Blogging can feel like a very personal journey. You’re writing all the time, sharing your thoughts, fears, adventures, and advice. That’s why so many bloggers forget the point of blogging is to help others instead of focusing on themselves.
There are many ways to take the focus off yourself and put it on your readers. Many bloggers don’t even realize how much of themselves shows up in a normal blog post.
Understand Who Your Readers Are
Just because you think people coming to your blog are newbie bloggers or small business owners or animal lovers or whoever you are targeting doesn’t mean that’s who is actually reading your writing. Try to find out who your loyal readers actually are. Try putting a survey on your blog, or responding to everyone who leaves comments with a personal email asking what they want to get from your blog and what their main focus is.
By understanding who your readers are, you will be able to focus your writing to add even more value to those who are loyal and consistent in reading your blog.
10% of the Post Should Focus on You
I’m a big proponent of storytelling in blog posts. However, I do not think your story should be the entire blog post. Instead, give a taste of why you are writing about the blog topic. Something peaked your interest over the weekend or you overhead someone talking in a coffee shop, and then immediately stop talking about yourself and relate the topic to how it will help other people. You’ll keep people more engaged this way. Pull them in with a story and lead them out with advice and value.
Write About Topics You Find Boring
Try writing about something that is important but you find insanely boring. A topic such as how bloggers should handle their taxes is a good example. By devoting yourself to a topic that obviously requires a lot of research and is dry, you are probably writing about something useful that not many other bloggers are willing to touch. You will be adding value to your readers and being totally selfless in the process. After all, if there is anything more boring than taxes, I haven’t come across it.
These are some ways to make sure you are putting your reader before your own interests. Do you have any to add?
About Rebecca Osberg
Your blog always gives me a unique perspective. Thanks!
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Hi Rebecca,
Great tips you are sharing here. I like what you’re saying about listening to your readers, so you can write about what they are interested in.
Also, focusing less on yourself is a great tip. It’s not about you, it’s about your readers.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Rebecca.
All the best,
Mavis
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Right blogging is the key to great success, it is very essential to know your readers and write according to their taste, this will definitely increase traffic giving a boost to your business.
showing commitment to your reader is very important. one should reply to the comments of the readers, it helps the author to know who there readers are and to focus on them and keeping them in mind write his next post.
nice post…….I agree with above commenters….it is useful because people looking for solutions and we offer value. Thanks for sharing this
Hey, Rebecca. I’m not sure I agree that you should write for your unintended audience even if they are loyal readers.
I’ve been down that path before, and you end up losing your voice trying to please people that aren’t your target audience. Yes, you can build up a following, but what’s the point.
The rest of your post is dead on though.
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exactly… infact i think you should always be spot on with choosing targets… you are blogging for a segment, keep doing that… they are the precious ones to keep
Focusing on the readership is the smartest thing a publisher can do.
Though I’m new to the blogging niche, I’ve been blogging about other topics for years. However, I feel the need to pay my dues and prove myself worthy, so I’ve published a few posts over at FUEL Your Blogging, where I offer free feedback to anyone that posts a link to their blog.
This type of interaction isn’t common, so there was a really positive reaction from the readership … the 100+ comments type of reaction!
By focusing in on a topic and then turning it over to the readership, I’ve been able to engage with bloggers, meet new friends, and provide something a little different for readers.
We all know that posing a question at the end of a post is a good idea, but it’s losing speed, just as guest posting might be losing speed. The key is to offer the readers something of value.
It’s demanding … but everything worthwhile is, right?
If anyone here wants to get in on the latest free feedback offer, I’m focusing on how helpful your sidebar is to visitors: http://goo.gl/tWAa0
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Twitter: stevenpapas
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100% right! Blogging mainly about giving value than talking about ourselves. People looking for solutions and we offer value. Thanks for the nice post Rebecca!
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Many people assume that their readers are automatically interested in how to make money online, just because they mostly talk about that topic when many maybe wondered to their blog looking for something else.
Knowing, what your readers want can help you write posts that will interest them which in turn will help your blog, like you said ranting about what you care doesn’t necessarily mean that it would be useful for everyone.
Also, writing about new topics is an other way to stand out, because when people can learn something new, they will remember you and your blog.
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targeting your readers is really good its helps you to write in a better manner. I really liked the point writing on a topic thats boring but important.
we usually dont read an imp topic just because its boring.. if its presented in a good manner then it can be quite interesting.
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Good tip on writing about things that are boring. I never thought about it this way. I like to do tutorial style posts and I guess that kind of fits into the same category.
Thanks,
Josh
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Yeah, sometimes it’s hard to keep your 100% focus on your readers. I catch myself writing for myself sometimes lol. I always try to make sure my content will be helpful though. That’s my whole reason for blogging to begin with. To share the things I have learned.
You can show real commitment to your readers by setting up test environments and analyze the outcomings in blog posts. Usually proper researching, testing and analyzing is very difficult and takes a lot time, however it will have a large influence on your readers.
Hi Rebecca,
I think as bloggers we’re conditioned to think that we have to deliver the latest whiz bang information. It has to be advanced. It has to be unheard of. It has to be revolutionary.
We often forget that readers still want the basics, even though we think the basics might be boring.
I looked at the most popular posts of 2010 on the GigaOM technology blog. The #1 post was “10 Simple Google Search Tips.” Even though the basics don’t appear bright and shiny, sometimes that’s what readers need to get the job done.
Boring, but necessary.
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Rebecca,
I agree that you have to know your readers. I think this is a little challenging when starting a blog. I believe we have to be aware of the the dissonance between who you THINK your readers are and who they REALLY are.
I hate reading blogs that are all about the author and nothing about the reader. I do not read celebrity magazines for the same reason.
Finally, writing about a topic that people finds boring is a great idea. That is a skill that great professors have used very well. Bloggers should adopt this approach at times.
My suggestion would be to listen to your readers. There is so much noise about non-sense that is very easy to miss good information. Commit to your readers by using active listening.
Thanks for the post.
Hi Rebecca
I have been surprised at how much readers respond to topics I have written about but wondered if they would get any response let alone heaps of comments and great conversations going on :-)
I wrote an article just before the Christmas break. It was about safety first and so many people said they found it informative and helpful. Just goes to show, if staying on topic it can actually work.
It is fun to be conversational and add some personality too. Otherwise it would be even more boring than taxes…maybe like watching paint dry ;-)
Patricia Perth Australia
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