I know, I know…the questions sounds arrogant and trite, huh?
But take a few minutes and think about it. Do you consider your blog the center of the universe? If I’m being honest with myself, I’d have to say that I do. I feel my blog is the center of the universe.
When I get out of bed in the morning, the first thing I look at are my comments, trackbacks, and feed subscriptions. I also take a peek (and I do mean a peek) at my stats - looking for referrers, keywords, bounce rate and unique visitors. Then I set off to writing about the topic of the day. The whole time I’m focused on my blog.
Sure, I’m there for my readers. I write content that I hope is interesting, engaging, and helpful to them. And I love engaging in the conversation that often stems from my posts.
Yet, I’m also blogging for me. I’m blogging because I want to draw readers to my blog. I want people to come to my little corner of the world enter my universe, interact with me and decide whether I can help them with their business. So I’m directly blogging to increase awareness, interest and the growth of my business.
What I’ve learned is that my blog is the center of my universe - hence, it’s the center of the universe. Since my day begins and ends with it, marketing my business is through it, and most of my client contacts are because of it, how can I think of it any other way.
But the question that intrigues me most isn’t whether my blog is the center of my universe. Rather, the question I think all business bloggers should ask themselves is is my blog the center of my target audience’s universe?
That should be the goal of every business blogger: to engage your specific, target niche of people who your business can best serve. Then, write content that they simply can’t live without. And if you’re in to the growing the conversation, having rich, lively and informative conversations on every post you possibly can. To do this:
- Begin by being as clear as you can without yourself about what problem(s) you can solve for people.
- Get really clear on who has the problem(s) that you and your business have the solutions for.
- Find where those people ‘hang out’ and engage them with an openness, caring and compassion. Listen first - always.
- Gently offer great content by showing them how their problems can be solved.
- When they ask questions or post comments, be honoring and grateful and give them the most complete answer you can with your time.
Make your blog something that your readers and your target audience can’t do without. Then you’re blog can become the center of their universe.
How is your blog the center of the universe? AND, what can you be doing to make it so?
Hi, I’m Dawud Miracle. Professionally, I’m a blog and marketing consultant, business coach, educator and web developer who helps people use their websites to grow their business. I’m also a devoted husband and father to two, soon to be three, children. And I’m always interested in a good conversation.
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I did it again. I read the entire post with Wendy’s voice in my head - thinking it was Wendy talking - and then I get to the end and realize I just read Dawud’s post. Now I have to reread it with the right voice in my head
That’s hilarious Char. I kind of did the same thing. But I knew something was going on when I saw Dawud’s picture at the bottom before I finished reading.
I wish Dawud or someone could answer this question. How do you find where people in your market niche ‘hang out’? I’m guessing forums and discussion groups.
Shiraz - try finding an active Yahoo or Google Group - I’ve done some amazing networking through them. I’ll second your own idea of forums as well.
My Something Good blog was the center of my universe for a long time, but I think the fact that it’s not monetized makes it a little more of a hobby and a little less of an obsession than it used to be.
Because Freelance Parent is so new, and I’m still in the first-blush, idea-generating phase, it’s sort of become the center of my universe in many ways these days. In fact, I occasionally have to remind myself that even though it’s really fun, I can’t devote all of my energy to it, or other aspect of my business will suffer.
Sigh. I guess it all comes back to the “B” word. (I meant “balance,” not that other word.)
My blog is the center of my universe right now, and at the same time, I keep thinking about the posts that Wendy has written about blogger burnout, and what she went through with that. I don’t feel like I have a good balance right now, there is just so darn much that needs to get done (my list of improvements
).
Re: gaining more readers where they already hang out, I’m working on that one, too.
Maybe I’m just channeling Wendy these days. Boy wouldn’t that be interesting? I wonder what else I can come up with… And to think, I was going to leave my picture off the post this time.
@Shiraz: Forums are great. Also, shake the tree. If you’re really clear on the problems you can solve, talk with everyone you know about it - friends, clients, relatives, etc. People always know someone you can help.
And thanks to everyone for bringing up balance…it’s the key not only to successful blogging and business, but to life as a whole. And I think we all need to be reminded of that from time to time.
Dawud, your post has me cringing. If I were a Miss America candidate (highly unlikely) and was asked “What’s in the center of your universe?” I would resort to some cliched platitudes.
But still…. I recognized that morning routine and evening routine as you described them, acknowledged to myself as I read your words that when I am cooking or hiking I am often thinking about “it” (my blog, that is).
I like your entreaty that we try to think about what the audience needs. I’d also like to submit that we not go overboard and get all codependent about our blog and our blog audience. AND that we restore to our lives a sane balance that does NOT put the blog first and foremost. (I’m talking to myself here, mostly!)
Ooh, blog codependency…sounds like a great topic for a book.
Seriously, though, it seems I may not have been clear in what I meant by the center of the universe. I meant on the web and in your business, not in life as a whole. I’m not chained to my computer so I guess the idea of seeing all my life through my blog is out of my normal train of thought. I turn on my blogging when I’m working and I leave it when I’m not - just like my work.
Life without some sort of balance is chaos. And chaos is neither where I wish to live nor is it a life-style I wish to promote.
So perhaps the title should be rephrased as the center of your business universe. Sorry for the lack of clarity.
I get what you mean Dawud, that your blog shouldn’t be the center or your life, but of your business. For me right now though, because there is so much to be done, so much work that I want to put into it, it kind of has become “my life”. I have been taking Wendy’s advice though, and pretty much staying away from it on the weekends. I have some consuming home improvement projects to keep me busy then.
I’ll agree that sometimes, especially in t he beginnings of a blog, it’s REALLY HARD to break away from it! Even though I’m pretty good about taking weekends off now, I must admit that I still check email and comments periodically on Saturdays and Sundays because I don’t like to be disconnected for too long.
I am comprehending you now, Dawud, but then I have had my coffee fill for the day, so that helps.
Staying away on the weekends is good advice. I have been traveling a lot lately, just short jaunts here and there, but I stand and deliberate over whether my crumpler bag containing all camera gear I have AND my laptop get to go, too.
Always yes to the entire camera bag. The laptop, not so much. First it’s, “I’m just going to check my email,” and then it’s, “Going to do a little reading [of blogs],” and finally, “Got to work on a blog post.” Enough!
I’ve found it vital to fit my blogging in with my daily work flow. The key I’ve found is to set limits for yourself. Time limits have worked best for me. That way I can plan into my work day a specific amount of time. When that time’s up, I leave it.
And since I don’t work on weekends, I rarely blog on them either.
I agree with Dawud. It’s all about time management and focus. There’s so many distractions in a day, and all these tiny little “distraction critters” that can get you sidetracked, and you won’t even know it.
Sometimes I have to slap myself because I suddenly catch myself checking the sports page, personal email, or just something totally unrelated to my work.
The best solution I’ve found for this is Mark Joyner’s Simpleology course. It’s free, and lets me do more in one day than I used to in a week!
Okay - so I have to add my 2 cents…. I don’t think my blog is the center of the universe, I wish it was. I need to work at maximizing my time and work at it… for me it seems like all this stuff comes so easy for others. I look forward to seeing what’s coming next.
But, wait, how can this be? My blog is obviously the center of the universe.
Sorry for the confusion, BusyMom - you are the exception. Your blog is indeed the center of the universe.