If you’re not tripping over an autograph line of rabid followers of your blog right now, I think I know the reason(s) why.  I know what you’re thinking, “sounds kind of uppity coming from someone with less than 200 followers”.  Don’t worry, I’ll get around to reading this myself too, eventually.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the whole scene, to my credit, I’m a fast learner and a close observer of people and their habits.  And hot chicks.  Throughout my travels, I’ve noticed a lot of stuff that us bloggers do which I believe is counterintuitive to acquiring and maintaining a fan base — providing that this happens to be one of your goals.  That is what you want, isn’t it?  The debate goes on…

Allow me to break down my Eureka moment for you.

Eureka!

The way I see it is that everything you’ll ever come across on a blogging site – regardless of what platform you use — falls somewhere along a continuum that is anchored by two different stylistic approaches.

At one end of the spectrum  is what I call the Art Blog, which is more or less an exhibit; and the second type is what I call a Conversational Blog, which is used for exactly that — starting conversations.  It’s difficult to distinguish the two from each other at first glance; however, a quick skim of any blog will reveal the author‘s motivation for creating his or her content.

Once you become familiar with this concept (that I invented just now), you’ll not only realize where your blog falls along the continuum, you’ll also understand what areas you may be lacking in.  Hopefully you’ll be able to increase your following by making the necessary adjustments.  Keep in mind that most blogs fall somewhere between these two styles.  Let’s delve deeper.

Dorothy, step forward into the world of Technicolor…

The Art Blog

The majority of posts found on an Art Blog are exactly that — works of Art.  Compositions are shared for the sole purpose of being observed and appreciated.  Art Blogs are the poets, stream of consciousness writers, story-tellers, comic-strip artists, etc.  Successful Art Blogs usually have a lot of likes, though they normally lack any significant interaction beyond that.  Sometimes, if it’s a particularly great piece, many will drop an appreciative comment, but the conversation abruptly tails off at “Great job!”  Really, what else can be said?  Again, whatever was posted was meant to be looked at, not hashed up and down.

Art Blogs are like museums.  When visiting one, the guest usually strolls about casually, looks around, stops, stares, maybe sits for a minute, contemplates, wanders off, and eventually leaves with a sense of appreciation for whatever was on display.  It’s rare to happen upon a conversation during a visit.  It’s not the type of setting that really promotes “mingling” with random strangers.  That’s not to say that it doesn’t happen.  Art lovers talk art, but the displays are usually designed to stir the emotions of the observer on a personal level.  Plus, most pieces are open for wide interpretation – like a mangled ball of steel, for instance.

Writers of Art Blogs are probably aware of what they are already.  They’ve constructed this type of setting for exactly the reasons listed.  Most authors are either content with creating pieces to be appreciated, or use their blog strictly as a medium for online-journaling.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Many will grow large followings based on their commitment to producing high-quality, artful content.

 The Conversational Blog

On the flip side is the Conversational Blog.  Content found on this type of page is constructed with the intention of promoting interaction with and among readers.  The author usually bases his or her posts on topics that are meant to be viewed by a larger audience by comparison.  Topics can often times be controversial in nature, and/or are emotionally-charged.   A crafty author of one always leaves the piece open-ended by the end.  If executed well, the article will continue to be expanded in the comment section by other readers – engaged readers.  Write that down.  I just wrote it down too.  Wait a second, this is confusing now…

Conversational Blogs also incorporate other bloggers into their posts and/or pages.  They’re not only excellent networkers, but also good cultivators of friendly “blog neighborhoods” (bloggerhoods?  Hmm, I like that…) within the bigger sphere. Inviting guest bloggers and contributors, dual-posting, and reblogging are all tools that they use to help solidify and grow their audiences.   By incorporating these tools and techniques into their pages, they’re not only promoting themselves, they’re also practicing good “PR” .  By doing so, they increase the likelihood of future interaction with their fan base.

This type of approach doesn’t require a particular format or genre.  Conversational blogs incorporate a wide variety of content.  News, politics, random humor, medicine – whatever — the possibilities are endless.  However, the goal is always the same — to pose or imply questions that elicit responses with the intention of opening a dialogue.

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Cultivating a Fan Base

This may come as a surprise to some, but there are a lot of folks out there that want to engage with you.  The challenge is to attract them and build a relationship from there.

When someone takes the time to read through one of your posts, don’t just thank them for the visit, seize the opportunity and speak.  There are some interesting characters out there (like me) that are frothing to spar, share a story, or provide a laugh.  Why pass on an opportunity that you’ve tried so hard to cultivate?  By going into social-phoebe mode, you’re only setting yourself back and creating more work.

A post a day is difficult to do – especially when nobody’s reading.

When you’re hopping around and looking for a conversation, you’ll find that some will oblige, and others will decline.  It’s worth a shot either way.  After all, growing a following is based not only on consistently producing interesting content, it’s also about being likable.   Charming is the word I prefer.

People are smart enough to pick up on sincerity, despite the fact that many operate through a persona.  They also know whether you appreciate them or not, and it’s up to you to convey that.

More Free Tips 

• Shtick ‘em Up – Most bloggers have a shtick. If you’re one of them, ask yourself if it’s a concept that will limit your writing, long-term.  Personally, I consider this question daily.  I may be limiting myself in the long-run.  Don’t place limitations on your blog.  It’s hard enough as it is.  Variety is the spice of life, or something like that…
• Good Writing vs. Good Blogging – Being an excellent writer is one thing.  Being an excellent blogger is something different all together.  Consider this article.  Where do you fall within the spectrum?  Have your efforts been fruitful?  Again, ask yourself if what you write about is something that an audience would want to engage in.
• Brevity is Key – There’s nothing that deters me as a reader more than an extremely lengthy post.  I think I speak for most when I say this, but I don’t want to read a three thousand word submission.  Ever.  I hate books, and three thousand words is getting close to a book.   Succinct and effective is the key.  Get to the point, make it a good one.
• Quality, Not Quantity – If you’re in a hurry to post something daily, you might want to consider not only how it affects the quality of your content, but also how your audience is reacting to the frequency of your posts.  With so many blogs out there, and with each of us following our fair share of them, it’s likely that most followers aren’t reading your stuff on a daily basis — unless it’s top-shelf, every day.  It takes a lot of time to be a “follower”.  Being mindful of that, it’s safe to assume that most people are selective about what they read.  Also remember, it takes time to produce something high-quality, even if it’s only a thousand words.  Be selective.  Otherwise, you might not only burn yourself out,  you’ll also burn your audience out too.

Hopefully you’ll  find this article useful.  If you’re like myself, you’re always looking for ways to improve your stuff.  Interacting with an audience can be just as fulfilling as the writing part.    So, considering all this begs the question:

Are you the Curator of an Art Blog or the Mediator of a Conversational Blog?

Let’s get this party started…

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• Art of Writing Persuasive Blog Entries for Greater ROI (mokshis.com)