Blogging can be an endless timesuck with little or no reward if the writer isn’t enjoying it. Sure, tracking analytics to see who is reading, subscribing, or how much revenue it is generating if it gets to that point. At the end of the day, the writer needs to be sure they are enjoying it because it likely isn’t a full-time blog.
Especially if it’s daily and can be tedious with MLB picks today, or any sport, or reacting to the latest news in a specific niche, be it political, health, sports, business, etc., the consistent research of the same topic over and over again can get tiring. First, make sure the appropriate schedule for your blog is set. Maybe it’s time to scale back.
Simply taking a different approach or format can assist the enjoyment of the blog for the writer and even the readers. If the writer is feeling sour, some readers may be losing interest because it does show through the writing. Let’s take a look at some ways we can punch up blogs.
Calling Out to Readers
Sometimes being transparent is healthy as well. Loyal readers are valuable and they can be used as a soundboard for new ideas or an ear to see if they’d like what you have planned instead of dropping it on them as a surprise.
Engagement is healthy in a variety of ways. If you’re already creating engaging posts and are able to retain readers/subscribers, that’s great! Take it to the next level because they trust you as a solid opinion or source for a similar topic of interest. Now use them — not in a negative way — by incorporating them into your posts.
Tired of coming up with topics on your own? Don’t. Instead, put a call out to readers to gauge what topics they want to be covered. Depending on your following, you may be able to get a half-dozen, or half the year covered with their topics.
To that tune, an advice column is something that can be wildly popular. If you have a weekly blog, maybe seek out questions once a month and substitute this to give you a break from researching one topic. It could also force you to branch out into avenues you haven’t explored and gather information for future blog posts.
Provoking Thoughts
Another way to engage readers is to get them thinking. There are ways to be thought-provoking but in a respectful way through your writing. Back up your opinions with data, research, etc. Going this route also opens up a new level of engagement that may require moderating comments depending on how the blog is presented.
Rankings transcend topics, whether it is political, sports, business, or any number of topics. Mix in a rankings column once a unit (week, day, month) to keep things fresh. Perhaps there is a candidate race worth following and you offer perspective on the respective candidates on who you’re favoring (though there shouldn’t be a conflict of interest), or it is ranking your favorite players, or whatever it may be.
If there is an important event coming up, approaching it by breaking down the pros and cons is another way to increase engagement. Find what makes candidates good or bad, but do so without offering your opinion. Or maybe it is a sports team trying to make a business decision in a draft, trade, or signing a new player.
Interactive Forum
Clearly, the key to creativity is to drive engagement in a time when the writer has hit a lull or struggling to be motivated. It happens to every writer. Instead of taking a week off, make life easier by holding an interactive blog.
Previously an advice column or taking ideas were recommended. However, combining those and doing a one-on-one interview with an expert in your niche could also substitute one week or become a series. It helps generate a rapport with experts in the field and could open up so many other opportunities. Think about how the network would grow, both in credibility to draw in new readers and also in having a network of experts in the field to rely on for specific questions.
There is so much value to add to get out of writer’s block. Trust and engage readers!
