Wednesday, August 6, 2014

My insecurity about blogging leads me to give advice about blogging.

Yesterday, I got an email from fellow blogger and writer buddy, Michael Ignacio, and he wrote,
Hello there. It's been a long time. I am trying to return to the world of blogging after being away for so long. I wanted to connect with you because you were kind to me before. I have finished several great projects and realize I need to blog in order to gather more support. I know you are very successful and I would like to seek advice from you from time to time in order to become a better blog jedi like you. Thank you for showing me kindness before.
But here's the thing: I've never really thought of myself as a successful blogger (do others think I have a successful blog?). But I guess to him, I was successful (how does one define success?), which kinda highlights an insecurity I have about writing. But because of his kind email, I felt the need to respond. Here's what I wrote:
Thank you for the kind words regarding blogging. I don't really call myself "successful" as my blog only generates about a thousand pageviews a day. The blogs that actually make money generate 100X that on a daily basis, but here's my advice if you want "genuine" traffic and not just authors hitting you back because you visited their blog and now they're under an obligation to visit yours:
1) Content is king. The more often you blog the better your search results will be (super successful blogs that generate a million views a day generally post ten times a day). And you want as much original content as possible. Posting ten times a day is unrealistic for one person, however, if you got a website together (like io9) with a bunch of other people, you could totally do that. Also keep in mind that when a blog launches for the first time, it needs content right away. Website io9 that I use as a "go to" example of blogging done right launched on day one with 400 articles.

2) Make big titles for your blog. You can look to mine as an example. Titles give you more keywords to strike google optimization results and drive traffic to your blog.

3) Get your blog linked on other blogs and on other websites. Work out a deal with site administrators. The more places where your blog is featured, the more your online importance moves up as far as algorithms are concerned (algorithms that drive search results).

4) Know your audience. Blog about things that interest your audience. Try to offer something of value that isn't being said by a million other people at the same time. Blogs about writing are a dime a dozen. You want your blog to be a destination and not a chore to visit.

5) Be realistic about what you want. If you just want to connect with authors, I honestly think having a simple website that features examples of your work, links to your books and your projects, and an occasional blog post would be perfect. To connect with others visit their pages, and then they'll know who you are and will help you out if you require their assistance. Connecting with authors is all about "tagging," meaning I tag your article with a meaningful comment and then I expect you to tag mine at some point. It's a back and forth thing, or quid pro quo for lack of a better term. 
6) Write, write, write. Write some articles, write some books, and keep writing and keep publishing it all. The most important thing is to always write.
So yeah, my insecurity about blogging led me to give advice about blogging. Irony much? Today's post is part of the Insecure Writer's Support group. Go here to sign up because it's a great way to connect with fellow authors, and...you know...blog. :)

24 comments:

  1. Some good advice!
    I have no idea how many visits or hits I get. I just pay attention to comments.
    Not a chance I'm giving writing advice. I'd mess someone up big time. Besides, I'm more about the entertainment.

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  2. I sometimes wonder whether all of it matters. I probably am the sort of person who would be better off with a simplified author website.

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  3. I've tried #2 with mixed results.

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  4. I blog to be connected with writers. Things is, when I started, I didn't know that's what was going to happen. :)

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  5. Great advice! I think I'm a blogger that learns more from others.

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  6. Awesome advice. I was thinking about that the other day--about sites I could guess blog for that get significant traffic and where I might be able to convince them to add a link. Then all that thinking made me tired and I ate cheese instead. ;) You've got some great advice here.

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  7. Good bookmark-worthy advice. My blogging skills are sadly lacking. I don't think I have a handle on any of the list items. But I'm working towards them!

    Loni

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  8. Dear Michael:

    Thank you for your kind advice. It really helped me collect all of my uncertainty and channel it to a postive rebirth of my blogging efforts. :)

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  9. Well, I for one think you have a successful blog.And I agree with your statement:

    You want your blog to be a destination and not a chore to visit.

    I don't think people should blog about what they think others want to read, They should blog about what interests them. I write a lot about art, but my primary goal is to entertain. I hope your week is going well.

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  10. Great advice. I visit your blog because it's interesting and varied. And I love how you speak your mind.

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  11. Hi, Mike,

    From your numbers, I'd guess you have a successful blog. I figure that people visit you because you post interesting things on Sc-Fi and such. If you provide a variety of interesting material and people are visiting, then in my mind, what you do is successful.

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  12. Great advice! I especially agree about content. I have thought about making a new blog with a different theme or even doing blogs with other writers, but it still takes away a lot of time from writing fiction. But I do think you rock.

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  13. I've blogged about my attempts at being a good blogger and my lack of success several times.

    I see others that are so natural and so interesting that I think I should just hire one of them to do my posts and get it over with. Want a job? :-)

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  14. It's great advice. That would exhaust me. I think you have quite the successful blog.

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  15. 1000 views a day is a lot more than most people. I don't know what the stats would say, but I'd guess that puts you in the top 1%, definitely the top 5%.

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  16. I'm with Andrew. 1000 views a day put you in the upper upper tier of personal blogs for sure.

    Great words of wisdom. Not just for Michael I., but for all of us.

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  17. @C Lee: LOL

    @Andrew: You think so?

    @Jay: Thank you for saying so.

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  18. 1000 pageviews a day? Yeah, I'd consider that successful. Of course, what any one person deems successful will differ from any other person. It just depends on your perspective.

    Great advice.

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  19. I wonder if I get a thousand pageviews in a year? Oh well, I'm not in this for the money.

    I see you added another book to your list. Congratulations Mike. Forgive me if I'm behind on the congrats, been away a while.

    Have a good weekend Dude.

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  20. I agree, excellent advice. I also agree with the other commenters, 1000 pageviews a day, wow. I'd consider that successful too.

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  21. dude. #2 is definitely kind of genius

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  22. @Sarah: Thank you dearie!

    @Elise: Oh my! You are alive!

    @Donna: Awh thanks for noticing :)

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  23. I've always considered you a successful blogger, but if you're getting 1000 hits a day then you are VERY successful! Your blogging advice is excellent, and much as I want to follow it I seriously wonder if I am by nature a lazy blogger. Only lately, after a couple of years of mixed feelings about writing, am I beginning to get excited again about it--but only when I think of another novel or a couple screenplays, not my blog. So sadly (sigh!) I may in time give up my blog and just enjoy visiting yours and other folks'.

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  24. I always thought of your blog as fun interesting stop on my journey. lol. You always surprise me, and I love that. I can't imagine 400 posts going out in a day. yikes.

    Everyone's success is their own, depends what their goal is. Fact that we're still here is a bit of a success all in itself.

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