Then writing topic is Queen.
The wisdom out there is pretty clear. If you want to bring folks to your site, keep them there and bring them back for more, then you must write outstanding content. I certainly won’t dispute that. What I will say is that there is a second part of the equation that rarely gets mentioned: Topic.
Topic is the yin to Content’s yang. For either to be effective, they must rely on each other
A little lesson
I had posted a first in a series post in about the middle of January. The intention was to publish part 2 a week later. I kept meaning to get to it, but other posts kinda cropped up, a few guest posts showed up and yadda, yadda, yadda here it is almost the end of the month and I still didn’t have part 2 published. Yikes. How time flies.
The lesson here is that even though I was posting good, regular content, it wasn’t necessarily on topic in terms of “Inspiring Writers Every Day”. Anyone want to take a guess at which direction my analytics went over the second half of the month? Yup. Think, “ducks in winter”.
All is not lost
One of the things I’ve found is that rebounds are fairly easy. As long as you remain resilient, all will be well. If you lose your compass for a little while it’s ok, just get back on the path and you’ll be all shiny again in no time.
So your focus should be bi-directional. Yes, you must deliver outstanding content on a regular basis. If your blog is to succeed and weather any storms, it must also be on topic. Readers come to your site expecting a certain type of content in terms of topic. If they come by often enough and the conversation isn’t what they were expecting, that are likely to go find a place that does have what they were looking for.
George:
I would have to agree on that point. I go to certain blogs for certain conversations. I think my blog is a couple of topics and I have a separate audience for both? possibly. Still too early to tell…
Dee Langdon – BloggerNewbie´s last blog post..The Marriage of Blogging
This is something I’m struggling with on my own blog. I don’t really have a specific topic and I wonder if this is why I don’t tend to get subscribers. I think my traffic is pretty good, but it seems to be a lot of one offs.
Tracy´s last blog post..Yes and Go!
Staying on topic is essential to gain and keep readers. As Dee says, readers go to a site expecting consistency of focus, and will be disappointed when they don’t find it.
My blog’s topic is narrowly defined, and it would seem that maintaining that topic would be easy. However, I find that it is difficult to keep absolutely to the topic at hand.
I’m currently working on a new, separate blog to catch the overflow, as you have.
Mike Nichols´s last blog post..Conquering Your Panic: Dave’s Success Story
Hi George!
Great post. You stated “If writing content is king” … “Then writing topic is Queen.”
Taking your metaphors full circle, let me suggest this: as the “king” and “queen” rule, so goes the country.
What is often missing in blogging or other forms of creative writing is the overarching need to determine, as a writer (or as a real king or queen for that matter), what one’s MOTIVE is for writing in the first place.
Will the “king” rule with an iron fist? Will the “queen” listen to her subjects and rule with beneficence? Or will the “kingdom” of readers be subjected to something in between?
Webster defines “motive” as “some inner drive, impulse, intention, etc., that causes a person to do something or act in a certain way; incentive; goal.”
As a writer, over the years I have determined that my motive is to serve my readers’ needs.
What are they? And how is this done?
Where many bloggers want to talk, talk, talk, I say this:
Listen, listen, listen, and then listen some more, before you make one keystroke!
If a writer acts through a truly selfless motive, he/she will be rewarded in kind with whatever he needs, be it recognition, money, even fame. He will be like an irresistable magnet, drawing readers to him/her, readers who have been searching for that “something special.”
No, I am not Dr. Phil. Just a writer who, through much introspection (read … listening), has learned what the El Dorado of the creative process is. You can too!
I challenge all Tumblemoosers:
What’s YOUR motive for writing? The answer may surprise you!
Wayne C. Long
Writer/Editor/Internet Publisher
http://www.LongShortStories.com
Dee,
I think this is something we all struggle with to some extent. In this day and age when hosting is so cheap if not a pain in the butt;-) then we can choose to set up a bunch or try and manage within a single brand.
I’m not sure what the best answer is
George
Tracy,
Mine too. Although the traffic is not robust necessarily, it goes in spurts. I feel like I’m blowing up an inner tube and every time I stop to catch a breath, the durn thing deflates more than when I had started.
Goerge
Mike, there are times when I just have to do a housekeeping post. I think it’s ok to do that. Part of the issue for me is getting caught up in blog carnivals and such – I don’t want to turn off fellow bloggers, but I don’t want to stray that far from topic, ya know? It’s a delicate balance beam.
George
Well, well, well Mr. Long. It is so very excellent to see you here. I really liked the fact that you gave your time to come on over and do a guest post here. It is something that really added value to Tumblemoose and that means value to the readership. Thanks again.
I loved the thoughtful commenting you put together for this post. I know I’ve been guilty of putting the keystrokes in gear before fully engaging the listening part of my brain. I think that you are right in that motivation should be a key component for whatever kind of writing you are going to do.
I am now motivated to invite you back often, to shed light on a great deal of writing subjects.
Cheers, Mr. Long
George
Hi George – How true. In the nearly two years I’ve been blogging I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve landed on blogs expecting to see a post on a specific topic and instead it will be a post on something totally different. I double check their tagline to see if they’ve changed the direction of their blog, but usually that’s not the case.
This is a great reminder for all of us to give our readers what they want. If we don’t, they’ll find it somewhere else.
Barbara Swafford´s last blog post..Celebrating NBOTW One Year Annivarsary With A Free E-Book
Barbara,
I’ve run across that a few times as well. I guess I’m finding that as I get busier, my tolerance level decreases for having to hunt and peck for what I was looking for.
George
Very insightful. Thank you. I never would have thought of it quite like you said it. But it’s true. My blog is more personal in tone, but still, I have to write something. You said as long as we are resilient our stats can bounce back. I’ve found that my readers are pretty resilient too. When I’ve screwed up my stats may drop, but they come back up too. Of course I’m talking small numbers, nothing like you serious guys who actually make money at this.
Valerie´s last blog post..My 2008 Favorite Books List
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for popping over for a visit!
I think the resilient thing holds true regardless of numbers.
Serious? Who’s Serious?
George
I totally agree with you, and I like what you Said about topic, yes “Topic is queen”
Nicholas | Pixobyte.com´s last blog post..How to create a new user in Windows XP without the notice of the administrator
Hi Nicholas,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I do think it’s an important point.
Cheers
George