What Makes A Blogger Likeable?
Have you ever wondered what unique characteristics truly separate the rockstar bloggers from the just so-so ones? What types of blog posts tend to get most people’s attention? And what makes your readers want to come back to your blog repeatedly? These questions may shed some new light for you if you haven’t thought about it before. However, they are the three most fundamental questions I ask myself with daily. So the final question we should ask is this: What makes a blogger likeable? Is it their informative posts, (like problogger Daren Rowse), or their excellent writing skills (like copyblogger Brian Clark)? Let’s examine this final question by going through 50 items in the following. Here they are.
10 things to listen to
Being a good listener is critically important. It shows that you know that you don’t know everything. Most importantly, it indicates your willingness to adapt your blogging styles to your readers’ needs.
1. Look for cues in the comment area, because your readers tend to leave you their sincere feedback or opinions in that section
2. Do a Google search periodically about you or your blog, and see what results come up. If you are a blogger, other people will talk about you either on their blogs or different forums. Make sure you watch out for your own reputation (I use Google Alert for this reason)
3. Do a search on Twitter about you or your blog for the same purpose mentioned above
4. Look for the trackback links you received and follow those links to read the articles that mentioned you
5. Ask your friends and family members to check out your blog and have them offer you sincere feedback
6. Read the trending topics on Twitter, which should give you an idea about the popular topics to blog about
7. Be aware of mistakes other bloggers have made and don’t reinvent the wheel. Bloggers usually write posts about lessons they’ve learned
8. Read news, and constantly be in the know of what’s happening both domestically and internationally. This may lead to the next big idea on your blog
9. Sign up for the bloggers’ Meetup groups and learn from other bloggers
10. Listen to yourself and follow your gut instincts
10 things to tweet about
If you haven’t integrated Twitter with your own blog, you are making a big mistake. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to promote your blog posts on Twitter. After all, it’s free advertising. So why not? Pay attention to these 10 ideas that help you become a marketing-savvy blogger everybody likes.
1. Retweet other people’s blog links that are educational and informative. This increases your own credibility over time because it shows that you are in the know zone
2. Tweet about local events such as Web 2.0 Expo or Blogging Expo. Again it shows that you care
3. Try to answer all the “@” questions that are addressed to you. It is important to be responsive as a quality blogger
4. Before you RT an article, make sure you check whether the links work. Broken links hurt your credibility
5. Tweet every blog post you published, which increases people’s brand recognition about your blog
6. Ask your followers questions about possible topics they prefer to see on your blog. Make sure your next blog post is in demand
7. Tweet about your thoughts about your future posts, which should lead to some feedback before you start the writing process. A smart move
8. Offer free prizes on Twitter to ask your followers to subscribe to your blog. For example, you can give out ten Google Wave invites for free
9. Create a professional blogger list on Twitter. And encourage people to follow this list
10. Encourage people to send you feedback on your blog posts because you are a good listener
10 things to think about
Good bloggers are usually good thinkers. In my opinion, creative bloggers tend to overshadow the not-so-creative ones. Therefore, here are 10 skills to help you become a better thinker.
1. Think about your own blogging style. Does it work for your target audience?
2. Think about the categories you have on your blog. Do you need to create more categories or just stay within the current ones already created?
3. Think about your own creativity. Give it a score from 1-10, 10 being the best. Where are you at and how can you improve your own score?
4. Think about the most commented blog post you’ve written before. Is there any way you can expand on that topic and write a new blog post about it?
5. Think about the good skills you’ve learn in the past several days? Can you implement at least three of them in your next blog post?
6. Think about your current promotional mix for your blog. Does it make people feel you are spammy?
7. Think about the last most retweeted blog post. What were the characteristics of that post that made it so popular?
8. Think about your current time commitment with your blog? Do you need to spend more time with it because your audience needs more materials?
9. Think about the 10 biggest lessons you’ve learned in your past blogging experience. Can you make a post out of that to educate people?
10. Think about the above 9 questions. Always try to come up with more thoughts that make you more productive.
10 things to blog about
These are 10 possible topics you can blog about which further connect you with your readers. Here they are, with examples.
1. Tricks and tips on how to use a particular social network (How to Grow Your Twitter Followers – 5 Ways That Work for Me)
2. Lessons you’ve learned in the past that could help other people succeed without reinventing the wheel (The 7 Great Lies of Internet Marketing)
3. A list of your favorite tools that help others be more productive (15 Essential Google Tools for Successful Business People)
4. Your own success stories that you want to share with others (How to Run a Successful Business/Entrepreneur Meetup Group?)
5. Ranking of popular items in a particular category that is in demand (30 Top LinkedIn Groups for Entrepreneurs, eMarketers, and Social Media Enthusiasts)
6. A collection of inspiring videos or audios (13 Most Inspiring YouTube Videos of All-Time)
7. Creative ideas that work with contemporary timing and situations (HOW TO: Use Social Media to Its Fullest During The Holiday Season)
8. Offering tips and suggestions on the good products you are using yourself (Thesis Wordpress Theme for Professional Bloggers)
9. Your opinions on controversial issues (Why Email Still Rules?)
10. Promotion of a meaningful and valuable event (AdTech Content Revenue Strategies Conference)
10 things to leave yourself with
Here are the ultimate 10 questions you should frequently ask yourself to improve your popularity perceived by the general public
1. Have I done my best to tailor to the needs of my target market?
2. Is my blog updated often enough to keep my subscribers coming back repeatedly?
3. What are some criticisms I’ve been getting lately?
4. Do I have a list of topics for my next blog post that my audiences prefer?
5. Have I maximized the design potential of my blog to make it look more attractive?
6. Have I put out enough valuable content for my readers?
7. Are there any needs from my readers left unaddressed?
8. What have I done today to improve the relationship between me and my audiences?
9. How can I do better with my blog?
10. Have I gone through this 50-item list today so I know what weak spots I need to work on to become a likeable blogger?
What is your take on this topic? How do you perceive whether a blogger is likeable or not? Your comments are always welcome.
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