What makes a successful blog, many people ask me – and why should I bother blogging?
Good questions, too, given the amount of energy, creativity, effort and consistency maintaining a professional blog requires.
Given the simple and somewhat uncomfortable fact that 70% of all blogs fail or quit within 12 months, it might appear that many online businesses don’t have a good blog in them. Or, at least, not one that will stand the test of time.
I’m a massive advocate of blogging as an integral part of successful social media marketing, and have been since 2005 when I first sat in front of my laptop after a decade in newsrooms, hands poised over the keyboard, about to write my first blog. Terrified.
When to write? How to say it? What is my blogging voice? Who wants to read any of this stuff? These and many other equally-limiting questions race through the mind of a novice blogger. And with good reason – it’s a tough world online.
The critics are many and the fans few – or, at least, that’s how it feels at times. But, good blogs have common themes.
A successful blog, in my experience, contains a few key elements which give it attention, leverage, and attraction over time:
* Honesty
Successful bloggers, such as Seth Godin, Brian Solis and Chris Brogan are all honest online. Sometimes brutally so. They discuss things they like and things they don’t. They stand above the parapet and honestly voice their concerns when they see something tricky, dodgy or reeking of snakeoil. Equally, they highlight brilliant sites, products and services, too.
* Inquiry
Successful bloggers ask questions – frequently. Chris Brogan is one of the masters of it online – and to see this demonstrates a real humility and attentiveness of his audience. I respect that – despite his considerable success online, he still remains teachable. There are oodles of ‘internet marketers’ hammering webinars, valueless product libraries, and the like. They’re not listening to us – ever.
* Integrity
Successful bloggers have integrity – and use it. For me, this means being objective, being able to blog unashamedly in your own voice, being able to distinguish between right and wrong, and also not being afraid to stand up and talk about it. Integrity in a blog also means that value, content, ideas, assistance, thought-leadership are genuinely, regularly, and helpfully offered to one and all.
Mission Impossible?
For some, creating and maintaining this kind of online marketing platform is an impossible challenge – it’s about giving and taking, of course, and there are many takers out there. I naturally gravitate to the folk who give of themselves in their blogs. They give inspiration, information and innovation.
These honest blogs are also, unsurprisingly, successful blogs. Have you got it in you, too? Experience, knowledge and passion. I’ll always pay attention to that.
