Over the last few years, I’ve been absolutely amazed at how many blogs and websites spring up only to fade off into the distance. It seems the hopeful beginning is fresh and exciting but the author quickly gives up, only letting their hosting and domain name expire.
Chances are, they weren’t getting the attention they hoped for, nor did they know how to fix it.
The sad thing is their idea or motive for starting a website was probably a good one. Hell, it may have been an incredible idea. However, they just didn’t have enough patience or lacked some of the necessary skills to get some momentum going.
Below, I’ve picked a few of the biggest pitfalls a blogger will face when they are seeking a loyal following and lots of attention. I’ve also provided some ideas suggesting how to get out of the rut and get more attention almost effortlessly.
You’re Boring
This is the number one factor I’ve noticed over and over again as I peruse the internet. In my experience, writing well is the key to effective communication online (or anywhere for that matter). The truth is that you don’t have to be a great writer to be successful. It’s unnecessary to be perfect when it comes to grammar, punctuation and all of the little things you learned in high school English class.
The one thing you must be freaking awesome at, though, is the art of being interesting. You must possess style and creativity; your readers should be able to distinguish your voice from all of the other hopefuls out in cyberspace.
If you’re boring, people have no reason to keep reading and they’re highly unlikely to share your content, no matter how damn great it may be.
Quick Fix for the Boring Blogger
- Read, read and read some more. The more you read, the better your writing will be. Chances are the more you read, you will eventually discover a style or a voice you enjoy. Then you can begin mimicking that writer, and in time, develop your own style.
- Write daily. You will never get better at something if you fail to practice. I don’t care if you just take 5 minutes per day to write something in your journal. Whatever you have to do, practice, practice, practice.
You’re Just Not Into It
If you’re not the boring blogger, you’re the sleazy, I’m just not that into my topic blogger. These are the folks who often start out blogging to make money online. These people just crack me up because reading their content is only bearable after a few shots of bourbon.
Then you have the person who is the ultimate expert in the field of feline training. They are so good at what they do; they can teach a cat to use and flush the toilet instead of a litter box in 1.4325 minutes flat. The problem is, despite being an expert, they hate what they do. Either that or they’re just so bored with their profession and it bleeds right through their content.
You get the “I’m just writing this because I know it so well†vibe instead of the “I freaking love training cats so much that I had to devote an entire blog about it!†mentality.
Quick Fix for the “I’m just not into it†Blogger
- Quit. Yes, just quit. You are wasting your time and spinning your wheels. Your potential audience can see that you obviously aren’t too interested in what you’re writing. They can see right through the plethora of semi-useful content.
- Find something you are in love with and sell out for a while. Write like a bat out of hell and actually enjoy what you’re creating. I promise, the response will be much better and you will develop a tightly knit group of followers.
You’re Afraid To Be Different
This is probably the most blatant error I see in my niche. The fitness field is so full of generic, useless information. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at ClickBank’s myriad of fitness products with generic, outdated information for sale.
Go take a gander at all of the fat loss and muscle building sites with the supposed latest and greatest information. You will notice most of them contain information that’s been repeated and rehashed regardless of what the current scientific studies say about the topic – even if the old dogma has been disproven.
If you want to build an audience, gain exposure and stand out from the crowd, you must be willing to take a different course. Be willing to burn some bridges. Be the person to state what others are afraid of saying.
I must warn you. Being so bold does not come without negative consequences. You are going to face opposition as people do not like to hear the cold, hard, truth all the time. Other bloggers are going to be pissed at you for exposing their fallacies. You will get hate email and comment spam. It’s okay, someone has to go against the grain; why not you?
Quick Fix for those Afraid to be Different
- Write on topics and subjects that others in your niche won’t touch.
- Be ready to call someone out who is blatantly lying or misguiding someone. Don’t be afraid to tell it like it is.
- Be real and transparent. Write what’s on your mind and forget about pleasing every single soul.
There you have it. If you’ve been struggling with exposure and getting your blog off on the right foot, give some of these quick fixes a try and get yourself some much needed attention.
JC is the author of JCDFitness, where he writes about fat loss, building muscle and his relaxed approach to all things fitness. Be sure to check out his free eBook, A No-BS Approach to Looking Great Naked and follow him on Twitter.