You want to have a successful blog. You want to have readers coming to see what you have to say. You've managed to get a healthy number of subscribers, but that is not good enough of course.
If you are like my you know you have much work ahead...the question is WHAT?!
Let me tell you what I've realized about my blog today:
I look at my blog post stats frequently but could not seen the connection; until today.
I have Craig Schiller to thank for prompting me to return to looking at my stats, again, in-order to improve my blogs. His post was, I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours.
I opened up my stats and saw what I always saw. The posts with the highest Clicks were still the same as every-time I return to my Statistics page. I read the titles over...nope I was not seeing the relationship. So I started to run down what each of those posts were about - from a new angle - in relation to the post titles - AH, HA moment! (I am so excited!)
First, the 'Good AH, HA'
If you asked me what was most important about writing a successful blog I would tell you it must contain useful content. My most successful blogs, generally, had titles which sounded like they would contain useful or helpful information - that is the good AH HA!
Second but more importantly, the 'Bad AH, HA'
The bad AH, HA: those blogs did NOTcontain useful information! Not really, in my opinion. Upon introspection, in this case looking critically at my blogs, I have realized I am not following the number one rule of successful blogging!
Reaching the AH, HA Moment
Sometimes when you encounter a problem and are stalled when it comes to reaching a resolution a good approach is to take a 'walk around it'. Look at the problem from all angles and ask yourself questions that arise from the new 'views'; all the while remembering to give yourself time to come up with well thought out replies.
So from this exercises, I've realized my problem was not that I couldn't find a connection between my most successful posts, but that my most successful posts did not provide the help of usefulness my readers where hoping to find!
In conclusion: My blogs had very little connection to my blog titles.
I could be mellow dramatic and say then that my posts have been a failure, but I know that to not be true. My blog is the second most subscribed in Ontario, right behind my mentor Debra Gould, and up until just recently I was 99 in the top 100 most subscribed to blogs on AR. That would be a successful blog in my view!
Well, we all know I am not being as useful as I'd like to be, nor as useful as my readership would like me to be. The next logical question would be 'what are you going to do about it'?
How is that? By providing useful content of course!
Looking at my title, as I have written it now, it may change many times...which, as a sidebar, may be contributing to my problem!
- Is Your Blog As Successful As You'd Like It Too Be? Or Are You Like Me and Just Thought It Was?
As I will do from now on, you need to take the time to review the content of your blogs. How are you giving back to the AR community? Would a consumer be helped by what you wrote, or would they finish reading only to end up with more questions then they had beforethey'd read your blog?
One point I may have taken to heart a wee bit too much was a member's blog about 'just start writing' and a blog will develop. Well, yes, but as you write continually reviewwhat you have done and make sure there is not only a 'point' to your blog, but answers or usefulness to it.
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Upon reviewing at this point, I've changed the title by adding 'Perhaps This Blog Post Will Help'; to remind myself what I wanted to accomplish with this post...providing useful content.
I've managed to get attention with my point of view, but providing usefulness from them has not been so evident, which shows when the chips are down...people stop reading. Like they say here on AR, once you get them, you've got to keep them.
Hopefully this will change, starting with this post.
Review, revise, relax...it is NOT a contest...and always try to have something to say. Here's to successful blogs!
BTW, here is a partial list of of my subscribed blogs...see anything in common?
 | Paul Chaney, The Blog Coach Paul Chaney - Lafayette, LA Last Post: 06/25/07 11:29 AM Posts: 65 |
 | CJ's Blog Cheryl Johnson - Highland Park, CA Last Post: 06/25/07 07:56 AM Posts: 219 |
 | Real Estate Web Design Blog Brad Carroll - Real Estate Web Designer - Raleigh, NC Last Post: 06/23/07 10:59 PM Posts: 22 |
 | Home Staging New Hampshire>>NH Professional Home Stager Sue Argue - NH Home Staging - Hampton, NH Last Post: 06/23/07 11:46 AM Posts: 45 |
 | Idaho Real Estate >> ID Real Estate SpecialistGeorge Tallabas - ID Real Estate - Nampa, ID Last Post: 06/21/07 05:05 PM Posts: 133 |
 | Photography and Imaging :)Bryce Mohan - Bellevue, WA Last Post: 06/21/07 05:53 AM Posts: 35 |
 | Home Loans & Stuff >> The Arizona Home Loan Lady Karen George - AZ Home Loans - Chandler, AZ Last Post: 06/18/07 12:44 PM Posts: 92 |
 | FRANKLY BlogFRANK LL0SA- Northern Virginia Homes For Sale- Broker FranklyRealty.com - Arlington, VA Last Post: 06/17/07 12:26 PM Posts: 64 |
 | Mike's Huntington Beach, CA Real Estate Blog Mike Stankewich, MBA, e-PRO - ZipRealty, Inc. - Huntington Beach, CA Last Post: 05/21/07 08:18 PM Posts: 141 |
Every one of these bloggers have a purpose for their posts: useful content.
Remember, the monkey's with typewriters? Join me and leave the typing pool!
Dane - Still Learning
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