The context of your blog depends on the ideals that you write. What you have to say inside your posts are what determines if people are going to react to what you have written. For some, getting people to do these things comes naturally. To others, it’s a little harder. However, everyone can do it inside of their writing.
Since there have been over 150 people that have asked me to start a blogging series, I thought I would start with the most important aspect of the blog: the writing.
Writing content that speaks to People
Speaking to people on a level where they can trust you takes time. In order to accomplish this task you must be able to appeal to your reader base through the efforts of story telling. Ryan Hanley is one blogger that is a product of this truth. He understands that stories are effective tools to bring people closer to you.
Everyone has a story that they can tell that can speak to people on a personal level. Mine was the fact that I used to be a coal miner. People can’t believe that someone that used to work 1,900 feet under the ground could ever be in the blogging industry. This gives me credibility with people because being a coal miner is definitely a blue collar job, which relates to more people, and, if I can do this, then they definitely can!
Here’s the story
When I first started blogging, all I had on my mind was getting people to click on that affiliate link so I could get paid. The writing suffered and I was writing every lie I could think of to get people to buy something. Of course that didn’t work! The reason that it didn’t was that I wasn’t being personal with people. They didn’t trust me yet, and even though the title may have appealed to them, the writing didn’t speak to them enough for them to go purchase something. It wasn’t until I learned that the reader was the most important part of my blog, that I started to make money.
The Evolving Writer
In order for you to speak to people through the things you say in your articles, you have to mature as a writer. You have to understand that these people have the chance of seeing you as an authority and trusting you at some point. What happens when you recommend a product to someone, they buy it, and then it turns out to be trash? That person won’t be back. People remember who sold them what, and what the outcome was. That’s why it’s important to build your blog’s integrity.
Don’t promote something that you don’t use yourself. How can you expect someone to buy something when you don’t even have the stones to go out and buy it yourself? Don’t have money to buy anything? Find someone who uses the product that you want to sell and ask them questions about it. Do your homework on the product before you start throwing the affiliate links at people. This way you can at least be sure that they won’t get stiffed at the checkout line.
The evolution of the blogger begins with the writer understanding that quality content must be presented at all times before readers begin to accept them as authority figures. One of the best things you can do as a writer is to stop writing about things that appeal to you…unless you plan on clicking the affiliate links. Comprehension of what your readers want is crucial.
How to do this?
Social listening is a great place to start. People will tell you what they are needing to know, or what they want to accomplish and it’s up to you to develop that content and bring it to them. This comes at a certain understanding of your audience so you will know what type of content to actually bring to them. A good way to do this is by throwing something out on social media that engages them to interact with you. They will tell you, but it’s up to you to listen to what they say.
What are you trying to accomplish with your blog? Perhaps I can help you in my next post?
— Wade Harman (@makemyblogmoney) January 16, 2014
Once you have learned what people want to know, this is the time to write for yourself. Forget about whether or not people will read it. This will ensure that your ideals and opinions are found on the page, and you’re not just writing to be writing.
Love the readers you already have. A lot of bloggers get quite obsessed with finding new readers – to the point that they ignore the ones they already have. Yes – do try to find new readers but spend time each day showing your current readers that you value them too and you’ll find that they will help you grow your blog. – Darren Rowse, ProBlogger
I really don’t have to say anything more. Darren pretty much sums it all up there. To keep the one’s you have, throw some love at them.
All of these ideas will keep you writing content that speaks to people. Forget about trying to make the money with your blog and start walking the walk. There’s a lot of great bloggers out there that people love to read. In order to get them to your site, you’ve got to prove yourself among these titans of industry.
Quit Writing Boring Content!!
One of the biggest problems I’ve seen in the blogging industry for the beginner is the fact that they “think” they have to write about a certain topic. Perhaps the topic doesn’t appeal to them, yet they write about it anyway because they feel they have to in order to gain traction in the blogging world. Other people write about this topic so they fall into the same rut. However, since it’s not interesting to them, it becomes dis-interesting to their readers as well.
When you’re bored with the topic, your readers will be bored with the topic as well.
It’s natural for a blogger to become burned out. There are times when I want to scream because the words aren’t coming, and go do my impression of a limp dishrag in the living room floor while gnashing my teeth. “Having trouble dear?” My wife always knows when I’ve got content block.
Some great tips that can help you understand how to get rid of the writers block are these:
- Research your topic
- Discuss the topic with other people/bloggers to get another view
- Walk away from writing for a day. This clears your head
These are just a few ideas that can get your mind recharged to start writing helpful content that’s also interesting to the reader.
What Is Important
The power of “You”. Write for them. When you say “you” in your article you make it personal for the reader. You break it down to their level so that they can actually grasp the concept of what you’re saying. You is the most powerful word in the English language to a blogger, because there is no “I” in “YOU”.
They(you) are the most important thing to your blog. You don’t want to hear me talk about things that I’m accomplishing and how I’m making money with the blog. You want me to tell you how you can do it as well. Not only on the monetization standpoint, but a lot of other things as well.
Your readers are the same way. They want to hear you tell them how they can achieve something, or how you can be successful at blogging, and do it the right way!
You can do all of this through your writing. The pen is mightier than the sword. No truer words have been spoken. With one stroke of the key, you can change someone’s life. You can prompt action just by giving information. So while the cursor blinks back at you as you decide what to say to your faithful, remember that it’s all about them, and not about YOU.
Wade Harman
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