David Risley gives some very practical advice to bloggers concerned that their amazing blog has yet to generate the following they feel it deserves, in his own piece titled “Why Nobody Cares About Your Blog.”
The problem, he claims, is that some bloggers are talking (well, writing) AT their readers, and not TO them. Merely talking at readers is not true communication. True communication involves continuous two-way conversation – you present your ideas to your readers, they acknowledge they’ve understood. Rinse and repeat.
And when you present these ideas to your readers, do so in a way that works for them. David warns against just talking to yourself on your blog – remember your readers. You should be likable, speak within a reality your readers can identify with and provide content that actually gets to them. Doing so should inspire acknowledgment and understanding that is demonstrated in the dozens (hundreds!) of comments you receive.
Finally, remember people care about those who care about them. The blogosphere is give and take. If you have a new blog, cultivate relationships with other bloggers by responding to their posts and inviting them to read and respond to yours. Build a community of people who you routinely interact with in both directions and before you know it, you’ll have the following your blog deserves.
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You know what would work for me would be a couple of examples. :)
Thanks for your comment Ernesto. I think David Risley’s original post is a good example of the very things he writes about. I am not too familiar with his blogs, but this one seemed to generate quite a bit of feedback – a good indication that people “got” it.
Hi Ellie, it’s funny, even with all of the “connection” technology, it really is still all about the “relationship”. Good points!
I think some of the best ways to do this are; create compelling content and be part of the conversation. This seems easy, but you must make a cognizant effort to do this and stay on top of it.
I think its more about talking WITH your readers rather than either AT or TO them.
It’s something I struggle with sometimes, and its noticable in the lack of comments from post-to-post.