blog 3 By the Sea. It also helps that Baby Q is too cute for words!
- Show them how you accomplished something. This could be just me and that I'm a sucker for DIY crafts, decor, and home improvement projects. When I come across a post that has step by step instructions for successfully completing an awesome project, I want to see and hear more about what this person does on a regular basis. For example, the lovely couple at Hammers and High Heels posted a great DIY mantle they built for under $100! Of course I had to show John and, whaddaya know, we spent quite a bit of time reading about this couple and some of their other projects. Just today I noticed that they'd posted details on their recent trip to Europe which is perfect for us as we plan our own!
IF YOU'RE A BLOG READER:
There is literally a blog out there for everything! I enjoy blogs focused on DIY projects, low budget decorating, healthy recipes, family updates, and inspirational topics (love, marriage, etc). For the sake of this post, I also did some digging on other topics just to show the wide range of information available to us.
- Boxer Blogs - I just had to! Here's a good one: http://boxerblogger.blogspot.com/
- Financial Blogs - This one is incredibly complex: http://freakonomics.com/blog/
- Comic Book Blogs - Search inspired by The Big Bang Theory: http://acomicbookblog.com/
- Cheese Blogs - Yes, seriously. And this one is laid out like mine: http://cheeseunderground.blogspot.com/
- Sleep Blogs - This one is quite interesting: http://blog.snoozester.com/
- Beer Blogs - A Beer AND Bacon blog?! I just might have to subscribe: http://www.baconbeergarden.com/blog/
You get the picture. If you're as enthusiastic about your blog reading as I am, it may become difficult to keep track of your favorites. This is where Google's Blogger comes in handy! If you have a Google or Gmail account, getting connected to Blogger is super easy. Simply log onto your Gmail and click on the Apps icon in the top right corner. You'll see a list of options (YouTube, Maps, Calendar), Blogger will be under "More". Your Blogger home allows you to create your own blog if you so desire. Or you can use it to organize your reading list. Here's a shrunken down version of what my list looks like:
You can see my blog is across the top and my reading list runs down the left hand side. A stream of recent posts is expanded on the right so I can easily see what's new. I can also select individual blogs using the links on the left to see what's been posted on specific sites. I love using my reading list!
If you don't have a Google account or don't want to use Blogger, my sister Kylie just opened my eyes to another option: Bloglovin. Bloglovin has a website AND an iPhone/Android app, which is great. This site can be described as a Twitter feed for blogs. It works similar to a Reading List on Google. It also categorizes your blogs so you can easily navigate through certain topics. It seems pretty neat!
So whether you're an experienced blogger, a new blogger or just an avid reader, there's lots out there for you. I highly recommend finding a few blogs that you can frequent to keep your mind sharp and your information relevant. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on my blog in the comments section down below so that I know how to keep you coming back!
Until Next
Time, Britt
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