This is a guest post by Wong Chendong from TheBadBlogger.com.
Blogging is hard; it’s damn bloody hard. These days, everyone wants to be a blogger and because it’s perceived as an easy entrance into the online business world, many people are in-fact doing so.
This means that you have an eclectic mix of talent, drive, and energy, all competing for a declining dollar during an economic time where most people don’t have a lot of extra cash.
So how do you compete?
How can you be the one to get that dollar?
It’s simple…
Help People Get What They Want
This doesn’t mean that you help people get rich. Some people might not want to be rich (sad but true). It also doesn’t mean that you pay lip service to the concept. You have to believe it, to the bottom of your core, that you must actually help people.
The trick then isn’t helping people, but figuring out what they want.
Invest and Investigate
I have a friend that says he wants to move around the world and live in remote places, but all he really wants is to be empowered to live his life without feeling like others will judge him for it. He wants control.
Were I to help him, I wouldn’t try to show him how to travel, I would show him how to stop letting others control his life. This isn’t about money or travel at all.
I have other friends that want to quit their job because they are burned out and depressed. They feel like they are wasting their life. In their case, quitting their job won’t help the problem, which is that they haven’t found the talent that makes them come alive. To help them, I’d sit down and help them find it, and then do something about it.
To really help people, you have to invest in them by first caring about the outcome, and then investigate to find out how you can really help.
How Do I Blog About It?
Of course, we’re bloggers, not psychologists right? Well, if you really think about it, we’re pop culture psychologists. Our collective industry has the power to send messaging that changes the way people see the world.
Are you taking responsibility for the messages you send?
Are you thinking about the advice you give, or just giving it because it sounds good?
The way you can help as a blogger isn’t so much in writing about particular topics, but in sending a particular message.
Have you ever watched a movie that made you think really hard about your life in a certain way? Have you ever asked a friend what they thought about the same movie? They probably thought about something completely different than you did, right?
The way ahead is to be the blogger that gets people thinking about their own life in a way that facilitates change. You don’t always have to educate. Why not inspire people to self-educate?
I know this is a departure from my typical style, but it’s really important to me that bloggers, as an industry, realize that we aren’t just guys and gals with keyboards, but people who can make a difference.
Thinking product first is a bad idea. Instead, try thinking people first and see how it works for you.
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I would also add:
1) Write about bigger more popular bloggers. Sometimes they notice and link back.
2) Write about something controversial. It will get picked up and noticed.
Well to be honest, there are many blog that write about popular blog, but they never get the attention they deserve and I was one of them, do you think those big blog even care about you, seriously this is not the best way, I still prefer you second way about controversial 🙂
I would also say that in order to standout among other bloggers, you better be try to know what is in “trend”, what does the people want to know and how are you gonna help them through your writing.
Always have the passion in what you do and don’t ever think of the money because it won’t work.
Ya, always think about trend and what people want to know and have passion in them and the money will eventually follow.
I fully agree with the term investigate and invest. You need to properly research the keywords so that it will be easy for you to reach page 1 and at the same time will need investment as well. Thanks for highlighting the words in beautiful way.
I can’t make sure if anyone can get to page 1 but I’m sure it will get to as many readers as humanly possible 🙂
Being keen on money aspects makes bloggers lose heart very soon when they’re not making it as expected. Money is essential but that should not be the sole goal. Well said.
The trick being not helping people out but figuring out what they need or want is absolutely true. One may have the best intentions of helping people out but most of the time, having the intention alone does not work. Being able to offer something of value, something that only YOU can offer is the sure fire way to succeed.
Invest time in knowing the problems of your target audience. So you can give them the right solutions for their problems.
My questions precisely. There are a lot of bloggers in all kinds of niche that seem to be talking and writing about the same things. It’s a matter of having a different angle or perspective on something or writing something that has never been written before.