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| English: Monkeys Blogging Español: Simios bloggeando (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A few months ago a blogger whom I like to refer to as "Dr. Johnny" posed a question to me after he had read some of my advice on a LinkedIn forum. Johnny Velazquez, PhD blogs at Parilla. Here is Dr. Johnny's question to me:
Should I concentrate on a particular subject when I blog, or whatever comes to mind? Blessings.
This is a question that I think many of us face when we consider blogging. I've seen this work as a dilemma that sometimes keeps people from blogging before they even try it, while in other cases bloggers will begin to have doubts about the purposefulness of their blogging or disappointment about a seeming lack of interest in what they are doing.
To blog or not to blog? Am I just wasting my time or is this endeavor all eventually going somewhere?
If your goal is to be a writer per se then since blogging is writing, that in itself is good reason to keep on blogging. If you're published already or hope to have your work published in the future, then your blogging activity becomes your platform for your work and your market exposure.
If you have some other goal in mind like expressing your beliefs, sharing your knowledge, or whatever other reason you may have, then blogging can be useful as a tool of getting yourself out into the cyber world as an expert or an enthusiast in a particular field. And if nothing else, blogging is fun.
I think content depends on your goal. I tend to go the random route and blog about what's weighing on my mind or whatever idea pops into my head. I consider my blog an eclectic blog because it doesn't stick to any particular subject. In some ways I may still be trying to find myself as a blogger. At least I'm consistent in my posting and I have my platform that I can eventually use as a springboard into other realms.
If you have a field of specialty then you may want to create a niche blog where you are a go-to guy for whatever topic you're the master of. It may limit you, but then again you can always sidetrack now and then for reader relief and to give yourself a writing break.
Personally, I think the niche blogs can get a little dry and redundant unless written by an exceptional writer with a wealth of near unquestionable knowledge and experience. If you keep the material fresh and on top of trends you might appeal to your target audience and begin to attain a regular following. This will probably not be easy and will probably require a lot of work. But if you stick to it, this route may be well worth the effort in the long run, especially if you have books or other products to market.
You may want to gravitate towards your personality and whatever agenda or information you want to convey to your audience. It doesn't hurt to experiment and get reader feedback to help shape your course in blogging. And you should post on a schedule so any readers you manage to hook know when to look for your blog posts.
The bottom line is to blog about what interests you most. Show the readers the side of you that you want them to see and try to make an effort to get them to like you or at least want to come back to see what the heck you'll be doing next. Subject matter is probably less important that style and presentation. The most interesting topic can put a reader to sleep if left in the wrong hands, while an utterly ridiculous topic in the hands of a creatively entertaining writer can grab a reader's attention.
Content may be king, but the housekeeper who keeps everything clean and fresh is the one who makes the castle an inviting place to visit. Blog about what you like and then listen to your guests. Ask questions to see what they think. Learn to read between the lines or beyond what is said in the comment box. If the comments are especially good then you probably have done something right in the post you've written. Now keep doing it.
If you aren't getting as many comments as you'd like to see then you've got to get out there and drum up blog business. So, in answer to your question, blog about a particular subject if you wish or use whatever comes to mind when you're writing. Like what you do and if that comes across to the reader there's a good possibility that they may like it too. Write it right and keep yourself open to changing your direction if you need to. From what I've seen so far, there are no set rules in blogging, but some things work better than others. It's up to each individual blogger to find out what works best for them.
What kind of blogging works best for you? What kinds of blogs do you prefer to read? Do you regularly read any blogs that you would consider to be "niche blogs"? Did I basically answer a question with a question?
Would you like more comments on your blog?
If so then check out to see what D.L. Hammons has put together. Join the Blog Blitz and have the biggest comment day of you blogging life!
The bottom line is to blog about what interests you most. Show the readers the side of you that you want them to see and try to make an effort to get them to like you or at least want to come back to see what the heck you'll be doing next. Subject matter is probably less important that style and presentation. The most interesting topic can put a reader to sleep if left in the wrong hands, while an utterly ridiculous topic in the hands of a creatively entertaining writer can grab a reader's attention.
Content may be king, but the housekeeper who keeps everything clean and fresh is the one who makes the castle an inviting place to visit. Blog about what you like and then listen to your guests. Ask questions to see what they think. Learn to read between the lines or beyond what is said in the comment box. If the comments are especially good then you probably have done something right in the post you've written. Now keep doing it.
If you aren't getting as many comments as you'd like to see then you've got to get out there and drum up blog business. So, in answer to your question, blog about a particular subject if you wish or use whatever comes to mind when you're writing. Like what you do and if that comes across to the reader there's a good possibility that they may like it too. Write it right and keep yourself open to changing your direction if you need to. From what I've seen so far, there are no set rules in blogging, but some things work better than others. It's up to each individual blogger to find out what works best for them.
What kind of blogging works best for you? What kinds of blogs do you prefer to read? Do you regularly read any blogs that you would consider to be "niche blogs"? Did I basically answer a question with a question?
Would you like more comments on your blog?
If so then check out to see what D.L. Hammons has put together. Join the Blog Blitz and have the biggest comment day of you blogging life!
