Content!!!
We mentioned content during part one, but didn't really get
into it. Content is the element that
brings viewers back to our sites. They
have to be interested in what we have to say. This will vary depending on your focus, but
everyone needs to pay attention to their content.
Every post you make… decide first if it even fits with the
focus of your blog. If not, and you feel
strongly about wanting to post this information, consider setting up a separate
blog for items along this theme.
Content is not just the idea of our posts though. It is also in the way we present them. When you go out to dinner, the way the food
is presented is equally important as what the food is… even more important is
the TASTE!
We must let our words grow out of what we see. Let our words come to life and by extension
allow a part of ourselves to show through.
Experiences are personal; the way we look at them are unique to us, but
emotions are universal… to humans anyway.
I’m sure most, if not all of us, have heard that we need to “show
not tell” – but what does that really mean?
It is the same idea as passive vs. active voice.
Telling (passive
voice) –
This is telling someone.
I am going to write my story and you are going to read it. That is just how things are. When it is cold outside, we are likely to
bundle up.
Showing (active
voice) –
When showing people your words, you involve them in the
action. They join your story and feel it
with you. You can’t help it. When the sun blazes down on us, we find ways
to cool off.
I don’t know if you noticed the difference in these two
examples. The main indicator of the
passive voice happens to be forms of the verb “to be.” There are times when it is necessary, but if
you remove every: was, is, are, being, will be, been, etc. that you can, your “voice”
will move from passive to active. When you open up, your readers enjoy your words more.
How do I get more
followers?
Even if your content is good, you may still be struggling
with low page views. There can be
multiple reasons for this.
1. Time
2. Sharing
3. Regularity
4. Something
new
5. The
real you vs. phony presentation
6. Use
your imagination
First: We have to realize that, as much as we don’t
like it, it does take time to build up a following. Most of us rely on word-of-mouth as our main
draw. Word-of-mouth is AMAZING, but if
people aren't talking, no one can listen.
Second: How do we get the word-of-mouth to work for
us? We must do a LOT of work. We need to network (meet others with common
interests), but it is more than just meeting people. We MUST build some sort of relationship or
connection with them. Why should they
invest their time and effort in our work if we can’t show the interest
ourselves?
Share your pages, do it more than once, and share in more
than one place. Ask a few friends to
help share also. When we have something
that people like, they will automatically share to some extent. Remember though, everyone has their own lives
to stress over. I’m not the most patient
person in the world myself, but I do know that patience is needed. How can we develop patience if we aren't
faced with experiences that require its use?
You want to share, but also make sure that the places you
share will have the people that you are trying to draw in. For example:
If you write “adult content” in your blog, advertising in a room devoted
to parenting small children is inappropriate!
There are countless groups set up to promote yourself and your
writing. Use these resources. There are multiple sites that you can send
out links to your blog. Use the
resources. Don’t sit back and expect
that people will just stumble across your page.
That generally doesn't happen.
Third: Like other things in life, we must be
regular. This is not always easy. Life likes to get in the way and mess around
with our plans. I’m a prime example of
this!
However, you can make it work with PLANNING! Yes, that is a dreaded word for me. I’m not the world’s best planner by far. But it does help.
Write multiple posts in advance. They don’t have to be long. You can save these posts as drafts on your
blog site. If you know there will be a
time frame that you won’t be able to post as regularly as you’d like, schedule
them to post for you. These can fill in
the blanks.
Another option you have is to have someone else (or several
someone else’s) listed on your blog as contributors. These should be people that you trust to
maintain the focus of your blog. With
everyone on their own schedules in life, this can be amazingly helpful.
I, for one, do NOT have internet for my home computer. I don’t even have reliable internet on my
phone because I live in the middle of… nowhere.
I do have several people that I trust and work with. These people have bailed me out of so many
jams that I don’t even want to consider the number. (I am allergic to numbers
by the way.) This is a major obstacle
for me. I’m sure I’m not the only one
either.
I can prepare short posts at home and upload them when I get
a chance to be online in town. The other
contributors to my page(s) can also post for me if I forgot a certain event… or,
if they just needed another place to post something. I set the parameters of what I will allow on
my site and can take action if needed.
Thankfully, I haven’t needed to.
Fourth: This leads easily into the fourth point. By regularly posting something new and
sharing it, our readers will have something to come back for. They will want to discover what will happen next.
You can do this by having a completely new topic or by
having a series of topics to post. Also,
by posting teasers about upcoming events, you can call attention to your site
and people will check in to find out more.
Do your best not to disappoint. Don’t promise what you can’t keep. Occasional mistakes can be swept under the
rug, but continually… you will become the “boy who cried wolf,” and no one
wants to be that person.
Fifth: Be yourself.
This can be an extremely scary concept.
I am a wacky, quirky, corny, OCD, ADD, absent minded mess. The thing is… I know it and accept it (mostly). I at least own up to it. I’ve spent the majority of my life trying to
be what I thought I was supposed to -- trying to make other people happy while
I became more and more miserable.
The point is that you must be yourself. Have fun, enjoy what you post. If you love what you are doing, and it isn't
illegal, then why worry about what others think or say? You will never be able to please everyone,
but you don’t have to. Take what
information you can from negative comments (in all aspects of life), but keep
ONLY what you can use to benefit yourself.
When you are passionate about what you are writing/saying
other people can sense that. It passes
through the words and becomes infectious.
This is the infection you want.
I personally beg people to tell me what they do NOT like
about my writing. I’m not looking for
reasons to be down on myself. I’m
looking for ways to improve. I believe
everyone has room to improve and we shouldn't be afraid to admit that about
ourselves or help others grow.
Sixth: Using your
imagination has become a valuable skill that is often overlooked in our world
today. Schools cut back on more and more
ways for young people to develop their imaginations. Work places often demand that you fit in, do
what you’re told, and don’t ask too many questions.
I say that we need to build our imaginations back up! The greatest tool of the human mind is our
capacity to see beyond what is right in front of us. Look at the technological advancements. Look at all the items we have and use
daily. At some point, someone used their
imagination to develop it all.
Possibilities are endless in our imaginations. How many times in history have people come up
with some crazy idea that could only exist in the mind? What about the doors that slide open on the
bridge of the Enterprise in Star Trek?
Or the communicators? Or video
conferencing? There are so many things
that ARE and so many things the WILL BE that come from the imagination.
Please let your imaginations come back. Give them a space in your life. You will be amazed with how much more there
is out there!
Assignment Time
What do you like to talk about? What is it that you could do all day every
day? What is important to you?
Find what the answers are.
Then write, write about it and break it up into manageable bites. These are your posts. This is your link to building an
audience. Don’t be afraid to learn new
words, techniques, skills, even new processes for things you've been doing.
If things are working… keep doing it. If they aren't working, examine it and
discover alternate ways to do what you love.
And don’t forget to SHOW us what it is like. Even the journey to discovery can be fun.
Or comment below... I know there is a spot for comments somewhere down there!!! (hehehe)
Yup... comment space is available! See??? It's right here!! :D
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