5 Principles for Turning into a Successful Blogger

Do you want to become a successful blogger? That’s a rhetorical question isn’t it; of course you want to become one. There is no doubt about it. The key to becoming a successful blogger is in giving respect to the content you are producing.

Look around you. The top bloggers are the ones who write well, write authoritatively on the subjects of their choice, and more than anything else, write content that their target audience loves reading. It’s the kind of content that is well researched, factual and above all, useful.

I have always felt that blogging is part science, part art. The science part enters the picture when you are researching a particular topic, identifying the factual information that needs to be mentioned, and working out a logical content structure that a reader can effortlessly understand. The art aspect of blogging is all about the way you write, your writing style and the manner in which you convey information to readers.

As a blogger you have to perform a fine balancing act between knowing what to write (Science) and actual writing (Art) and this act will be all the more easier to perform if certain principles are followed. These principles will help you do justice to your blog post and help you transform yourself from an ordinary blogger into a largely successful one.

Let’s take a closer look at these principles:

Purposeful Writing

The first principle is the ‘Principle of Purposeful Writing.’ The question, “Why am I writing on this particular topic, what is it that I want to achieve with this post?” is something that must be answered first up. The post that you write must be actionable, that is, a person reading the post should get actionable information that can be used to solve a particular problem.

Before writing a post, define the actionable metrics of the post; this will help you write with a definite purpose in mind. Think of your blog as a journey from point A to B. This journey can only be satisfactorily completed if you know what lies at point B.

So, make sure that you know why you are writing something before you actually get started on the writing part.

Research, Understand and Write

There is no doubting the importance of research while writing on a particular subject. Say you want to write something on ‘Responsive Web Design.’ Researching the topic and identifying its important aspects is an absolute must, but what is also critical is to understand what you have researched.

So, in this particular case, understanding everything you have come up on Responsive Web Design is crucial. Your blog mustn’t be just a regurgitation of everything you have researched. It must be a piece that offers new insights into Responsive Web Design; this is only possible if you have researched the topic on hand.

I see plenty of blogs that come across as half baked, because it seems the writer never really understood the topic he was writing on. That’s a cardinal error that shouldn’t be made.

The 3Cs of Blog Content

Clear, Concise and Compelling is what your blog’s write up should be; if you follow the 3Cs approach to writing a blog, you won’t go wrong. No beating about the bush, thank you very much. Don’t take ages to get to your point. I come across plenty of verbose blogs that use plenty of fancy words, but at the end of the day, this verbosity doesn’t get them anywhere.

Successful bloggers are confident bloggers who know what they are writing about and therefore each word on their blog makes sense. They believe in not wasting their time or that of their readers. Also, the writing style must grip the imagination of the readers; this is usually done by giving lots of information that the reader can actually use.

Remember, a blog isn’t a research paper wherein you can adopt a dull writing style. In a blog’s case, the writing style must be energetic, friendly and persuasive.

Adopt the Focused Approach

Some topics are too vast to cover in one blog post. But there are still bloggers who try to attempt the impossible. They try to pack in all information they have come across regarding the topic in one post. I am sure, you must have come across blog posts that you thought were written with a lot of effort, but very little focus.

In an effort to talk about a range of things all in one post, you are setting the stage for reader disorientation. The reader will find it difficult to understand the ‘purpose’ of the post.

The take away will be lost. So, whenever, you write, focus on one topic, and work around it; if the topic is vast, identify the core essentials and focus on them or divide the post into various parts.

Don’t Try too Hard

The best bloggers are usually the ones that keep things simple in their heads. They keep their thinking straight, which ensures they are able to deliver what they are expected to deliver, in terms of content. If you have your thinking sorted out in your head, the chances are that this clarity will be seen in your content as well.

I see many bloggers trying to be a tad too innovative. That in itself is not a bad thing at all, but if this innovativeness complicates thinking, it will lead disastrous consequences for your content. So, your best bet isto keep things simple and not try too hard.

I am not saying don’t make an extra effort to write well. All I am saying is don’t try too hard to write good content and make things difficult for yourself. Adopt a writing approach that is not difficult to stick to. Write content that your readers will be able to understand without putting on their thinking hats. That’s it. If you are able to do this, you will become a successful blogger in no time.

End Words

I am sure you understand that the five principles discussed here are not the only principles that must be adhered to be successful as a blogger. Keep looking for new ideas to improve yourself and to make your content worthwhile. Successful bloggers never stop learning and relearning.