Photo courtesy of @paulletourneau
Do you have a plan for your blog? Are your activities strategically mapped out? Or do you wing it?
I have been spending some time now researching and learning about blogging success. There are tons of resources out there and for a long time I just hadn’t been able to decide where to focus.
I simply started my blog without any real plan, doing what felt right and hoping it would come together. In many ways it has. I blog about what I enjoy. I was recently invited (and participated in) She’s Connected (or #SCCTO as known in the Twitterverse), a conference for Canada’s top digital women, connecting women and Brands. I have a steadily growing Twitter following, blog page views, and Facebook influence.
I have read over and over about the need to identify a niche. I see value in that and have pursued one niche in a separate endeavor that has been on the back burner (while life has gotten in the way over and over). I struggled with how I would narrow my blog down into one little niche, or create and off-shoot in a niche, but the truth is that I really don’t want to.
I was relieved to hear from and meet a few women who are making success online without a niche, by simply being themselves and connecting with interested online readers. I love that my blog is a place that I can express whatever suits my fancy. I want to keep it that way.
Perhaps as I begin to feel satisfied with the way my blog is working, I’ll define a niche to build an additional online nest. For now, I am using my personal work and art to learn the craft of working online and specifically, blogging.
After reading such resources as Chris Guillebeau‘s website, emails and book, I always feel inspired to remain true to myself. After reading Chris Brogan‘s tips I have realize there is a real science to success online. Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) previously issued an ebook of 31 Days to Building a Better Blog (which I’ve read he’s releasing an updated version of shortly!), and I am working my way through each day’s entry / tasks and formulating my own daily/weekly task sheet to guide my own work. Most if it I have taken from Darren’s tips, some from other activities I already do regularly that seem to be helping me build that growing Klout score. It is started below:
Blogging task sheet:
- Respond to comments on blog
- Email a reader
- Participate in relative forum(s) activities
- Plan week’s posting schedule
- Post blog entries and schedule tweets
- Connect on Twitter: reply to someone I follow; thx 4 mentions; connect w/ new followers; post new content (RT’s, news articles, etc.)
- Connect on Facebook: like & comment on other blog pages; respond to comments; connect with new likes; post new content
- Connect on blogger communities
- Comment on other blogs
- Email another blogger to build relationships
Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at trishbogs dot com!
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About Trish
This is really informative and useful. Thank you. I now think of the blogs like a collage —a kind of poem of words, visuals –thoughts. A place to play. A colouring book. A space to sometimes rant or muse. I used to want to see more comments but now I like the magic of letting go. I will share this !
So glad you found it helpful Sheree! I’m hoping this will make my own blogging more successful too (according to my own definition of success). 🙂
Trish
Sent from Samsung tablet
It’s so important to really understand who you are because in the end, you are your niche. People will come to read you not only because of what you write but how you write it. It truly is a journey.
Thanks Sharon,
I think that is really true. I’ve determined that my ultimate goal in life – as well as everything I write – is to effect change. This is still very broad, but I know that I share little without a particular intent in mind. Always with a purpose to effect change in some way. Whether it be social change or to brighten someone’s day! 😉
Staying true to myself, and keeping it real – that’s my niche – as it were.
~Trish
These are great goals! And yes, the niche I think is one of the things that a lot of bloggers really struggle with. But there’s no reason your niche can’t be YOU! 🙂 Thanks for sharing; I’m going to check out 31 days to building a better blog!