“How Do I Get People to Love My Blog?” you, and so many other people ask me.
People will love your blog when they see it as a place that can make their lives better.
That means, that they are convinced it can solve one key problem they have in their lives or in their business.
So your job is to get them to identify your blog as a problem solver.
But not just any problem solver.
A specific problem solver.
Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic
Maybe your blog helps people find discount air fares, or more Youtube views.
It doesn’t matter what problem your blog solves, only that it solves an important problem for a very specific audience.
So get out of that little blogging bubble you so easily get trapped in, and start solving people’s problems and changing lives.
People Need To Identify Your Blog’s Brand
Did you ever catch yourself singing a jingle from a commercial without thinking?
Then you wonder why you’re singing it?
Or how about craving chocolate while you were binging on your latest T.V. series?
Then you wonder why you’re binging.
Sound familiar?
Yep…we all do it at one time or another because of some commercial we saw or heard.
And it doesn’t mean that it’s the last thing we heard, either.
We can be humming a “jingle” of a commercial we heard years ago because, somehow, it just stuck in our mind.
We can run to the corner store to purchase chocolate late at night because the conversation we’re having while watching t.v., or a certain smell through an open window reminds us of a commercial telling us to eat chocolate… even if we haven’t seen that commercial for many years.
Solve One Problem for One Niche-Audience
I’m not shy about admitting that these things have happened to me many times.
So you’re probably asking yourself right now why I’m even talking about jingles and chocolate… right?
Easy Peasy, my friends.
I wanted to paint a picture of how product branding works on the most subtle levels.
You could say it’s sort of hypnotic.
Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic
Another way to think of it is that you are pretty much forced to react to it when the thought of it rises to a conscious level.
That’s because it sets you up with a compelling impulse to do or consume something particular.
This is how you connect with your audience.
It’s how branding works.
And when it works right, your brand will remind people of just one key problem that your blog solves.
People won’t take you seriously, and they certainly won’t love your blog if you try to solve every problem for every person.
They love a blog that specializes in solving one specific problem for one niche crowd.
Position Your Blog To Stand Above All The Others
Now what about YOU?
Are you branding your products/services or blog in such a way that it makes people feel like they need to do something?
Do you brand yourself strongly enough that your blog or name instantly calls to mind your core message to your audience?
These are the things things that will help your blog stand out in a crowd.
Now I’m not telling you to do any black hat marketing whereby you are somehow hypnotically influencing people to buy some junk that they really don’t need.
I am telling you to consider if your branding is doing it’s job… positioning your blog to make sure people know exactly, clearly and without a moment’s hesitation…
- WHAT key problem you solve for them
- WHY you are the best person to solve it
- HOW your blog is distinct from all the others… and
- WHY they love your blog
That’s how to properly position your blog within a crowded blogosphere.
Read the full article, Why You Feel Like an Idiot When You Talk About Your Blog... (by Amy Dunn Moscoso, Smartblogger)
You have to “position your blog” to stand above all the others in your niche.
Bottom Line: make sure people know why your blog is just what they were looking for… and why you are the blogger who can help them the most.
It’s Not About What YOU Want…
Lets be honest…we all want to sell something.
That’s why we blog.
We want to sell products, or maybe we provide services to people, or perhaps we have some sort of professional practice and we’re looking for new prospects.
The only reason we market our blog online is to find those customers, clients and prospects.
Now, we may have taken a course or two that shows us how to use suggestive language to make people buy our stuff.
If you are marketing well, you know that you basically just offer your product/services up front, and wait for people to make their purchase.
It is the best stuff you can do or sell because you know it has helped you.
Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic
Therefore, you know it will help others, too, so you are coming from the point of honesty.
But the trick is to make sure your prospects understand your sincerity, and your ability to to help them.
Make sure they know that you are writing your blog for their benefit… not yours.
How Do I Get People to Love My Blog?
So how can you, or your blog… become that jingle in their heads?
…the jingle they’ve come to love because it solves one key problem for them?
How do you get people to love your blog for the same reason?
Answer: You have to brand yourself wisely, so there’s no other conclusion they can draw.
People need to know exactly what you’re about… your niche, and your main purpose for being online.
Don’t make them work hard to figure this out.
They need to know instantly, as soon as they see your gravatar, hear your name, or see you on Social Media sites.
And they need to know instantly… HOW you can help them have a better life, a better business, or whatever else you’re doing for them.
Your Blog Needs A Perfectly Clear Message
When people understand how you can help them, that means you have crafted and delivered a clear “message” to them.
You see, your “message” is essentially your mission.
It’s the key ingredient to what some people call your “manifesto,” or your “core message.”
Your message is effective when it makes cystal clear to people that your blog…
- is congruent with what they want and need
- puts their dreams and desires within their reach
- engages them honestly as real people… not as “buyers,” “subscribers,” “traffic” or whatever impersonal label you could think of
So tell me this.
Do you know what your message is?
If you do… what is it?
If you don’t…
- stop blogging right now… and
- start writing exactly what your blog and your business is really about, who it is for, and what solutions it offers to your readers.
Clare Lancaster, writing for Problogger, suggests this…
Read more… How to Use a Manifesto to Spread your Blog’s Message (by Clare Lancaster, Problogger)
So I ask you:
What’s your message?
How does your message help your readers?
What’s going to make them share your message across their networks?
Spread Your Blog’s Core Message… Everywhere
Once you’ve got your message, make it the centerpiece of everything you do.
Don’t just get your blog noticed, reiterate it’s core message all the time.
When you schedule and write your blog posts, make sure each one of them reinforces and highlights your core message.
If you publish social media posts, videos, images… use them to deliver that same core message in one way or another.
Whenever you are contemplating any piece of content, consider whether or not it reflects your core message.
If not, you’ve still got some work to do in positioning that content to reflect the message.
Do everything you can to get your message everywhere.
That’s how it gets stamped indelibly on the minds of your audience.
Core messaging is the essence of branding.
Need more ideas for branding?
Read all 15 Personal Branding Tips for the Aspiring Blogger (by Alex Gomez, on Right Mix Marketing)
How To Find Out If People Love Your Blog
How do you know if people love your blog?
Here’s a novel idea… Ask Them.
For instance…
Ask people who read your blog, or know about it from your videos or social media presence…
- “what do you think my blog is about?”
- “how would you expect that I could help improve your life most?”
- “what do you think the main message or theme of my blog is?”
Ask them in the form of a survey.
Or ask them on social media threads, emails, PM’s or in blogging comment sections.
Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic
You could even make it easy on them by offering some A, B, C multiple choices to select from.
It doesn’t matter how… but it does matter that you do ask them.
How else will you know if your audience is understanding what your brand is?
And how else will you know if your audience loves your blog?
Remember, if your blog’s main message is not perfectly… I’ll repeat… perfectly clear to you… it never will be to anyone else either.
Spread Your Message Daily
Get your message out with a daily FB Live broadcast.
Tweet every day about something you’ve written or done (current or past), or just a “message of the day” from you.
Do the same on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and everywhere else where you have established a social presence.
And do it every day.
When people have one Key Problem that it’s your mission to solve… they should think of you first.
And they will when you deliver your message clearly, consistently and relentlessly.
That’s when they’ll come to love your blog.
Learn More About Donna’s Popular Top Tier Coaching Program for Bloggers
So Tell Me This, Now…
Does your blog have a perfectly clear message?
What is it?
Did you ever ask yourself “How Do I Get People to Love My Blog?”
I hope this has given you a better idea of how to accomplish this.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below, and naturally… I’d be thrilled to have you share this article on your social sites.
-Donna
Twitter: coachtocoachguy
February 21, 2018 at 7:56 am #
What a totally excellent blog post a usual Donna!
You definitely articulated, exactly what needs to be done over
and over, and why.
And boy is it easy, to get lost in the sauce, about what “I” want and or
expect from my targeted audience!
Instead of, as you so wisely pointed out coach, focusing on how
our products and or services, benefits (aka) serves them.
And the clearer we make our mission statement to our
target audience, no matter which particular marketing mediums
we choose.
The faster they will discover, how we can help and serve them.
And Donna, just like you shared, I too can still remember jingles,
from a clothing store,which was in business, when I literally a kid. LOL!
They advertised so much on the local radio stations, the adults in
my life listened to back then, the lyrics from their jingles
are still in my head to this day!LOL!
So what you sharing with us is definitely spot on!
Thanks a bunch Coach! this is really world stuff for sure!
Mark Newsome recently posted..How Understanding Strategic Lead Generation Strategies Gives Your Small Business The Edge!
Hi Mark,
When we think of it, we are here for others, not ourselves. Sure, we want to monetize the hard work we put into our blogs but for what? For others to read, learn and take-away something to apply for themselves.
He He…you remember those jingles from back in the day? So do I from those black and white TV commercials (yep I go back that far) to radio stations we listened to. Sometimes I wonder why in the world do I know every word in a song I don’t care for. But the answer is that it was constantly playing on the radio.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..How To Become A Distraction Free Blogger
Twitter: ebusinessroom
February 19, 2018 at 6:36 pm #
Hello Donna,
Thanks for this masterpiece. The idea of having a clear message and sticking to it was exactly why I stopped blogging about SEO.
Though I have a level of knowledge on that but I just think it’s better to just use the knowledge for myself while I put in to work in blogging about something that will attract the kind of audience I want. Though it affected my traffic but I’m gradually working on streamlining it a bit further. It seems late though but we intend to push a lot of traffic to that.
Thanks for sharing.
Emenike
Emenike Emmanuel recently posted..Unique Ways Professionals Handle Social Media Bashers
Hi Emenike,
I think it’s fine if SEO is THE Core Message you want to convey… but not if it’s just one little message tucked away into a trunk-load of others.
So, it SEO is not your Core Message, then I think you’re right to drop it (even though you’re good at it), and stick with what you want people to identify you with.
Apple’s iPhone has tons of features, tons of things it offers people.
But when they were building their market for it, Apple decided to promote Just One feature mainly… the photo capabilities and clarity and ease of use. It was almost like iPhone was a camera instead of a phone.
Well, that worked like magic because it was the Best feature of iPhone, and even though there were many others… the great marketers at Apple knew that people can only identify a product for ONE Core Message.
If it’s a good strategy for Apple… I’ll go along with it.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..The Best 3 Ways To Get Your Blog Noticed
Twitter: Lisapatb
February 19, 2018 at 1:56 pm #
Donna, this is the #1 thing I am working on for the coming month. I need the message clearer. I had a visitor email and ask if I had a newsletter. yikes! It wasn’t in plain site. Worked on that. I have to narrow things down more too to accomplish this. I did a video this week but daily? I’m not there yet…..
I also had an experience like Janice, asked the questions and didn’t get a lot of feedback but I’m thinking I may do better with a Twitter poll 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration here Donna as I have more to chew on and move along the right path.
Hope you are feeling better and are getting some sunshine up there as we are down here today.
Lisa P Sicard recently posted..Web Security is Your Number One Concern as a Business Owner
Hi Lisa,
A video once a week is fine. If you choose to do more videos, you can work your way up more frequently. It gets easier the more you do…just like anything else.
A Twitter poll sounds like a great idea. Asking questions is a great thing to do, but not to many people respond like they would on a poll. Gotta make things easy for folks lol.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: usmile
February 19, 2018 at 10:55 am #
Hi Donna,
It’s the “message to marketing match” right? Being clear about your message to attract others is important for sure. You get to understand this the longer one is online and exhausted with trying to figure things out. The light shines on the viewers and your readers, not the blog creator… much love to you 🙂
Hi Lesly,
Yep…that one strong message can be said in so many ways. It sure is important to attract others from our blog posts to our marketing. If we don’t do it when we first are starting out it can take so much time to figure this one out.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Hi Enstine,
So good to see you here!!! I appreciate the comment my long lost friend. So you have been busy hugh? I wish you all the best in every endeavor.
-Donna
Twitter: enstinemuki
February 19, 2018 at 3:20 am #
Hey Donna,
See me here 😉
You know for quite some time now I’m been away but often, I sneak here. So you got me to love your blog right? Yeah it’s right there on top of the list of blogs I ghost-visit (Like that of Joy Healey, Ryan Biddulph, Janice Wald, etc)
Just keep up the good work dear friend.
Enstine
Enstine Muki recently posted..1 Secret of Highly Connected Bloggers
Hi Enstine,
So good to see you here!!! I appreciate the comment my long lost friend. So you have been busy hugh? I wish you all the best in every endeavor.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: MrsPaznanski
February 18, 2018 at 2:06 pm #
Hi Donna,
I tried asking my readers what they want me to write about, in other words, what problems could I solve for them? Only 2 replied and said “tech”. I asked what tech they are struggling with and neither replied. What to do?
Janice
Hi Janice,
Yea, people don’t respond in big numbers.
But it’s like taking a poll… a small sampling can indicate what most of your readers are interested in.
Also, if you engage regularly, you’ll get a bigger response.
So, like my email list… I give people an idea, then almost always, I’ll ask them to let me know what they think, or if that’s something they’ve experienced etc.
I’ll often try to get a one word answer, like, “tell me if that’s a big problem, small problem or no problem at all in your business… just one word… Big, Small, or None will do.”
That always gets a high response because there’s minimal response barrier.
But also, when people buy your course or join your membership or hire you for coaching… or whatever… you give them added value by connecting with them one-on-one… email, phone etc. This gives you a great opportunity to find out where there head is at with things, while they get the additional value of personal contact with you. Win-win.
Hope some of that helps 🙂
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Make 2018 Your Best Year For Guaranteed Big Blogging Success
Twitter: joyhealey
February 18, 2018 at 6:09 am #
Hi Donna,
I love your blog because you call a spade and spade (as we say in Yorkshire). Yes, the ultimate aim of my blog is to sell something, by helping people who have made the same mistakes that I have in online marketing. I know there are bloggers who have blogs just because of the love of their topic and I respect them for that. But I love that you admit that the need or want to make a profit (long-term) isn’t a dirty word.
Haha – I was SO furious with myself when I found myself reaching for a chocolate bar after hearing some jingle about it. But even knowing what was happening, the message was so powerful that I still bought it.
Joy Healey – Blogging After Dark
Joy Healey recently posted..The Ten Most Demanded Skills For WordPress Developers
Hi Joy,
Part of our business is our blog and it takes time and persistence to get those opt-ins lol.
Oh my you reached for the chocolate too? Isn’t it amazing?
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Hi DD,
Glad to hear that you appreciate getting some actionable advice.
Now just go out and make it happen.
Best of luck, my friend.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Hi Donna,
I love your post! It’s full of useful information. I’m definitely bookmarking this site for future uses. I’m going to try this approach to my upcoming posts! thanks for sharing your ideas!
Its really nice article with so much helpful information. Actually readers always looking for such kind of blogs and articles and really thankful for your kind of writers. So thank you very much for writing this helpful information for us.
Hi Raghav,
I’m so glad to hear that you found this helpful.
Hope to see you putting it to some good use in 2018 🙂
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Make 2018 Your Best Year For Guaranteed Big Blogging Success
Twitter: MosClement
February 16, 2018 at 4:32 pm #
Hi Donna,
You’ve given your readers food for thought in terms of “how to get people to love my blog” – personal. I agree with you as well as Ryan. Yes, everyone has a brand. You’re online, you’re a brand. You’re a blogger, you have a brand.
What’s important is how to get people to identify your brand and love it. The best and easiest way is to offer value. How can you do that?
Identify your target audience, interact with them and find out their core problems, them be the solution to their problems. This way, people will love your brand.
Thanks for sharing Donna.
Hi Moss,
Absolutely… as you summarize…
Identify (your audience)
Interact (with them)
Find out (their core problems)
Be the solution
Thanks for that.
It’s a great working model for bloggers to keep in mind.
And yes, if you stick to those 4 things, you’ll not only develop a unique personal brand, but it will be one that people will come to love.
Thanks, Moss.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..How to Identify Your Target Audience Online And Dominate Your Industry in 2018
Twitter: wami_tech
February 16, 2018 at 1:00 pm #
Hey Donna,
Really amazing article. In 2018 Blogging is not that easy, as it used to be in 2010 or 2013. One thing which matters the most is patient and hard work.
Keep up the good work 🙂
Hi Ashish,
I know blogging has changed a lot in the last 5 years.
But it has always been about patience and hard work… and always will be 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and commenting today.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Microblogging Promises Massive Results To Smart Bloggers
Twitter: s_zakuu
February 16, 2018 at 12:38 pm #
Amazing read, donna! I strongly agree with all your points especially “solving people’s specific problems” which is why people need to pick a niche before jumping into blogging. This way, you’ll be able to target the right set of people easily.
Thanks for the guide 🙂
Best,
Simon Zaku.
Hi Simon,
Thanks for stopping by and joining in on the conversation.
Yes, for sure… it’s ALL about solving specific problems within a defined niche.
That’s how you’ll attract your most engaged audiience.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..The Best 3 Ways To Get Your Blog Noticed
Twitter: learn_to_blog
February 16, 2018 at 11:49 am #
Another brilliant post, Donna. It made me laugh when you talked about the commercial jingle. My friends and I often get stuck on one and can’t for the life of us remember what it is for!!
Enjoy the journey!
Hi Mandy,
Nice to hear from you today.
Yea, jingles are some crazy stuff.
We laugh at them, call them stupid etc etc… but we never forget them, do we? lol
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Get Freelance Work from LinkedIn – It’s Easier Than You Think
Twitter: AlmostPractical
February 16, 2018 at 8:33 am #
Hi Donna,
This is an area that is so hard for me. I know what to do in theory – but nailing it in practice is hard because there is so much that I want to write about and incorporate. I should probably have at least 2 blogs, but one is all that I can handle because of all the social media profiles and maintenance that comes with 2 sites.
Your article is a nice reminder that I need to get my messaging right.
Hi Neena,
It is a lot of work, especially if you’re trying too hard to be relevant to too big an audience.
So yes, the most important thing to do is to “get your messaging right.”
That, too, sounds easy in theory, but in practice… it’s amazing how many good bloggers just can’t ever seem to nail it down.
Work on it, first and foremost.
You’ll see big leaps in your results when you get that simple little thing done right.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Do You Have The Guts To Succeed In Blogging?
Twitter: pcgmontgomery
February 15, 2018 at 5:39 pm #
Hi Donna,
Your points about branding are right on!
Branding is the way we stand out from the crowd! Who wants to part of the sea of sameness?
As an entrepreneur, I must dare to be different.
No more hiding in the shade.
Branding increases my perceived value. and we know that the customer’s perception is really all that matters in business!
Pamela Montgomery
Pamela Montgomery recently posted..Repurpose Your Content: 3 Quick and Effective Strategies
Hi Pamela,
Personal branding is really the whole ball of wax.
It does make us stand out and give us individuality… and yes, a higher “perceived value” because of that.
And at the same time, in the process of carefully and narrowly defining out personal brand, we force ourselves to developing a core message that will resonate best with out target audience.
“No more hiding” from our audience, or even ourselves, eh?
Thanks for your interesting input.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Critical Blogging Decisions You Need To Make in 2018
HI Donna,
Wow, thanks for sharing useful tips to maintain the blog, going to implement same on my blog thanks.
Hi Praveen,
Glad you found value here.
Knowledge is great but, of course… it’s all about implementation, isn’t it?
Good luck with it.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Critical Blogging Decisions You Need To Make in 2018
Twitter: matofarides
February 14, 2018 at 4:08 am #
Hi Donna!
Great article! I started with covering two audiences on my blog. The first is the ebook aficionados, the people who want to read ebooks, listen to audiobooks but don’t know how. The second is the aspiring ebook writers/self-publishers. I started the blog in order to help a friend publish on Amazon an existing book she has already published. I still don’t know whether to keep the two audiences or focus specifically on one of the two.
What do you think?
Thanks for a very insightful and detailed article!
Marios Tofarides recently posted..Kindle Update 5.9.4 Adds an In-Book Clock and Improved Search
Hi Marios,
You can certainly target more than one audience with a single blog.
I do it here.
My audience consists of bloggers, yes… but also internet marketers, professionals looking for clients, affiliate marketers, etc.
Now each of those topics could have it’s own blog, but because they are so inter-related, I have no trouble writing a variety of topics that are all relevant to bloggers #1 and online marketers #2.
So I believe you could address both audiences in a single blog, for sure.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..1 Simple but Uncomfortable Tip to Boost Blogging Profits
Twitter: SEOPlusMore
February 14, 2018 at 3:48 am #
Great tips Donna. I totally agree that it’s about solving one key problem – for me that’s SEO. I love helping people to understand SEO and always try and provide real value in my blog. It took quite a while to get noticed though and I felt like giving up more than once!!
Hi Hazel.
It does take time to get noticed, but time well spent. It takes consistency and before you know it, you are making a good stride with your business.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: askdrho
February 13, 2018 at 7:44 pm #
I like the jingle analogy. That is somehow resonating with me in a very big way. I will give this some serious thought.
Elise Ho recently posted..Lovely Link Party 42
Hi Elise,
That jingle analogy is what got me started to write this post lol.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: corirams
February 13, 2018 at 5:19 pm #
Hi Donna,
You knocked it out of the park!
It took me a couple of years but I think I have my message down – and that is that there are plenty of legit opportunities to make money outside of the cubicle. But I know I could do more in spreading my message.
Thanks for the tips. I’ve never thought about asking my readers if they love my blog. Doing a survey is a great idea!
Great post as always Donna! Hope you’re having a great week!
Cori
Cori Ramos recently posted..5 Things A New Blogger Should Never Ever Do
Hi Cori,
It might seem strange but it really can take a couple of months or even years sometimes to figure out exactly what your core message is.
That’s because you need to spend time with your audience to see who they are – what they want and figure out exactly how you can help them solve their problems.
It seems like you’re on the right track at this point though, so good luck going forward.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Make 2018 Your Best Year For Guaranteed Big Blogging Success
Twitter: marquitaherald
February 13, 2018 at 3:21 pm #
Motivating as always Donna and the “clear message” is especially timely for me! I’m on a mission to come up with a custom shortcode to brand the links I use to promote all of my work and ERL is taken so I’m trying to figure out how to tell people what my blog is about in 3 to 5 characters – now THAT is proving to be a fun challenge keeping me awake at night. Thanks for the tips and inspiration!
Marquita Herald recently posted..Is It Better to Be Nice or Kind?
Hi Marquita,
You know it seems like such a simple thing to be able to just tell people what your blog is about or what your online message is.
But if you can get those one or two phrases to be meaningful – it can make a huge difference in the way you’re perceived.
Branding is just so important.
Just think of product you see advertised on TV or radio.
It’s whole identity is tied in to a single slogan.
Well, your online business really needs to be tied in with a similar slogan so people just know at a glimpse, what you’re all about.
It really can be a challenge, though, to come up with a few words that describe your mission/purpose.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..How to Identify Your Target Audience Online And Dominate Your Industry in 2018
Twitter: msellithorpe
February 13, 2018 at 10:54 am #
Hey Donna,
Love reading your blog and happy to be back so I can read it each time you post the valuable information that you do.
I’ve had to start rebuilding my blog (sad story) and I am using some of your suggestions, along with Ryan Biddulph and other great bloggers to do it right this time. At first, I was upset but then I realized I have a great opportunity to start over with things I’ve learned from you and many others.
Thank you so much for the suggestion in this post.
Hi Monna,
Yea, rebuilding, rebranding, starting all over… those things are always a lot of work and aggravation, but…
like you point out…
also very exciting as you get to start things anew, with refreshed point of view, renewed energy and all your past experience to guide you this time 🙂
Good luck with it, my friend.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Microblogging Promises Massive Results To Smart Bloggers
Hi Donna,
That’s a great write up. I agree with every single point you mentioned here in the post.
Focusing on one niche at a time is the key. In other words, nichifying your blogging focus can help you with reaching the target audience in a better way and you can fasten up results such as getting more targeted traffic from search engines, increasing your sales and connecting with the right people with your content. So it’s always better to nichify your blogging focus.
More importantly as you said “it’s not about what you want”. It’s about what they want and how can you get their problems solved with your solutions through content (videos, podcasts, articles etc). If you focus more on helping others with your content, you can easily get people to love your blog, build a great brand and eventually start making profits.
I think using a tagline for every blog (under the logo part) should be a part of it so people can easily understand what a blog is all about without thinking much.
Great tips like always Donna. Keep rocking.
Hi Anil,
Indeed it is so much better to “nichify” our blogging.
It sure isn’t about what we want, but rather what others need an how we can fix their problems through all forms of our content.
Thank you for your input here,
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..What are the Best Time-Saving Social Media Tools?
Twitter: naveensharmawri
February 13, 2018 at 7:01 am #
Hi Donna,
Surely others cannot be clear about what we do and for whom, if we ourselves are not clear. You have emphasized the importance of having a sharp focus. As you say, trying to solve every problem for everyone is a sure recipe for failure.
I think it also makes easier to write better and solve a problem in a more effective manner if we niche down sensibly. We can concentrate better on the problem, its different aspects and possible solutions.
It is when we are not clear in our heads what we are trying to solve that everything becomes blurred and ineffective. Thanks for this very helpful article
-Naveen
Hi Naveen,
Also, one of the big things about Clarity is that — like you said — The more you Niche down, the more your message can be geared specifically for your target audience.
So your message really becomes more clear as you get more focus on who your audience is.
And of course… exactly how you can help them with their precise needs.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..The Best 3 Ways To Get Your Blog Noticed
Twitter: imblog101
February 13, 2018 at 4:49 am #
Hey Donna!
Your tips are spot on here.
If you want people to love your blog, you have to love them back.
And by that I mean truly and genuinely care about the people in your niche.
It’s as simple as that.
Now, of course, there is work to be done in order for your blog to be love in the world wide web.
You have to follow such tips (the ones you are sharing here), with consistency.
One super helpful tip is to brand yourself and your blog. Branding is such a big piece of the puzzle here. You have to be all over the place sharing value and solving specific problems your niche audience has. You also want to be memorable.
Remember this one little fact; “What stands out gets remembered and talked about. What blends in gets forgotten”. This is actually a quote from Derek Halpern at Socialtriggers.com.
And this simple statement is so profound. It is true.
You have to do your best to stand out. Be different. Bring the value to your niche audience in a unique way.
Thank you for sharing these helpful tips!
Best regards! 😀
Freddy G. Cabrera recently posted..7 Important Steps To Take In Your Digital Marketing Strategy In 2018
Hi Freddy,
That’s the secret sauce…If we honestly love our niche and the people who come over to us by commenting and/or sharing our stuff. We can’t fake it.
I love the quote you have given here because w do have to stand out from the crowd. It is pretty simple when you really think about it. All we have to do is be ourselves. We are unique beings and have our own way to help others solve problems. This is how we become memorable.
We cannot hide behind what we “should” be doing, but rather get out there and be all over the place just as we are. Sometimes it takes guts to do so depending on one’s personality. But as long as it is honest, we can’t go wrong.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: ryanbiddulph
February 13, 2018 at 3:57 am #
Excellent resources and post Donna.
Branding goes such a long way in building a blog folks love. Readers tell me they dig my writing style, paradise pics and videos. All aligns with my brand.
Some bloggers feel branding is only for billion dollar companies. Not so. Every blogger has a brand. Even if you’ve not built one, readers get some impression after visiting your blog. But in the same regard, if you are unclear on your blog and brand, the impress will be less than stellar. Brand your blog guys!
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Are You Dumping on Your Blog?
Hi Ryan,
You have your brand set in stone my friend. When people see Ryan, they see the guy who blogs from all over the world, never missing a beat. The guy who gives information freely because he doesn’t want to see people waste their time or even worse, give up on blogging. Yep that’s your brand….the teacher who by his books and services can lead others to the right path.
We all have a brand and need to stick to it.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging
Twitter: fetchprofits
February 12, 2018 at 11:27 pm #
Hey Donna,
How have you been doing? I stopped wondering if people love my blog or not. Partly because I have more than one blog now and it’s getting very hard for me to just “ask”.
But you are right about keeping a clear focus, continuing to deliver, and I can’t agree with you more on this: “your “message” is essentially your mission.”
Ash
Ash recently posted..Marketing Execution: How You Slow Down Or Screw Up
Hi Ash,
Indeed, we need to keep focused and we always have to be delivering. Our message is our mission and we have to sustain consistency and a steady flow in order to achieve success.
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Creative vs. Self-Disciplined Blogging