This is Day 29 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, a group project 60+ of us bloggers are doing together in an effort to help each other become better bloggers.
“Five minutes. That’s it,” I insist as I log onto Facebook after tucking my three kids into bed. Forty minutes later my eyes are numb from having scanned through the two hundred ballet recital pictures of a long-lost friend’s daughter. A friend I have not seen or talked to in well over twenty-six years. Can we say, “aimless drifting”?
Darren warns of the trap of wasting online time. I know this temptation. I live in this land. I literally have to guard my watch when it comes to reading blogs and profiles. Otherwise I get lost in cyber-world. And no one comes to my rescue—except my middle son needing yet another drink of water before he can peacefully sleep.
So I like the idea of having a plan and being actively present where my “desired readers” gather. Every comment and guest post and tweet—though I have not yet succumbed to the Twitter madness—builds our blog’s profile. And it begs the questions, “Who do people think I am? Do they want to visit my space? Do I have anything interesting or inspiring to actually say?”
Intentionality is key. Knowing where we are going, why we are going there, and what to do while our mouse scrolls the page.
I have much to consider.
One addition to this “blog profile development” which I believe to be vital, is that we are real. Just real. People want to see our scars. They want to know that our words mean something. They look to see that we can identify with their places of weakness or areas of insecurity.
When it comes to our niche of Christian blogging, words of Truth mixed with honest moments of “fleshing it out,” resonates in the reader’s heart and mind. It makes our blog profile intriguing and attractive. It makes it real.
I must admit that I am glad Darren left some freedom room. He closed with a note saying that all online activity does not need to be productive. So, with that allowance, I’m off. “Five minutes. That’s it.”
Discussion:
- How do you actively build your blog’s profile and readership online?
- What new ways do you want to incorporate from Darren’s suggestions?
- Where do you find the majority of your desired readers?
The extra mile…
- Tweet, share, & bookmark this post.
- When other bloggers include a link to a new article they’ve posted today, click, read, and comment on it.
- Review Chris Branscome’s blog, The Prayer Experiment, and give him some feedback.
Speaker and writer, Lara is passionate for the Word of God. She describes the beat of her heart to be revival in the hearts of fellow children of the King. Blogging is one of her outlets for sharing her own adventure with this amazing God. Visit her at www.UnrehearsedAdventure.blogspot.com.
21 Comments
For all that we certainly do need to have a concentrated plan and make sure we don't just sit around wasting time on these websites, I don't think that our branding plan needs to be as disciplined as Darren makes it out to be. Remember that he wrote the book for all audiences, but as a Christian blogger, (and most of using our blogs for ministry) the brand is Jesus. If He's our "brand" and we find our identity in that, then we don't really have to worry TOO much about a branding campaign because it will come out in every interaction we have online. Sure there's still fluff and nonsense, but even that is part of the brand.
That being said, we can't waste time branding and then forget to about the product.
all for His glory and fame. preach it.
Today's 31DBBB post may be the hardest lesson to learn….and I thought SEO was difficult.
http://campfirecowboyministries.com/2010/06/strai…
I think today's is one of the most important of the 31. I could spend 24 hours a day every day doing the tasks discussed in this series – writing blog posts, reading other blogs' posts, commenting on other blogs, replying and engaging with those who comment on our blogs, engaging people in social media, going to forums, helping our readers – and still not do everything I'd like to. The comments already posted demonstrate just about all of us have struggled at one time or another with "drift" and letting time get away from us online. I guess what I'm saying is…
Get this one wrong and you can really screw up your life.
I agree with what several others have said – that it's important to be disciplined and set boundaries with our time.
But after we determine how much time we want to allocate towards blogging-related activities, I think it's really important to take the next step and create a plan that prioritizes the specific things we want to do in that time. Otherwise we won't accomplish what we want to in our limited time.
In life people that are purpose driven with a sense of mission to fulfil a vision do achieve much. Blogging is not an exception. In blog you have to be purpose driven to achieve you aim in your blog.