Bloggers want to increase their audiences. Whether it is for disseminating an important idea or philosophy; building a reputation as an expert; monetizing through e-commerce, affiliate marketing or paid ads; or simply for the purpose of sharing information and opening dialogue with others of like mind, blogging provides the broadcast and interactive communications tool of choice. And if you'd like your visitors to keep returning and for new prospective followers to give your site a whirl, you had better provide them with interesting content expressed in a unique personal style.
Your content and style are the only true differentiators which cannot be stolen from you. They are your signature and your online identity to those who care, or who might be drawn, to read what you write. These are the Human elements of the readers' experience that will ultimately get your blog quoted, re-published, and highly-valued.
None of the SEO, SEM or SOB (are you paying attention?) tricks can actually get you on top and keep you there. After the search engines, backlink-building services and ranking organizations have finished their initial boost, it is up to you (a person with something important to say and a distinctive way of saying it) to keep building your audience. That process cannot be automated. You are a performer. Do you need some examples? [of course you do - that was a perfunctory, rhetorical question, and you know that I'm going to give them to you anyway]. How about these:
Penn and Teller - illusionists.
Anderson Cooper - an intense and sincere (i.e., Human) newscaster.
Mad Jim Cramer - a hyperactive, frenetic, maniacal stock market pundit.
Bobby Flay - a competitive, plainspoken "Chef Of The People."
Michael Kors - a clothing designer, and a witty, sarcastic fashion/design show judge with a funny but razor-sharp tongue. He actually sits on a panel led by Heidi Klum, who tends to be just north of tactless when she doesn't quite like one of the contestants' designs, or when she gets to summarily dismiss someone from the competition.
Bill O'Reilly - an extremely opinionated (and closed-minded) political hack and 'no-spin' [ahem] commentator who has a knack for accentuating the negative about whomever he doesn't agree with, and for simply dodging (or avoiding any mention about) the most glaring negatives about those whose political beliefs are aligned with his.
Each of the above individuals has content (perhaps even a hidden agenda or a touch of 'probably killed small animals when he/she was younger' sadism), and a uniquely defined personality or persona. And each is indisputably an entertainer.
As a writer you have to entertain, inform and continuously engage to keep the crowds coming back. SEO algorithms are getting increasingly intelligent and the rules for search engine prominence are always changing; but no matter what, the process involves your ability to communicate something interesting to another person...and that premise will not likely be changing for a long time.
If you bore people, they'll eventually avoid you. And if you have nothing new to say, or no new way in which to say it, shut down your blog and do something else with your time.
There now. I've said it. I feel better. How about you?
Ranting has always accomplished more than chanting.
Douglas E Castle
