BloggingAmigos

The pitfalls of personal blogging are well known and well publicized: self-centered and boring content, a scope either too broad or too limited, and poor writing. If you actually want people to read your blog, you’re going to have to avoid those mistakes. Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Pick your audience. This is a general rule for all writing, whether it’s a novel, an essay, or a blog. When you write for a specific person or group, your writing immediately becomes more focused and clear. It’s okay if you don’t appeal to everyone. No one says you have to. Are you writing an update blog for family and friends? Keep them in mind as you blog. While going through your day, be aware of those times you think, “Mom would think this is hilarious,” and then blog about it! Are you detailing your journey to a specific goal — say, running a marathon or adopting a baby or losing weight? Write for others who are in the same situation, or write for people who would be interested in your journey. Are you a minister, a pilgrim, or a seeker? Choose whether you are writing to your peers or those who are somewhere else on your spiritual journey. You’re going to have a hard time writing for both.
2. Know the big names in your blog genre. This is actually important to all bloggers, not just those of you who are writing your personal story. No one would start a new political blog without being aware of Daily Kos, right? Would a celebrity gossip writer totally ignore sites like TMZ and Perez Hilton? Find out who are the premiere bloggers in your area. Make sure you’re not stealing their quirks or gimmicks. Knowing about them will enrich your writing, it will trigger your own creativity, and it will keep you up to date on the latest trends in your area.
3. Publish often. No one expects you to post five times a day, but if you want readers, you’re going to have to be a pretty frequent writer. You can’t just post once a week or a couple of times a month and expect people to remember that your blog exists. That said, don’t just publish to get a post out there — make sure your writing is good before you throw it all out there. Which brings us to the next point.
4. CONSIDER GRAMMAR. One thing you don’t want to be is the equivalent of a 14-year-old on MySpace. Even if you are a 14-year-old on MySpace, you don’t have to write like one. Use spell check. Use grammar check. Write out full words instead of abbreviating them. Use capital letters where necessary. Your blog is not a chat log. Good grammar and punctuation exists to help the reader along. If your readers can’t make it through your content, they’re not going to stick around.
5. Consider reader appeal. This goes along with using good grammar and punctuation. If your readers aren’t just your closest friends and family, you’re going to need to keep their attention. Posting photos, creating themed lists, using tags, and posting videos is going to do that. Your job is to make them want to come back to your blog to read whatever you post next, so be sure you’re always posting interesting, relevant content. Not your lunch details. (Unless, of course, your lunch details are really funny or interesting.)

Happy blogging.