2015 is coming up and, if you’re a blogger, hopefully you’ll be taking this time to reevaluate your strategies for the past year. Since then, you’ve probably seen what’s worked and what hasn’t. But have you decided how to move forward?
If your new year resolutions so far have involved weight loss or doing good deeds, AmpliFound is here to help make 2015 your most successful year in blogging yet. Here are 3 “I Will”s and “I Will Not”s we’d like you to commit to for the next 365 days.
I will…
Create social media channels to enhance my blog. As I pointed out in my last post about how to reanimate your blog, social media is a great way to complement your content. It allows several benefits:
-
Interact with the community and other bloggers
-
Publish supplemental content (quick observations through tweets and photos)
-
Create more outlets to gain your following
So, give it a try. Set up an Instagram, a Pinterest, a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and start interacting. As time goes on, you’ll find what content works best on these platforms, and which communities are most accepting to your niche.
I will…
Adhere to a content schedule. We know, you got that initial spark, that sudden interest: “I’m going to be a blogger!” Fast forward a few months later, and you’re not quite as motivated, or suffering from writer’s block. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.
Create a chart in a Google Spreadsheet or Excel document, and make a plan. The following criteria may help you structure how this document will look:
-
When? Will you publish daily, weekly, or monthly? Create deadlines and due dates.
-
What? On those due dates, what type of post will you be writing? For instance, maybe you’ll publish interviews on the first of each month, and book reviews on the second.
-
Where? Which section of your blog will your posts go under? If you’ve created categories, this will also help guide you in knowing what to write.
-
How? What’s your word count? Which images are you using? Make sure you note the format of your post.
Why? Well, that one should be obvious. Because you’re a blogger, and you love what you do!
I will…
Write web-readable content. What is web-readable content you ask? Have you ever looked at a block of text that takes up your whole browser, and struggled with the thought of reading it? You’ve become disengaged by a homogeneous blob of words. When things are laid out in short paragraphs (two to five sentences) and in numbered or bullet point lists, it’s much more digestible. We don’t sigh at the prospect of reading, we’re engaged because it’s laid out so simply for us.
I will not…
Make it all about me. Bloggers start blogs because they want the spotlight on them. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re not that interesting. Make the distinction between what you find interesting and what your audience finds interesting — then find the overlap. Create content that resonates. Don’t swoon over your random, poetic thoughts throughout the day. Go to a publicized event and capture it like a journalist. Don’t tell us how delicious your friend’s zucchini muffins were. Make your own amazing recipe, and share it with the world.
Get out of your own head, and into your audience’s.
I will not…
Get lazy. This goes hand in hand with adhering to a content schedule, but there’s more to be said about this point. Some of your malaise may be coming from a dwindling sense of inspiration. It’s comfortable for us to keep writing whimsical poetry. It’s comfortable for us to keep blogging about our friend’s delicious zucchini muffins. Here’s our recommendation: challenge yourself, get out of your comfort zone and try something new, even if you’re not good at it.
Is there a new business that just moved into town? Go interview the owner. Never been in a marathon before? Run one and record your experience.
I will not…
Ignore feedback. Have you shown your blog to anyone else besides your friends, your cat or your mother? Now is the time. Reach out to people whose familiarity with you won’t cause bias, and gauge their reactions. Get a sample of unprimed perspectives on the direction of your blog, and see if there’s a trend in the collective feedback.
Feedback may also come in a different form: comments. If you’ve established social media channels, and are promoting your posts through them, comments will also appear here. Listen to your readers and what they want to see. You may get some helpful hints. Most importantly, respond to them. Thank people for their compliments, answer their questions, and try to extend the conversation so others can join, too.
What are your blogging resolutions for 2015? Let us know in the comments!
