This is how you hit the bull’s eye.
My blog, Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette, has articles on it about writing and blogging. It has commentaries on it about crock pot cooking and living on social security. It has articles about sexuality. It has plenty of flash fiction. But my target reader is the beginning writer.
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As far as I can tell, a blogger must do two things to be a successful blogger. The blogger must try to keep the same readers coming back; and the blogger must constantly attract new readers.
The reason my blog has so many different subjects on it is because the blog must constantly attract new readers. My hope is that some of the new readers will find something in the core subject of the blog that will turn them into regular readers.
My target audience, beginning writers, will find plenty of reasons to keep coming back. How does a blogger find his or her target audience? It’s easy.
The blogger must figure out what he or she could blog about endlessly.
It really doesn’t matter what it is. Just so long as the blogger can turn out a constant stream of content on it. Someone on the Internet will want to read it. But you must have a target reader in mind and aim your content at that reader. Then every once in awhile throw in some content aimed at readers who are not part of your target audience.
Let me add, if you mainly blog about yourself your target reader is really only one person. Make sure your target reader is someone else besides yourself. A blog should entertain, inform or do both. I read a report once that estimated there are 3 billion or more people on the Internet.
Your target audience is waiting.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I will keep that in mind. Not to blog about myself. Great advice. I will be coming back to this article as a reference.
November 20th, 2009 at 6:16 am
I agree about writing to a target audience first and foremost. New readers will show up automatically.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:08 am
Good advice will take it onboard nice one.
November 20th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Nice piece…
http://www.articlespost.page.tl
November 20th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Good advice. Thanks for the information.
Christine
November 20th, 2009 at 8:33 am
thanks for sharing this useful information
November 20th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Good stuff, Guy…very practical and concise. Thanks, JJ
November 20th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Good read.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Thanks for the tip. This is useful.
November 20th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Very helpful tips…
November 20th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Thanks for a good post Guy! I started out my blog about recruitment and then it has sort of evolved into career advice, self improvement and personal brandingl. The great thing about that is that I know a lot about all 3 subjects and could blog till I drop abou them! My page in case you are intersted: http://www.theundercoverrecruiter.com
November 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Interesting article with useful tips.
November 20th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I’m a creative writer, all I can do is just HOPE that people will want to read my material. Thanks for the info tho!
November 20th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
sunshine, I’m glad you found the article useful.
November 20th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
ken, yes that’s been my experience and it’s in all the literature that I read about blogging.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Lord Banks, my personal blog is becoming my personal School of Blogging.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Teves, I like writing these little, short informative pieces. I’m getting good at it.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Christine, this same advice also applies to blogging on Triond.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
mkd, I’m learning a lot from my personal blog.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
J J, I’m getting better at writing these flash articles.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
aunslaught, I find blogging very addictive.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
CHAN LEE, I’m happy to share this information.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
cutedrishti8, this advice works for Triond, too.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Jorgen, having three core subjects is even better.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Good advice…
November 20th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Useful advice… thanks Guy!
November 20th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
chitragopi, blogging can be fun and educational.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
LovelyWolf, your blog is about entertaiment. A creative writer must give extra attention to tags.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
martinpm, I hope you found the article useful.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Sourav, the same thing is true about blogging on Triond.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Good advice thanks for sharing.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I guess my blog is about my interests but it does cover Hollywood,rockn’roll and freelancing so I am pretty sure I inform and entertain others too. But there are so many blogs- it is just so tricky to reach people…
November 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Good article.
November 20th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Sound advice Guy, as always.
November 20th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Guy, you always give good advice. I very much enjoy reading you. Because of you I did some research on Flash Fiction as I had never heard of it until I read some of yours. I submitted a brief article on the subject tonight. I think my writer’s block of over. Thanks for your help.
Catch you later, Pam
November 21st, 2009 at 1:27 am
These things crawled in my mind, you got them fixed.
November 21st, 2009 at 2:27 am
nice one…
November 21st, 2009 at 8:05 am
Very good advice. I take your point about not writing about yourself but when it is done very well it can be a huge success e.g. the Belle de Jour blog led to books and a film.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
An awesome read indeed.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:57 am
That makes a lot of sense, the hardest part is that there is so much I want to write about, from religion to health and how the world is going sour……………..I just cannot find the time to do it all. I will keep your words on my mental file so that I have something to come back to.
Thanx
December 6th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Nice article and thanks for sharing information.
Thanx
Alex