It’s far too easy in this social media bubble we live in to forget who we are blogging for sometimes. It’s easy to look over and see how this blogger is blogging 5 times a week and (apparently) getting big traffic. Or how this blogger is being more ‘controversial’ in her posts and that seems to be getting a reaction from her readers.
And here you sit with a blog that gets no comments and that averages 1 new post a week. It’s FAR too easy to become jealous of other bloggers that you feel are more successful than you are. That get more engagement, that seem to get more speaking gigs, etc etc etc.
But you always have to remember that you’re not writing for those bloggers, you are writing for your audience. You don’t measure your success based on how many posts you write versus how many Jay does or if your blog gets anywhere close to as many comments as Gini’s does.
At the end of the day you need to define your blogging success by answering this question: Am I creating content that’s valuable to my target audience, that’s helping me grow my business? If you can answer ‘yes’ to that question, then what happens on my blog or anyone else’s blog is absolutely meaningless to your blog.
For example, look at the content that Becky and the gang at Small Biz Survival create:
More photos for your tourism promotions
Square changes the way Small does business
Shop local idea to get everyone playing
Getting started with heritage tourism
Educate your customers without being taken advantage of
And those posts are just from this month. Just from reading the titles of those posts you know exactly who Becky and the gang at Small Biz Survival are writing for. And no, they don’t get a million comments a post. But the comments they do get are from their exact target audience. Plus, the content they are creating is helping to establish the blog as THE go-to source for information on how small businesses in small-town America can succeed.
Becky understands that she is writing for a very specific audience, and she creates content that’s laser-focused on what they need to succeed.
You should be doing the same thing. It doesn’t matter what another blogger is doing on their blog, what matters is how are you serving your readers on your blog?
But, Mack…..
Oh, never mind.
The Franchise King®
Thank you kindly, Mack, for making an example of us in a good way. Other than thinking I should have worked “small town” into a few of those headlines, I’m proud of the articles we share all the time. The goal is always to be useful to small town business people.
Becky the funny thing is after reading your headlines I realized how much this one sucked 🙂 Ah well, thanks for always teaching me how to be a better blogger!
Great post and great advice Mack! If you are busy watching the success of others you will never see your own. I think your post speaks to authenticity even. If your focus is to achieve what Blogger Y has achieved you are not being authentic, you are trying to duplicate someone else.
“If you are busy watching the success of others you will never see your own.”
I would so buy that t-shirt 🙂
Apparently on rare occasion profound things fall out of my mouth 🙂
“Am I creating content that’s valuable to my target audience, that’s helping me grow my business?” That is THE blogging question Mack. Thank you.
Will always value, respect the readers I have – always. But my “lawn” is gonna change b/c I need to be more like Becky – write for the audience I want. Even if it’s a more ‘inside baseball’ rant on PR or social, I need to rethink it in ways that’ll attract more and different readers, ways that’ll help them (and in turn, help me). FWIW.
Thanks Davina! Becky is a smartie, many of us can learn from her!
It is so easy to have blog envy… I know I’ve been guilty of it from time to time. Mine comes from looking at other food bloggers photos and wishing mine could be as good. Thanks for this article.
Jessica we all do this. Another blog might have a lot more traffic, but it still comes back to are they creating content that connects with their audience? That blogger that rants in every post might get them a lot of attention and RTs, but does that mean they are getting money? Maybe not. Or maybe they are, but what they do in their yard shouldn’t impact what you do in yours.
If we spend too much time looking from side to side, we’ll miss what’s right in front of us.
You blog speaks to me Mack.
I am very analytical (IT background) and often over-think things (like blogging). The natural tendency for my brain is to compare, etc.
More recently I have been writing rich content articles (they take a bit longer) but I’m seeing what you talked about. Getting shares and comments. Very cool.
It’s like anything worth doing, stick with it, put in the effort and have fun with it.
Chris.
Thanks Chris! I think your approach can work, but many people want to go with the ‘pump out daily content’ route. Either works, it all goes back to if you are creating valuable content or not. When Kathy Sierra was blogging she usually went 2-3 weeks between posts, and Creating Passionate Users was a Top 100 blog on the internet.
The best plan is to find a compromise between what works for you, and what works for your audience. Looks like you have figured it out!
Great Title it really brought my attention to see what this was about. People blog because they love to share articles and get a following. Love your article!!!
Hi Mack
Well your title can’t have sucked too much cause it made me read your blog post! I thought it was a great title, actually.
Either way, I’m learning that blogging is a long, hard haul and some posts get lots of attention, others hardly any or none. In my case I think I have a lot of ‘silent readers’. Working on how to get them engaged…analytics is going up yet not that many comments.
More power to ya mower.
Cheers
Sarah
A Mom On A Spiritual Journey!