In 2010, I started a blog. In the beginning, I shared mostly musings on faith and life, along with some creative writing and European vacation itineraries. It was fun to write and I didn’t feel any pressure for it to be something “more”. The way blogging has evolved since then is mind-blowing, and everywhere you turn there different tips and strategies for blogging, content creation, and creating and growing traffic.
I love sharing what I’ve learned about blogging and how it is still relevant to marketing a business. I thought it would be nice to touch on something of that nature and to encourage you that you can find success in blogging. It’s my hope that this post will help you to approach blogging with an overall growth mindset and not limit yourself to measuring the success of your blog only by comments or hits.
Finding your unique voice is a topic I’m passionate about because every business move you make is related to this. Blogging can provide you with many different kinds of opportunities and it’s easy to jump at the first brand to offer you something “free” and lose the qualities that set your brand apart. So, how do you find your voice and level up your blog, too? Here are a few tips for doing just that
Interview Yourself
Here are some questions to reflect on:
- Is my field of expertise or interest saturated? If so, what can I do differently from others in this market?
- What are my favorite blogs? Why do I love them?
- What questions do people ask me most often about life or my business?
- What is something no one is doing that I would love to see, as a reader? Can I create this content?
What Are You Passionate About?
If you want your blog to have long-term success, it’s so important that you blog about a topic you’re passionate about or can elevate. If you find that your heart doesn’t lie with the topics you’re writing about, you’ll probably give up on blogging pretty quickly. What inspires you? What gets you excited?! Ignite your creative spark by listing topics you’re interested in or would love to learn more about, things that make you smile from ear to ear, etc. I adore how Hayley Johnson – of Hayley Jo Photo – melds her business of photography with her passion for adoptive families, through her Hello Home series.
Stay With It
This is sometimes the most challenging aspect of blogging. Blogging consistently takes time and intention, but it should also be fun! Shake things up a bit and create content that makes your site stand above others in your niche. My favorite blogs are written by people who are either truly the best in their niche, or offer a one-of-a-kind quality. A good rule of thumb to follow in blogging is, If you wouldn’t want to read it, don’t post it. Get creative and curate content that you yourself want to keep up with. Be true to your heart!
Be Honest
Is what you want to blog about something you are gifted in? You may love to write, but if you don’t know the difference between “their” and “there”, a blog about creative writing probably isn’t right for you. You might obsessively follow competitive canine agility sports, but if the extent of your dog’s sport is chasing the cat around the living room, becoming a dog sport blogger isn’t realistically your cup of tea.
Each post you write should relate to your personal brand or business in some way, and have a purpose. A solid blog library is foundational to your website, so approach blogging thoughtfully. I’d love to bounce ideas around with you or provide feedback on the direction you want to go!
