When it comes to blogging, you'll find that people create ideas in their heads about you based on what they see on your blog; preconceived notions, if you will. Design, consistency, organization, tone, and content all tell a story about you. What story are you telling?
Learn five negative things that your blog may be saying about you to your readers.
You're blog surfing, when you come across a blog with a sloppy header, off-center text, and a totally incompatible color scheme. What are your first thoughts?
For me, I decide that the website looks too difficult to navigate due to its sloppy nature, and therefore, I typically click out immediately. Chances are, you do the same.
Lumping photographs together or typing up a blog post without formatting, punctuation, or capitalization is very, very unattractive. It leaves your reader feeling jumbled, confused, and a bit overwhelmed--especially when it involves clashing colors or moving backgrounds.
More examples include sidebars with no headings, blog posts with no labels, or illegible fonts.
Now, I'm totally aware that some people simply do not have a knack for graphic design. Despite this, we live in the age where knowledge is literally always at our fingertips. A quick search for pre-made blog layouts could do wonders for your website. Oh, and if you're confused about color schemes, find some inspiration on Design-Seed. It's been a lifesaver for me.
If your favorite blog stopped posting out of nowhere, what would you think? How would you feel? For me, I suppose I'd feel a bit abandoned--a bit unimportant. It would certainly cause me to rethink whether or not the blog was still my favorite.
Large gaps in between posting, or complete abandonment of a blog leaves people feeling as if you're inconsistent and unreliable.
Think about that for a moment.
When was the last time that you put your trust in an inconsistent and unreliable person? How did that work out for you? With that said, why would you expect your readers to stick around when you're constantly forgetting about them?
Often times, we get wrapped up in our lives outside of blogging--and that's totally normal, and absolutely encouraged. However, if you want your blog to be successful, you need to plan for these types of things.
Spend one day a week scheduling posts for the month so that they post automatically. If possibly, have a friend share updates on your blog while you're away. Let your readers know what's going on, if you can, in order to assure them that you have not abandoned them.
While we as a society do like our dramas, it's another thing to get involved in them, especially when you're the face of your blog.
Sadly, I've come across many "bitter bloggers" in my day--most of them women--complaining on their blogs about other bloggers. Instead of praising another for their successes, they constantly shoot others down. Gossiping, trash-talking, and arguing in the comments are part of daily life for these bloggers.
Every now and then, it's okay to get your audiences' blood rushing. It creates excitement and engagement. It arouses their emotions which makes them more inclined to say something. However, if you're constantly pushing their buttons, it's only a matter of time before they realize it and move on to something a little less "antagonistic."
Do your readers see you as a "greedy" blogger?
You've seen 'em around, I'm sure. You know, the guy or girl who has ads all over their blog. There are so many advertisements and sponsor messages that it's difficult to decipher between actual content and affiliate content. You'll find that the majority of blog posts are paid posts, with affiliate links throughout.
Whenever I come across a blog such as this, I leave right away. I always feel as if I'm at a car dealership, being sold a crappy car that I was never even interested in buying. If I have to dig through affiliate links and what-not to find what I'm looking for, then I'd much sooner visit another site where I can find it right away.
Now, if you ever have the chance to earn money with your blog through legitimate means without interfering with your reader's experience, then go for it! That's completely different than taking on every single opportunity that's thrown your way.
Have you ever come across a blog with personal content that goes something like this:
Clearly this person is not passionate about their blog. So, why are they blogging in the first place? More often than not, it's because they feel that they can become famous by these useless posts.
What's pitiful is that people love travel blogs, and this post could have been transformed into something beautiful, simply by adding a bit more detail and some high-quality photographs.
Could you imagine?
A beautiful photograph of the Eiffel Tower, with the sun at the perfect angle to create a breathtaking scene.
A picture of the room inside of the hotel, with a brief write up on the service, comfort, and amenities.
A detailed, up-close image of the food he ate for dinner, with remarks about the taste and texture.
It's as simple as this: Put in effort if you want a loyal following.
When designing your blog, keep your readers in mind. Visit a few blogs and write down your first impression. Was it positive? Was it negative? Why? Keep these notes handy and put them to good use on your own blog. Keep everything neat and organized, and in it's rightful place. Create pages to organize different ideas, and label your blog posts.
If you're not familiar with simple graphic design, find someone who is and throw them a few bucks to design a visually appealing, easy-to-navigate blog layout.
Remain consistent with your blog posts. Schedule posts in advance if you must, and if you need to take a hiatus, then say so--and don't forget post an update when you get back!
Never, ever put down other bloggers or use your blog to get under the skin of others. If you ever watch the news, it may seem as though we're driven by negativity, but the truth is that people respond more to uplifting content than disturbing, offensive content.
Don't clutter your blog with advertisements. This drives people away. If, however, you have a chance to earn money with something relevant to your readers, then take the chance. Ask for feedback. Find out what your readers want, and stick with it.
Finally, put in work. With all good things comes effort--relationships, work, family. Blogging is no different.
Learn five negative things that your blog may be saying about you to your readers.
You're disorganized.
You're blog surfing, when you come across a blog with a sloppy header, off-center text, and a totally incompatible color scheme. What are your first thoughts?
For me, I decide that the website looks too difficult to navigate due to its sloppy nature, and therefore, I typically click out immediately. Chances are, you do the same.
Lumping photographs together or typing up a blog post without formatting, punctuation, or capitalization is very, very unattractive. It leaves your reader feeling jumbled, confused, and a bit overwhelmed--especially when it involves clashing colors or moving backgrounds.
More examples include sidebars with no headings, blog posts with no labels, or illegible fonts.
Now, I'm totally aware that some people simply do not have a knack for graphic design. Despite this, we live in the age where knowledge is literally always at our fingertips. A quick search for pre-made blog layouts could do wonders for your website. Oh, and if you're confused about color schemes, find some inspiration on Design-Seed. It's been a lifesaver for me.
You're inconsistent and unreliable.
If your favorite blog stopped posting out of nowhere, what would you think? How would you feel? For me, I suppose I'd feel a bit abandoned--a bit unimportant. It would certainly cause me to rethink whether or not the blog was still my favorite.
Large gaps in between posting, or complete abandonment of a blog leaves people feeling as if you're inconsistent and unreliable.
Think about that for a moment.
When was the last time that you put your trust in an inconsistent and unreliable person? How did that work out for you? With that said, why would you expect your readers to stick around when you're constantly forgetting about them?
Often times, we get wrapped up in our lives outside of blogging--and that's totally normal, and absolutely encouraged. However, if you want your blog to be successful, you need to plan for these types of things.
Spend one day a week scheduling posts for the month so that they post automatically. If possibly, have a friend share updates on your blog while you're away. Let your readers know what's going on, if you can, in order to assure them that you have not abandoned them.
You're bitter.
Sadly, I've come across many "bitter bloggers" in my day--most of them women--complaining on their blogs about other bloggers. Instead of praising another for their successes, they constantly shoot others down. Gossiping, trash-talking, and arguing in the comments are part of daily life for these bloggers.
Every now and then, it's okay to get your audiences' blood rushing. It creates excitement and engagement. It arouses their emotions which makes them more inclined to say something. However, if you're constantly pushing their buttons, it's only a matter of time before they realize it and move on to something a little less "antagonistic."
You're in it for the money.
You've seen 'em around, I'm sure. You know, the guy or girl who has ads all over their blog. There are so many advertisements and sponsor messages that it's difficult to decipher between actual content and affiliate content. You'll find that the majority of blog posts are paid posts, with affiliate links throughout.
Whenever I come across a blog such as this, I leave right away. I always feel as if I'm at a car dealership, being sold a crappy car that I was never even interested in buying. If I have to dig through affiliate links and what-not to find what I'm looking for, then I'd much sooner visit another site where I can find it right away.
Now, if you ever have the chance to earn money with your blog through legitimate means without interfering with your reader's experience, then go for it! That's completely different than taking on every single opportunity that's thrown your way.
You don't put in the work required.
So, I went to Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower. It was pretty big. Then I went back to my hotel and ate dinner.
Clearly this person is not passionate about their blog. So, why are they blogging in the first place? More often than not, it's because they feel that they can become famous by these useless posts.
What's pitiful is that people love travel blogs, and this post could have been transformed into something beautiful, simply by adding a bit more detail and some high-quality photographs.
Could you imagine?
A beautiful photograph of the Eiffel Tower, with the sun at the perfect angle to create a breathtaking scene.
A picture of the room inside of the hotel, with a brief write up on the service, comfort, and amenities.
A detailed, up-close image of the food he ate for dinner, with remarks about the taste and texture.
It's as simple as this: Put in effort if you want a loyal following.
Bottom Line
When designing your blog, keep your readers in mind. Visit a few blogs and write down your first impression. Was it positive? Was it negative? Why? Keep these notes handy and put them to good use on your own blog. Keep everything neat and organized, and in it's rightful place. Create pages to organize different ideas, and label your blog posts.
If you're not familiar with simple graphic design, find someone who is and throw them a few bucks to design a visually appealing, easy-to-navigate blog layout.
Remain consistent with your blog posts. Schedule posts in advance if you must, and if you need to take a hiatus, then say so--and don't forget post an update when you get back!
Never, ever put down other bloggers or use your blog to get under the skin of others. If you ever watch the news, it may seem as though we're driven by negativity, but the truth is that people respond more to uplifting content than disturbing, offensive content.
Don't clutter your blog with advertisements. This drives people away. If, however, you have a chance to earn money with something relevant to your readers, then take the chance. Ask for feedback. Find out what your readers want, and stick with it.
Finally, put in work. With all good things comes effort--relationships, work, family. Blogging is no different.
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