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Check Point For Aspiring Blogger

By alik levin

February 20th, 2009 | Blogging


Whether you are stuck or up and running with blogging (sometimes it might mean the same thing), it’s good to pause and reflect on few key factors.
To me the key factors in blogging are: visual design, unique voice, content,  traffic building. These are the guidelines I use to create my content on this blog (and on few other blogs of mine).		 Blogging Basics
by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

It is simple to follow and easy to validate. You should find it useful too.


Visual Design

As the rule of thumb I try to keep the design very lean and not busy. I model the best - www.copyblogger.com. The theme is here for free download.  My goal is to let the reader land on my page and feel easy. No flashy stuff, let alone popups demanding for subscription. There is also good article I recommend on DBT - Q&A: What Is Essential On A Blog? Must admit, I missed the “Contact” page recommendations.Tess at  The Bold Life was kind enough to remind me. Done.

Unique Voice

Millions of blogs are out there. Why me? I have tested my blog from marketing perspective -  From Part Time Aspiring Blogger To Marketing Top Gun. Ask these six simple questions and get an idea of how appealing you are (think of your blog as of a product).

  • Who are you advertising to?
  • What does your product do for them?
  • Why is it superior to alternative products?
  • How can you prove your case?
  • Where should you advertise to reach prime prospects?
  • When is the best time to reach them?

Content

The number one advice for better blog is content, no black magic. They say it should be valuable. “Valuable” for me is

I practice the basic guidelines for valuable content from Skellie - How to Avoid Fools Gold and Create Value-packed Content

Traffic

There are really only few “tricks” to drive traffic:

Got more ideas? - Share!

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. - Mark Twain



17 comments ↓

#1 Liara Covert on 02.20.09 at 11:48 am

Detachment is another perspective. Some human beings take initiatives to detach from what does not serve the interests of their core being. Different methods exist to sort through misunderstandings. Writing is an action that enables a person to step outside their normal point of view. They actively read their own views as an observer looking in. This process encourages detachment from thoughts and feelings and encourages raising new levels of self-awareness.

#2 Daphne on 02.20.09 at 12:35 pm

Hi Alik, I enjoyed reading this post, especially the point about making points simple enough for others to remember and practise. Good advice indeed.

You’ve also reminded me to keep my site simple and not busy. Thanks!

#3 J.D. Meier on 02.20.09 at 5:10 pm

I like your key factors: visual design, unique voice, content, traffic building.

Rather than visual design, for me, it’s more about *feel.* I like an ambiance that says it’s safe to stretch your wings here, and reach for the sky.

#4 alik levin on 02.20.09 at 7:18 pm

Liara,
You always surprise me with new angles you present. It’s good thing for me.

Daphne,
Happy to hear it is helpful for you. It’s good to be of help ;)

JD,
Ambiance - BOOM! That is the word!

#5 Sheila Atwood on 02.20.09 at 9:54 pm

“In learning, we draw and abstraction from concrete objects and events. In creating, we make our own concrete objects and events out of the abstraction; we bring the abstraction down and back to its specific meaning, to the concrete; but abstraction has helped us to make the kind o concrete we want the concrete to be. It has helped us to create–to re-shape the world as we wish it to be for our purposes” Ann Rand

#6 Jannie Funster on 02.20.09 at 10:28 pm

These are all great.

I think my blog looks a little too “squarish” lately since I added that background. Things don’t “float” on my page as much anymore. What do you think?

#7 alik levin on 02.20.09 at 10:31 pm

Sheila,
It’s a beautiful quote ;)

#8 alik levin on 02.20.09 at 11:31 pm

Jannie,
Good to hear you liked it.
Regarding the background - it maps to visual design part, the “ambiance” as JD called it out.
Let me answer you by the question - does it reflect your personality or it’s random? Does it add to your uniqueness or gets in a way to your unique content? Does it reflect your voice?

#9 Melissa Donovan on 02.21.09 at 2:02 am

These are definitely some of the most essential elements of a good blog. I would add that ideally, each of these are unique (rather than just the voice). For example, there are so many blogs about blogging. Nothing unique about that. But a blog about business blogging, or photo blogging - now we’re talking.

#10 alik levin on 02.21.09 at 8:11 am

Melissa,
Very good point!
I think you are talking about the brand and categories. To success one needs to be the best in the category or… be the first in the category. Creating new categories just as you call out here is a good way of being unique (better chances to succeed). It’s been written in the great book i serious like and recommend:

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2F22-Immutable-Laws-Branding%2Fdp%2F0060007737%2F&tag=practhis-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325

Also there is a very good post published recently at copblogger.com:
http://www.copyblogger.com/ceo-blogging/

#11 Giovanna Garcia on 02.21.09 at 8:31 am

Hi Alik

Thank you for all of the tips and advice on blogging. I found the information very useful and on point. Thank you for putting this together for us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action

#12 alik levin on 02.21.09 at 8:51 am

Giovanna,
Happy it is useful and practical for you ;)

#13 Jonathan - Advanced Life Skills on 02.22.09 at 4:46 pm

This is a really great overview for everyone with a blog. We all need to analyze how we come across to our visitors from time to time, and I think you hit all the high points. Thanks, Alik!

#14 alik levin on 02.22.09 at 5:43 pm

Jonathan,
Thanks for good words!
It’s good to hear the stuff is useful and practical.

#15 Gennaro on 02.22.09 at 10:54 pm

Visual design can be an important aspect of a blog. It’s the first thing a visitors sees and it may help to get them to click through posts. In the end, it’s strong content that brings readers back though.

#16 alik levin on 02.23.09 at 2:43 am

Gennaro,
100% with you
Your blog has fantastic professional visual design and i really like your traveling tips

#17 Use Wordle To Conduct Online Research On Who Does What (Including Yourself) — Practice This on 03.02.09 at 7:00 am

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