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.
This post is a part of SmartBloggerz’s guest blogging contest where you can win cash prizes for earning the most points. Help this guest author win this contest by commenting and sharing this post using the buttons below.
Not focusing on the numbers is a great place to start.
Rather than trying to get thousands to a blog; you could start with converting just one person into a repeat visitor. In a year, you’ll have a super strong community.
Just think. If you had 300 people that absolutely LOVED you and your blog – that could be 300 retweets on EVERY blog post. That’s a major difference than 3,000 visiting the blog and only 30 of them retweeting, ya know?
Ha, that’s a great way to sum up having a big list is useless unless the list had close trust in you and yes, I will want the 300 people rather then 3000!
Yes! I agree with you though that can be hard at times. Human nature that we just want to give advice for the sake of it, but of course, it still matter if you listen and comprehend..
Hi Wong,
Although I am fairly new at blogging trying to help people on their way in life is what it is about. I often give too much advice and support so people don’t purchase services but that’s me.
I agree with Murray, when people retweet your stuff and tell others it’s useful is great and when that happens a “pat on the back” is deserved.
I do should sometimes think a bit more about product so I think there has to be a balance.
Nik
Giving advice is good, but never give all out, always put yourself to a limit, so that when someone wants to know more you can recommend your products to them, if you tell it all, you can never earn anything but praise that doesn’t make your life better.
And that is how you balance between telling advice and selling product.
I have been seeing a lot of blogs on how to make money online. And it is no surprise that a lot of people want to be a blogger. Especially with the promised benefits it provides. No wonder there is a growing competition. Keyword research is one of the strategies I use to know what people want. I will find a good niche and provide quality content.
Yes, there are tons and tons of blog about making money online and only a few blog have down and hardcore information about making money online, though I do not count myself hardcore, but I do admit my content is better then most average blog in terms of information I provide and I hope the niche you will find will and the content you provide will stand out from your niche!
Most of us are blogging on the same niche. To make it stand out from the crowd- be unique and write according to you own insights and feelings. That way sure you can build your own brand. Btw nice share.
No problem, and thanks for reading and commenting, anyway you are absolutely write about writing according to your own insights and feelings, but always be careful not to offend anyone in your writing.
Hi Wong,
I agree with what you said about the part “pop culture psychologists”. Even if we do not know everything in this world, by trying to learn about what’s new and what’s hot and trending for a good number of people at the present time, and you know how to share your knowledge, advice and opinions, there will always be readers who will take the time to read, learn and even implement what you say on your site. Online businesses that flourish are those that aim to help their customers and clients, and when that’s accomplished and they have established a good reputation, that’s when the money goes in like clockwork.
Ya, with great reputation, you can almost sell anything and that’s what business is being build.
I believe the “some” people are really few. Money may not be the primary purpose but it also is a reason why blogs are still running.
Yes, that’s a fact, but some of use like me, I always do my best whether for money or for helping, as long as you do it honestly, surely you will stand out!
Hi Wong, love the way you summed it all up. Especially love the way you said that:
“The way you can help as a blogger isn’t so much in writing about particular topics, but in sending a particular message.”
General ‘how-to’ topics are already every where online and there isn’t much of a point that sets you up apart from the rest of the crowd that writes similar content.
“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?”
Well done – that is exactly what I am intended on doing.
That is why for me, I usually share my content based on my personal experience. Taking real life experience into account, I hope to be able to inspire others from what I have learnt all this while.
I am not sure to what extend my experience will change the way the crowd thinks and perceives life and wealth as( my blog niche ), but if I were to make just one difference to a person’s life, that is already a wonderful achievement as well as a motivating start for myself.
It’s great to hear that you are intending on doing what’s best for you and by sharing your real life experience, you will not just inspire but also motivate.
Looking forward to your great success and goals…
some bloggers cannot give and share their own experience and success stories because they think that other will also use that. however going with true and your own experimental things can benefits you a lot. thsi strategy is going well for many bloggers who want more SE links,
Going with true and your own experimental things will give a uniqueness of you and this can make you stand out from other bloggers.
Hi Wong, I agree with you that we need to work hard to investigate and find out what people needs (in that niche). We should only post content that actually helps our reders. Thats the best way to grow our blog and standout from others.
Though posting great content is good, it is not going to let you stand out unless you written something that’s not just great but something that’s new or solve a problem that had yet been solve.