Nice points, following on a provocative headline
Just today, I was tweaking the content of one of my reports for
use in my email newsletter, it was on the topic of BLOG STRATEGY.
Since it is relevant to the subject you brought up - taking your blog
seriously - I'll share the article here.
= = = =
How To Devise Your Blogging STRATEGY
Guess what fraction of bloggers start out with a strategy?
Fewer than 1%.
You do NOT want to be one of the masses. Simply having a strategy, however simple and basic, will put you ahead of the crowd. Yet many people reading this will believe it's all fluff and nonsense, because it is not immediate, instant or actionable right away.
Your blogging strategy involves many elements like your purpose in blogging, your audience, your desired impact, your resources available to execute and continue your strategic objectives, and your individuality - because in the end, a blog is about YOU.
Before you skim thinking this stuff 'doesn't really matter', remember that many millions of blogs out there are NOT wildly successful... because they don't have a strategy. That's how important this section is. You may be frustrated at some of this, but humor me. Please. Later on, you'll thank yourself for doing it, because these factors enhance and multiply the effect of the specific action steps that follow.
= = = =
Your Blog's PURPOSE
Every blog has a purpose.
1. It may be a personal diary, a stream of consciousness log, or a compilation of your individual rants and raves. Such a blog needs no audience, just the same way your personal diary needs no readers.
2. It may be your platform. You use it to address a specific audience, one you have already defined specifically, or somewhat generally. It may be your friends and family. Or your colleagues at work. Or clients. Anyone.
3. It may be your ticket to fame. Your blog can be your launchpad to send your memes and ideas zooming out into the universe, where hopefully it will touch lives, change minds, create influence.
What is your purpose for blogging?
Without knowing this clearly, you're groping in the dark. Once you know, that information becomes a lantern or torch or spotlight that brightens up your path towards the destination. Think carefully about WHY you want to blog before you post your first message.
= = = =
Your Blog's AUDIENCE
Who will read your blog? What kind of prospect makes up your blog's ideal audience?
Of course, you have no way of controlling who will access your blog once it is out there. But by defining your ideal audience, you will be able to better establish your tone, your writing or speaking style, your blogging frequency and - most important - pick your topics based upon their interests. That's the key to a hyper-successful blogger - knowing whom you are writing for, and then meeting their needs, expectations and demands.
= = = =
Your Blog's IMPACT
What exactly are you hoping to achieve with your blog?
- Do you want to be famous, recognized, respected world-wide?
- Do you want to sell more copies of your book?
- Do you want your website to rank high on Google?
- Do you want to make more money?
- Do you want to change the world?
Know how big your impact should be. Know what form that impact should take. Know how much effort and time is involved in reaching those targets. Blogging is indeed very powerful in making an impact. But knowing more precisely what form of impact you are looking to make will help you tailor your blog's structure and process to maximize your impact.
= = = =
Your Blogging RESOURCES
Blogging is simple, cheap and easy. Most blogging tools and platforms are not complex and require very few technical skills to get going from start. However, depending on your purpose, audience and desired impact, you may need some specific resources and networks to help you reach your goals.
How much money do you have to spend on your blogging? The cash will go for things like outsourcing content, getting technical assistance with tweaks to your blog, or marketing it effectively to drive more visitors to it. Do you have technical skills like programming, script installation, HTML coding and web graphic design? These may be required for some blogs.
How big is your audience? Do you have clients and customers, contacts and friends? Do you hold any posts or positions of influence where you can reach many people and invite them to your blog? How much time do you have to blog? Blogging is time intensive. You can spare your time - or hire someone to manage your blog on their time. Plan it in advance to avoid headaches later.
Do you have knowledge or information? What will you share on your blog that's valuable to readers? If you don't have it, can you find it somewhere else? Are you passionate enough? Like most things that require committment and consistency, it's easier to stick to the course if you are already curious, interested or passionate enough.
= = = =
Your Blog and YOU
This is one of the most unique features of your blog, yet few bloggers think it over formally and carefully. Your blog IS you. Not 'about' you. Not 'by' you. Not 'for' you.
YOU.
And that holds true for all but group blogs, when the 'you' stands for the collective members of the group. What do I mean? You decide what to post on your blog, and how it will be worded or phrased or framed. Your content reflects your values, morals, beliefs, and is an indicator of your character, integrity and principles.
So think about what values you will espouse through your blog.
Will you be respectful of others' freedom and individuality?
Will you allow hate, sexually explicit and illegal subjects to be discussed?
Will your blog have an underlying theme or philosophy you believe in?
Will you use hype, misleading or incomplete information, or even fake data?
Will you admit it if you're wrong?
Will you try to always be positive, or helpful, or critical?
Will your commentary be fair, unbiased and factual?
If you wish, you could even summarize the answers to your questions and post it to your blog in the form of a 'Statement of Values'.
= = = =
Your Blog Business Plan
One thing - and one thing alone - took my online business from doing 4-figures a year and TRIPLED it year after year for the last 7 years. And that one thing is having a WRITTEN business plan.
Nothing too fancy, complex and involved. Just a simple outline of plans, goals and targets. I might explain this better by sharing one section of my blog business plan... the 'Remarkably Purple Spots' blog for the Heart Kids Blogathon.
- - -
"The goal for this blog is to help fund expensive heart surgery for poor children with congenital heart defects. The target for this blog is to raise a sum of money (last year, it was $75,000) over a specified period of time. The plans to get this done involve doing a 24-hour non-stop blogging marathon, where the blog would be updated every 30 minutes round the clock - and spread the word so donors would contribute during that period."
- - -
There were a few more details about the execution of the plan, but those are the basics. You can arrive at your own blog business plan easily. Just answer these few questions:
What do you want to have achieved by your blogging in the next 3 years?
What are the targets or milestones along the way that will let you assess progress?
What specific action steps will you take to reach each milestone within the target time frame?
The idea is to know, when you begin blogging, just exactly what you need to do next, how quickly (or by what deadline) you must get it done, and how you can monitor and measure your progress along the path to your long term goal.
= = = =
Hope this helps.
All success
Dr.Mani
