Posted on October 31, 2009 - by Linda Fulkerson
The Power of Blogging
Introducing a new blog — On Blogging Well: Tips to Take Your Blog from Stagnant to Stunning.
I enjoy listening to people discuss things they’re passionate about — new scrap-booking projects, quilt patterns, golf tips, puppy potty-training methods. My first response is, “You should blog about that!” Most say they don’t have a blog. Why not?
The top two reasons people give for not blogging:
1. They don’t know how.
2. They don’t have time.
I believe most people don’t understand the power of blogging. Blogging combines three strong elements — content, commerce, and community — into one powerful means of information distribution.
Compelling Content
Three things drive blog content: Personality, Passion, and Purpose. Blogs aren’t some new journalistic technique to pass along news — they’re written by real people. Corporations blog to “humanize” their businesses — enhancing company/customer relationships. Blogs build relationships through dialogue — a conversation between the blogger and their readers. And that’s what sets blogs apart.
Community
The whole “get eyeballs” mentality is passing quickly. The eyeball isn’t the body part bloggers aim for — they seek to capture the reader’s heart and create a bond, a lasting relationship. Sure, it’s nice to see a big number in the unique visitors column of your site stats. But the regulars are what make blogs special. Think Cheers — a place where everybody knows your name. Readers don’t just interact with the blogger, they converse with each other, too, through forums or comments. Blogs are a place “where strangers become friends, and friends become family.”
Commerce
Can you really make money blogging? Yes. The secret is, though, if money is the reason you blog, you likely won’t succeed. Blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme. When they fail, they bad-mouth blogging, when really they started off backwards. To make money blogging, first you must pick a topic you’re knowledgeable and passionate about. Find a reason why you want to blog on that topic (your passion). As you begin sharing your experience about your topic on your blog, your community will grow. There are, of course, ways to grow your tribe quickly, but if they aren’t interested in your content, they won’t become regulars. Once the content & community are in place, then you can start thinking about dollar signs — if that’s what you want. Some bloggers never concern themselves with monetizing their blogs. It’s a personal choice.
Back to the top two reasons for not blogging.
If you’re interested in blogging but don’t know how to get started, visit my new site On Blogging Well. There’s an entire step-by-step series about starting a blog. What about the “no time” thing? I write lots of blog posts each week. I usually do them in two or three sittings and schedule them to post when I want them to. I check my comments daily and interact with the readers. I probably spend about 5-6 hours a week blogging. Most people (maybe not you) spend more hours than that watching TV. My secret? I don’t watch TV!
I hope you will stop by On Blogging Well.
Happy Blogging!
Linda
13 Comments
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The Prodigal Daughter by Linda Fulkerson
Ruled by despair, remorse, and anger, the author’s life had become a classic rendition of the cliché “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” Desperate. Overwhelmed. Isolated. Trapped. She hit bottom.
On the elevator of life, those descending will all exit on different levels–some much lower than others. You don’t have to go all the way to the bottom. Stop now and push the “up” button. This book will show you how!
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October 31, 2009
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Lorna said:
Linda, I think your “On Blogging Well” blog is an excellent idea and you give wonderful advice.
I think it’s interesting that blogs create a “family.” We all like to feel connected, don’t we? I know the first blog I started posting to felt like that, and the information I gleened from there helped me get published.
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October 31, 2009
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Kav said:
I am the least technological person I know so it took a huge leap of faith for me to even attempt blogging! I think I’m getting the hang of it now though (stop laughing, Lorna) and I’ve even started to follow a couple of authors’ blogs as well as a sheltie breeder’s blog. For me, that’s progress. The thought of blogging on my own? Now that’s scary! Though I think I would have fun doing a book review blog.
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October 31, 2009
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Dawn Ford said:
Linda,
I’m so glad there’s someone like you out there to help those of us who need just a slight push in the right direction. If it weren’t for you and Lorna, I wouldn’t be a part of this blog. It has been a real blessing to me and is helping me practice real skills for writing.
Best of luck with On Blogging Well.
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October 31, 2009
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Kav said:
Okay, so you inspired me and I got brave and posted on someone’s blog. Eeeek!!!
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October 31, 2009
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Laura Frantz said:
Me either, Linda! No t.v.! I don’t have a lot of followers but I do treasure the ones I have. They really give me a shot of joy during the day when they take time to leave a message and we can interact that way. You’ve made some wonderful points here. One thing that helps me post regularly (well, 3-4x a week) is adding a picture to each post like you all do here. It’s so much fun searching for just the right pic that adds spark to your post. I have a lot to learn but I’m learning, thanks to folks like you:)
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October 31, 2009
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Linda Fulkerson said:
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read today’s post & for your encouragement as I launch this new endeavor. We can use the power of blogging as a force for good in the world. That is the main reason why I decided to launch a “how to blog” site. If more God-and-Country types blogged, and spread the truth, imagine how we could shape the mindset of Americans — and the world!
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October 31, 2009
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Brenda Anderson said:
Another not to blog is because it is very scary sending your opinions out into cyberspace. It’s much more comfortable to lurk. But, it’s good to get nudged out of that comfort zone, isn’t it?
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October 31, 2009
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Brenda Anderson said:
Another “reason” not to blog is because once you hit SEND, you can’t take it back and only then do you see that you missed a word and don’t make any sense.
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October 31, 2009
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Linda Fulkerson said:
@Brenda — I guess I hadn’t considered “fear” as a reason not to blog. I’m not afraid of too many things. Just bridges. (Long story!)
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October 31, 2009
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Linda Fulkerson said:
Brenda — you can take it back! You can edit almost everything — posts, comments, links, pages! That’s one of the best parts about blogging!
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October 31, 2009
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Regina said:
I, too, thank you for the advice in this post, and in the other posts on your “On Blogging Well” blog. Great info, and your mentoring has helped ALL of us as we explore this new arena of community-building!
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November 1, 2009
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Linda Fulkerson said:
I really appreciate all of y’all taking time to stop by here today. I also invite you (if you have a minute) to visit my personal website — http://lindafulkerson.com. I just finished a total rewrite of the site focusing on my “new & improved” online identity as Blogging Coach and Internet Marketing Advisor.
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November 2, 2009
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Shannon Vannatter said:
I’ve been in the brain-numbing content editing phase for my first book. I haven’t looked at much on the web lately and missed your step by step instructions. Once I get my deadlines under control, I’ll have to go play catch up.