There’s a certain magic some bloggers have which makes them become popular.
You can be one of them, because the magic is within you, too. It is.
It’s only a matter of discovering it, harnessing it and using it.
It’s a kind of magic
Your blog is about you and people will return to your blog because of you.
Each blog is different and when I examine the majority of blogs I consistently return to I’ve noticed 5 things I tend to get from reading them.
They…
Teach me.
Entertain me.
Inspire me.
Encourage me.
& Motivate me.
The light that shows the way
To name only a few writers who exemplify all of those things are Seth Godin, Jeff Goins and Michael Hyatt.
We often check out recommended authors, but where we visit isn’t always somewhere we will return to.
So, assuming their content interests you, if you’re drawn in and become a subscriber to any author / blogger, ask yourself why.
It is within your answer where you will discover what each of their personal touch of magic is for you.
I believe you’ll find that each blogger you become a regular reader of creates a special kind of connection with you.
One writer, one voice
Most blogs share information we may already know or have read somewhere else before. It’s a spin or alternate view that makes us pause.
What makes the real difference is how they tell their stories. You can count on them telling their stories in their own personal way, each and every time.
It’s in their voice where the wand is waved, the connection is made and where the content truly comes to life.
The magic is in their voice. The magic is their voice. They provoke us to think.
We love when our thoughts are provoked.
It’s about you
Each of us has a voice. And that’s where the magic lives and breathes.
However, utilizing one’s voice is also where most of us struggle.
Two reasons we struggle are we focused too much on the technical aspects of our writing or the information we are providing, and not focused enough on how we’re saying it.
It’s vitally important to say what you want to say how you want to say it.
Think of a time when you were most relaxed, perhaps having coffee with a friend and the conversation between the two of you simply flowed with ease.
See what I mean?
That’s why after we’ve read a good blog post or a good book for that matter, we feel like we just had a delicious cup of coffee with a good friend.
The goal
Popularity isn’t the true goal. You know that.
However, everything is measurable and in the writer’s world a clear indicator you’ve tapped the magic within is your readership is growing.
If your readership is not growing and you are confident the content you are providing is beneficial, then consider your voice.
Sometimes we could use a little help in discovering, honing and using our voice. This is absolutely normal.
Find a teacher
Consider professional singers, the ones we love to listen to on the radio, they sound so natural and they are, but they also have voice coaches.
It’s worth it. (The problem is, most people aren’t willing to invest in themselves and therefore never achieve what they’re capable of.)
Develop on your own
If you’re not ready to take an online course, that’s okay because you can work on your voice simply by writing every day.
Try to write as naturally as possible. This is one reason I consider the first draft to be the most important, because most of us don’t expect to actually use it and this helps us write without overthinking our presentation.
Although you may go through 5 or 10 drafts, make sure you’re not editing to the point your readers can no longer find you.
Whenever content is pretty much the same between multiple blogs, it’s the magic of the writer’s voice that makes the difference.
Remember, your blog is about you and people will return to your blog because of you.
You. Are. Magical.
I’d like to leave you with a few tips to consider:
- Building a readership takes time, usually longer than you expect. Don’t give up.
- It’s okay to fall on your face, then get back up and try again. Dust yourself off and repeat.
- It’s better to post one or two quality posts a week rather than mediocre daily posts (unless you’re naturally prolific like Seth Godin).
- Engage readers who take the time to comment. It should be easy at first, but try to keep this up as your readership grows.
- Write about your failures because you’re human with real life issues.
- Write about your successes for the same reason.
- Be positive and constructive, even when sharing your failures.
- Don’t be your harshest critic. Be open to improvement, that’s important, but clearly be on the side of your supporters.
- Actually, go for it, be your own number 1 supporter.
- Write with confidence even if you’re not confident yet.
- Have fun and don’t be shy about adding some humor. Readers love to giggle a little.
- Be awesome, because you are.
So, why do you think some bloggers become popular and some don’t? Share in the comments.
Feel free to share a link to YOUR blog in the comments!
The image is by J Hanckock.
