To run a popular blog, you need focus.
I’m not talking about the kind of focus required to sit down and write a post. Although you need that, too.
Let me rephrase – to run a popular blog, you need to have a focus or theme that ties your posts together. Readers need to have an idea of what they will see on your blog before they visit, otherwise they won’t visit.
It’s very simple. Let me use myself as an example. When I surf the web, I go to sites where I know what I will be getting. When I want to read the news, I go to BBC news. When I want to look at interesting random sites, I go to blogs about interesting random sites. When I want to read about theology, I go to websites and blogs about theology.
When I hit a website that does not fit my current frame of mind or train of thought… I close it. Quickly.
I do not click on its links. I do not look at its about page. I just close it. Why? Because I have a sense, or a feeling, of what it is I want to see, and the website does not match that feeling.
I already know what it is I want to look at before I go surfing for it on the net.
A popular blog is generally predictable. Even if it’s a blog about, “Random interesting stuff”. Because a good blog about “Random interesting stuff” will consistently post “Random interesting stuff”. When I go there, I know what is there will be random, and I know what is there will be interesting. And I’m okay with that, because that’s what I’m looking for. That’s why I’m visiting.
But if I can’t categorize a blog, and if I don’t know why I’m visiting it… eventually I’ll ask the question, “Why am I visiting it?” and then… I’ll stop visiting.
Consistency is the way to get repeat visitors.
As an example, one of the posts on my blog that gets the most hits is, “Portentious.” Why? Because I’m #5 on Google for “Portentious”. It’s pretty fricken’ awesome.
But none of those visitors will ever return to the Happy Moron or visit any other page, because the Happy Moron is not an etymology blog. It’s not a word of the day blog. None of those visitors will ever look and say, “What an interesting site centered around this topic in which I have an interest, I must visit it regularly.”
To be frank, there is no topic. Unless it’s me. Which might be okay for my mom – Hi, Mom! – but it’s not going to generate any internet traffic.
4 Responses to "y i r bad at blogging"
I still enjoy reading your blog. Isn’t it enough to tie it together with the things that you’re thinking about or the things you’re doing. Isn’t that why you or others read my blog?
Well, you’re right. My blog has quite a strong theme – “tings I r tinking about”. I just won’t kid myself that this is a discernable theme for those who don’t know me personally.
And yes – when I’m browsing for “Things Shaun is up to” your blog hits the spot!
Yep, you are a fascinating tie it together theme for those who know you – but it’s a select group. Get famous and you’d get traffic for that alone. You’d also garner all those fame problems, so maybe not.
Not on topic at all- but a Happy Moron topic all the same:
# Harlez-vous francais? ….. Can you drive a French motorcycle?
# Rigor morris ….. The cat is dead.
# Repondez s’il vous plaid ….. Honk if you’re Scots.
# Que sera serf ….. Life is feudal.
# Monage a trois ….. I am three years old.
# Cogito eggo sum ….. I think; therefore, I am a waffle.
# Haste cuisine ….. Fast French food.
#Pro bozo publico ….. Support your local clown.
# Idios amigos ….. We’re wild and crazy guys.
# Le roi est mort. Jive le roi ….. The king is dead. No kidding.
# Posh mortem ….. Death styles of the rich and famous.
# Pro bozo publico ….. Support your local clown.
# Visa la france ….. Don’t leave chateau without it.