What is the difference between something you need and something you don't? When we create our blogs, we often create our blogs based on something we want to give to our target audience and something we want them to do for us, namely click on an ad, sign up for something, increase our traffic or post a comment. We right posts daily and then market those posts to attract people. But, have you ever stopped to ask yourself if you are giving people what THEY need? One of the most basic abilities we possess is the ability to survive. We focus on the things that we need and then we go after those things. When you are trying to make a living blogging, your job is to tap into that basic need for online survival that people have and give the people what they need. You have to objectively view your blog and ask yourself what are you giving to your blog readers that can satisfy their needs. Here are a few questions you should be asking yourself when you analyze what you are giving your readers.

Do My Posts Offer The Blog Readers I Am Targeting Something They Can Actually Use?

When people try to make money blogging, they sometimes forget that there are actually readers out there that are looking for something. Those readers are typically not reading your blog just because they have nothing else to do. They are looking for knowledge about something and trying to figure out what they should be doing, what they should be changing and what they should be focusing on. They are looking for some sort of guidance. The Internet is so wide open. The truth is that there are many ways to be successful. Readers are looking for clues on getting it right. If your post is not about offering the reader something they can use in their mission, you are not going to be able to cultivate a long term relationship with that reader. Trying to get your readers in so they will click on your ads is good for you, but, what are you offering your reader that they can take and use for them? By focusing on tying your passion about your blog in with something your readers can actually use, you will create a win-win situation for both you and your readers.

Do You Post Often Enough To Maintain A Reader Base?

I advocate posting everyday, however, that is not something that everyone is willing to do. If you are one of those people that doesn't want to post everyday, that's fine. The key question is, however, are you posting with enough frequency to maintain a connection with your readers? Why do people read newspapers? It's because they want to know what is going on from day to day. They want information and they want it now. If you aren't going to post everyday, you need to make sure that you post with a frequency that allows your readers to know that you are still out there. Your posts need to be consistent. Oh you may have a hiccup every now and then - we are only human after all - but, you should create content for your blog in a manner that will support your reader's desire to know stuff.

 

Are Your Post Quality Items........For Your Readers?

Is your post a quality post? Seems like a simple question right? The very idea that your post may not be a quality post is insulting! How dare that darn Kila insinuate that my post is not a quality item! Now let me ask you something - do your readers consider your posts to be quality posts? It doesn't matter if you post quality items if those items are not related to the readers in your niche! If you write a beautiful post about construction and your blog is about baby blankets, something is off. Your readers are looking for something. Your "responsibility" is to give it to them. Make sure you are writing quality posts about your blog topic for your readers. Now please note this, if your blog is solely for your personal happiness and you are just taking any reader that happens by along for the ride, then that is fine and you can ignore what I'm writing. If, however, you are blogging to make money, you need to make sure you are writing quality stuff that fits with what your blog is about.  

Are You Trying To Exercise Too Much Control Over How Your Readers View Your Content? 

I'm a little guilty of this one. I'm sorry. When you put out your feed, is it a full feed or a partial feed. I have been putting out partial feeds. The reason is simple. I wanted the reader to look at the feed and then come to the site. I was so trying to control you! This is wrong. Your readers may not want to wade through a number of websites. They may want to condense their lives into a nice feed they can read at any time. Don't try to control your readers because you want them to come to your site. Let them have it their way. Give them a full feed. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can make a partial feed too for those that want to figure out if they want to read something by using the title and some intro text. 

Are You Changing As You Discover What Your Readers Want?

Some of you may have had blogs that have been up and running for a while. If you have set your blog up correctly, you can tell which articles your readers liked and disliked. Have you optimized your blog for those readers? Have you made an effort to give them more of the things that were well received on your blog? If you haven't been paying attention, do something about it. Change things and offer your readers something different.

Successful blogging is an art. The beautiful thing is that we can all paint the picture that we want to paint. If we keep in mind that there are other people that are a part of our canvas, we can craft something beautiful for ourselves, for those around us and for those that come into contact with us. It all begins with caring about what your readers want and need. Focus on giving your readers what they need and they will come back again and again.

Posted By Kila Morton

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