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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