Do you have a plan? 10 tasks to help make blogging successful…

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Do you have a plan for your blog? Are your activities strategically mapped out? Or do you wing it?

I originally posted this on my first self-hosted blog (ceilidhontherun), but it’s one of those posts that just never seems to lose it’s value – so I thought I’d revisit it here, with a few minor updates:

 

FordNAIAS Online Influencer

Photo courtesy of @paulletourneau

Do you have a plan for your blog? Are your activities strategically mapped out? Or do you wing it?

I have been spending some time now researching and learning about blogging success. Because there are tons of resources out there I just hadn’t been able to decide where to focus.

First of all I had I simply started my blog without any real plan. I did what felt right and hoped it would come together. In many ways it had. I blog about what I enjoy.

I was invited to (and participated in) She’s Connected (or #SCCTO as known in the Twitterverse), a conference for Canada’s top digital women, connecting women and Brands. My influence steadily grew with Twitter following, blog page views, and Facebook influence, as well as other platforms.

In fact, because of my online influence, I returned to ShesConnected and was subsequently invited to FORD NAIAS; was invited to interview the Editor in Chief of Today’s Parent magazine; and have been invited to multiple opportunities for digital influencers…

Is a niche a requirement?

I have read over and over about the need to identify a niche.The value in niches seemed clear to me and I was pursuing one niche in a separate endeavor. However, I struggled with how I would narrow my blog down into one little niche, or create an off-shoot in a niche. The truth was that I really didn’t want to.

It was a relief to hear from and meet a few women who were making success online without a niche, by simply being themselves and connecting with interested online readers. They were falling into a new blogging realm of “Lifestyle blogging”. I loved that my blog was, and continues to be, a place that I can express whatever suits my fancy. I want to keep it that way.

When I re-branded my blog to “TrishBlogs… for Change” I identified the key theme to my blogging and my advocacy efforts – being a catalyst for change. Not surprising given that I studied Social Work when I went back to school for a career change in 2005.

Perhaps as I begin to feel satisfied with the way my blog is working, I’ll define a more distinct niche to build an additional online nest. For now, I continue using my personal work and art to learn the craft of working online and specifically, blogging.

Blogging resources

Due to reading such resources as Chris Guillebeau‘s website, emails and book(s), I always felt (and still do) inspired to remain true to myself. After reading Chris Brogan‘s tips I know there is a real science to success online. Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) previously issued an ebook of 31 Days to Building a Better Blog (which I’d read he’d released an updated version of), and I worked my way through each day’s entry / tasks to formulate my own daily/weekly task sheet to guide my own work. As a result, most of my task sheet I have taken from Darren’s tips. Some tasks come from other activities I already did regularly that seem to help me build that growing Klout score. 

Blogging task sheet:

  1. Respond to comments on blog
  2. Message a reader
  3. Participate in relative platform(s) activities
  4. Plan week’s posting schedule
  5. Post blog entries and schedule tweets
  6. Connect on Twitter: reply to someone I follow; thx 4 mentions; connect w/ new followers; post new content (RT’s, news articles, etc.)
  7. Connect on Facebook: like & comment on other blog pages; respond to comments; connect with new likes; post new content
  8. Connect on other social media platforms
  9. Comment on other bloggers’ posts
  10. Email another blogger to build relationships

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at trishbogs dot com!

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Do you have a plan? 10 tasks to help make blogging successful…

by

 

FordNAIAS Online Influencer

Photo courtesy of @paulletourneau


Do you have a plan for your blog? Are your activities strategically mapped out? Or do you wing it?

I have been spending some time now researching and learning about blogging success. There are tons of resources out there and for a long time I just hadn’t been able to decide where to focus.

I simply started my blog without any real plan, doing what felt right and hoping it would come together. In many ways it has. I blog about what I enjoy. I was recently invited (and participated in) She’s Connected (or #SCCTO as known in the Twitterverse), a conference for Canada’s top digital women, connecting women and Brands. I have a steadily growing Twitter following, blog page views, and Facebook influence.

I have read over and over about the need to identify a niche. I see value in that and have pursued one niche in a separate endeavor that has been on the back burner (while life has gotten in the way over and over). I struggled with how I would narrow my blog down into one little niche, or create and off-shoot in a niche, but the truth is that I really don’t want to.

I was relieved to hear from and meet a few women who are making success online without a niche, by simply being themselves and connecting with interested online readers. I love that my blog is a place that I can express whatever suits my fancy. I want to keep it that way.

Perhaps as I begin to feel satisfied with the way my blog is working, I’ll define a niche to build an additional online nest. For now, I am using my personal work and art to learn the craft of working online and specifically, blogging.

After reading such resources as Chris Guillebeau‘s website, emails and book, I always feel inspired to remain true to myself. After reading Chris Brogan‘s tips I have realize there is a real science to success online. Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) previously issued an ebook of 31 Days to Building a Better Blog (which I’ve read he’s releasing an updated version of shortly!), and I am working my way through each day’s entry / tasks and formulating my own daily/weekly task sheet to guide my own work. Most if it I have taken from Darren’s tips, some from other activities I already do regularly that seem to be helping me build that growing Klout score. It is started below:

Blogging task sheet:

  • Respond to comments on blog
  • Email a reader
  • Participate in relative forum(s) activities
  • Plan week’s posting schedule
  • Post blog entries and schedule tweets
  • Connect on Twitter: reply to someone I follow; thx 4 mentions; connect w/ new followers; post new content (RT’s, news articles, etc.)
  • Connect on Facebook: like & comment on other blog pages; respond to comments; connect with new likes; post new content
  • Connect on blogger communities
  • Comment on other blogs
  • Email another blogger to build relationships

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at trish at trishbogs dot com!

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A social media conference about connecting women with brands? Is this really for me?

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From Instant Upload

I don’t know about you, but my life has ballooned with chaos recently and I just feel so disconnected. Yet, here I am about to share my experience at the “She’s Connected” conference.

First and foremost, I felt very flattered to be invited to participate. Secondly, I wondered if I would really belong. I had never worked with brands before, aside from promoting the causes I support like “Team Diabetes” and my local candidate for the federal election. I knew I was willing to work with brands in some way, but wasn’t entirely sure how. Here I was joining 199 other bloggers, many of whom have far greater online presence than I do.

You can relate can’t you? Maybe it’s not in the social media world, but you’ve been there too I am certain.

I don’t see myself doing paid product reviews or product giveaway posts for a brand. However, there has to be some way. Nearly every brand can benefit from social media promotion, whether they be retail or otherwise. This became my goal for the conference. Aside from wanting to connect in person with some other active digitally active women, I hoped to identify how I might make this brand connection work for me and my online experience.

So here I am finding my way around the huge downtown Toronto Sheraton Centre bumping into bloggers and tweeters with much greater presence online than I. Many of these women have already established a source of income and were there to hone these avenues and expand.

When people ask me what my blog is about, I reply: “life”… I blog about whatever strikes a passion in me.

For some time now I’ve been thinking I need to get more focused, find a niche that will appeal to a “readership”, then I “met” Casie Stewart and Shannon from Shasher’s Life. Lifestyle bloggers who have made a big online presence for themselves. Women who stick to their scruples, represent their real selves and have developed a following as well as many advantageous opportunities/connections for themselves.

What are you all about? Have you figured this out yet?

When I talk about my blog and my writing I talk about: effecting change, about being real, about thought-provoking posts. Why can’t I continue to write about these things that I care about, however diverse they may be? It seems the trick will be in developing relationships with people who will care about what I have to say, but more so about the thoughts that are triggered within themselves.

Working with brands can happen in many different ways for every one of us. The area that makes the most sense for me is to get involved in helping to promote social change activities and corporate socially responsible campaigns.

A few of my new digitally connected friends from #SCCTO have utilized a variety of options for generating income from their work. Sheri was generous to provide me with a whole list of the platforms she works with. Jody and Pam each have their strategies. And many other new connections may result from this trip. Do you have great ideas for making your blog work for you?

From Instant Upload
From Drop Box

The conference speakers had a range of topics, some of which were interesting but not entirely relevant to me, some inspiring, and others allowed me to see that this truly can be achieved!

From Instant Upload


Now, time to strategize!

I’d love to hear from you about where you fit into the social media world. Are you (hoping to) making a living at it? Have you identified strategies for moving forward? Do you wish to connect further and support one another?

Drop me a note in the comments below, or connect with me on Twitter @ceilidhontherun, email me at ceilidho at ceilidhontherun dot com, or use my contact form!

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Seeking genuine blogging feedback – please comment

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Thank you so much for reading my blog. I’m still finding my voice, and can use your help.

If you do/have follow(ed) my blog… why? What do you hope to find here? When you come back what are you looking for more of?

I would LOVE to get your feedback in the comments below.

Thank you.

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