When over 65% of blogs fail in the first 6 months because they run out of content and passion, this says something about the practice of blogging. People are doing it for the wrong reasons. And with just about anything, when you do it for the wrong reasons, it usually blows up on you. Blogging isn’t any different.
We have lost sight of what blogging was really about and its true purpose. We have drifted into a space, like just about all the other social channels, where it is more about “selling” than anything else. We do it because it is our chance to reach an audience that is ignoring us on our other channels or ignoring our marketing materials. Marketers have once again found a very worthwhile channel and ruined it by turning it into some kind of promotion or advertisement.
When you use a tool strictly for promotion, it is like pushing a rock up a hill. It is drudgery. It is a lot of work. It is painful. It generally has a short lifespan before you quit. This happens to most blogs as well.
But there is massive hope in this area…a way to see sunshine and make this not a dreaded activity but one you actually look forward to…a way to make your blog incredibly successful. It is a way your readers will be anxious to see your latest writing and something they will talk about, engage, and share. This is where blogging should live and how it can be not only successful but fun and enjoyable.
The word to make this all happen…HELPING!!
If you write with the intent of how can you HELP your audience every time your fingers hit the keyboard, you will find far more enjoyment out of the activity. And your audience will find much more value and enjoyment out of reading what you choose to share. Think of yourself as a “thought leader” and want to share all your learnings and experiences with others that are interested in your area. You have insights to share that others can learn from or enjoy.
This is where blogging thrives and becomes a labor of love, not simply labor. When you know you are helping your audience learn, grow, improve, or simply have a better outlook after reading your blog, you win…you will be a successful blogger. You become that “other blogger” that is actually read and enjoyed instead of the one that is avoided and deleted. In simple marketing terms, you have turned into a “Pull Marketer” instead of a “Push Marketer” and your audience will reward you by reading, connecting, engaging, sharing, and spreading word-of-mouth about you.
This is a much better place to live and your blog will live on for a very long time…because it is helping your audience grow. Wouldn’t it be a great if every blog was like this instead of trying to market to you or sell you stuff? I know I would read a lot more if this was the case. Now I spend more time deleting blog posts than reading them. I select the ones that help…delete the ones that market…and unsubscribe from those trying to sell stuff. I don’t believe you are any different…
