Oct 13

Written by:
2009/10/13 09:36 AM 

Being the best blogger in the country is no small feat. It takes hard work, loads of dedication and lots of passion. It takes patience. It takes even more dedication, hard work and passion to stay the best blogger in the country. There are so many other people trying to knock you off and claim king of the hill.

Admittedly I have not achieved that yet. But what’s so wrong with dreaming. one of my goals is indeed to achieve the top blog spot in the country, at least in my niche.

In this post I am going to share with you some points to adapt on how to achieve this goal.

Set Goals

Setting goals is a great way to move your blog forward and upward. But set realistic goals. Have long term as well as short term goals. As I have already shared, one of my goals is to be the top blogger in the country. This might be one of my long term goals. Another long term goal of mine is for my blog to generate a six figure annual income.

But goals are not all about long term. In order to achieve those long term goals, we have to first achieve our short term goals. Baby steps. Crawl before you walk before you run.

Set realistic short term goals that you know you can achieve. But set challenges as well. No point in setting a goal that is not a challenge.

When I first started blogging I set a page viewed goal. First it was 20 page views a day, then 50, then 100, then 200, etc. These short term goals were attainable, but still needed some effort on my part.

As I achieved my short term goals I set new ones. All the time aiming for my long term goals.

What short term goals have you set for your blog?

Have a schedule.

If you or I want to become the best blogger in the country then it’s not going to happen by pot luck. It is going to take hard work and dedication. To achieve this, it is best to create a schedule. Having a schedule or editorial calendar puts things in perspective, and does not give you that drowning feeling.

It’s a lot harder to put off writing a post when you know exactly when your blog is due for an update. Working out an editorial calendar can help give your blog a sense of rhythm. It can also make you more productive through setting firm deadlines for new posts.

Your schedule can include how many times you will blog a day. What type of blog posts you will write on which days. Create tasks for your blog. Create blogging and post themes.

A schedule will help you to plan ahead as well as providing a safety net when things go wrong. A schedule helps to take away a lot of stress. It will also get you into a routine you can manage. But at the end of the day, you will have a better blog.

Write compelling content.

If I've said it once. I’ve said it a thousand times. Content is King. To become the number one blogger you have to write compelling and relevant content. Content that meets the needs of your readers. Content that encourages new readers to come back.

Knowledge is power. You have that knowledge. Leverage it’s power to boost your blog into the prime time. There are thousands of people searching for answers on the net. If you can provide them with relevant compelling answers, then it stands to reason that your blog will rocket to the top.

Participate in the blogosphere.

No blogger is an island. You will not make it on your own. You need to start participating in other blogs. Commenting, writing guest posts, answering questions, helping out. Be social. Make yourself known. Become credible in your niche.

Get involved with your readers. Participate in comments that they leave on your blog. Email your readers. Thanking them or perhaps answering their questions personally. Encourage other bloggers to succeed. Start a dialogue with another bloggers in your niche.

Promote not only your blog but promote others. Promoting other people’s blogs will indirectly help promote yours.

Make friends on Social Networks.

Blogs are by nature part and parcel of the big social networks that have taken over the worldwide web. Social Networks like Twitter, Facebook, Gatorpeeps, offer a vast amount of opportunity to get involved with other people and have them involved with your blog.

Make friends that will support your blog. People that are interested in you and what you have to say. Build up a community, a following. Build up a support group. Get involved in forums, participate in a blog collaboration forum like Twitter12.

Offer free stuff.

There is a saying that says, there is no such thing as a free lunch. But then again, you’re not buying every one lunch are you? A very good marketing tool is the freebie. Whether you offer free advice, free knowledge, or even free e-books, giving away stuff on your blog, and from  you, is a positive thing.

Too many bloggers just want want want. They want you to buy their e-books, buy subscriptions to their tutorials, etc. Yes I know that people have to earn a living, but if all your blog is about getting and not giving, then I believe it will be difficult to reach the top.

It’s all about being generous. People like generosity, and they will follow and support generosity. Not everyone will have the disposable income to buy your latest gimmicks. But most will be willing to take the free ones you offer.

Remember this though, the freebies you offer needs to be worth while to your readers. pointless offering a free “Thingamabob” when no one has use for such a “Thingamabob”.

Speak with authority.

Nobody wants a ‘know-it-all”, but everybody wants someone who knows their stuff. Speak with authority, make sure people know that you know. They will soon come to you for their answers because you have an authority in a particular subject. They will recommend you to others.

Once you develop credibility and authority, then the sky’s the limit. That's why I want to be the top blogger in the country. I am building up an authoritative and credible blog about blogging, programming and web development. The only way to be the top blogger in your country is to have authority in your niche.

You don’t have to say anything new or even anything earth shattering, but you have to be the one saying it. Say it as though your life depended on it, then others will depend on you.

Use your strengths.

Influential bloggers are usually synonymous with a single core strength: Seth Godin and ideas, Merlin Mann and productivity, Darren Rowse, and Professional Blogging, etc. Every word they write on that topic contributes to their profile in that sphere. The saying “Jack-of-all-trades, master of none” rings true when it comes to blogging: the thinner you spread yourself, the less likely you are to achieve prominence in any one area. Pick your core strength and stick with it.

Respond to criticism with dignity.

Every blogger with a readership will be criticized at some point. I’m not talking about constructive criticism (hopefully you’ll get that too), but the pure, unadulterated, irrational, I hate you kind. The way you deal with such criticism will leave a distinct mark on your profile, so make sure that mark is a positive one. Getting involved in a tit-for-tat may cause your credibility to spring a leak.

In fact no criticism is a bad thing. A new blogger once told me that they were scared to open their blog to comments from the public. Because they were afraid of the negativity. Negativity is good, when responded to in a positive way.

Think of a magnet with two opposite poles. The negative and positive poles attract. But put two like poles together and they repel. Answering negativity with more negativity will soon repel readers not attract them.

Be open about your mistakes.

No bodies perfect. People know this. It’s not that they hate mistakes, what they hate are people trying to pretend to be perfect and not own up to their mistakes. People take notice of people who are like them, only more remarkable. Your mistakes will make you like them. Your talents make you remarkable.

Don’t be afraid to apologise, and ask for forgiveness. To err is human. You will only get your blog and yourself into trouble when you try to hide those mistakes and not take responsibility.

Don’t give up.

Blogging is like any other business. It can be hard at the beginning and it doesn't make any money or makes very small amounts of money at the first months but if you don't give up and keep on working, it will become your full time job.

Your blog and my blog will not make it to the top overnight. Sometimes it might take longer than you thought, depending on the competiveness of your chosen niche. But don’t give up. Top bloggers have what I like to call ‘stickability’.

What are your dreams as a blogger? Do you aspire to be the top blogger in your country or niche? Let us know your thoughts and how you plan to achieve them.

Related Reading:

15 Reasons why your blog sucks

10 Reasons to Blog Everyday

A successful blog takes hard work

How to promote your blog by networking

7 Tips on How to write effective blog titles that solicit traffic

Email a new reader to build your blog’s readership

 

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