Compared to Lorelle and some of the other greats writing here, I’m just a baby blogger, as I’ve only been writing two and a half years. Still, I think I have a few things to share this month about what I learned about blogging.
One of the first things I learned was that it’s best to be unique in your writing, and not so okay to be unusual, at least not if you’re a business and self-development blogger like me.
Certainly writing articles about horse sex might be great for your search engine traffic, but honestly, do you really WANT readers like that to stop by and visit you more than once? Unless you own an equine farm, chances are that answer is NO!
So focus on writing your articles in your unique style and your unique voice. People flock to the original and rarely the echo, so focus on uncovering YOUR uniqueness. You’ll develop a loyal following of readers, you’ll be happier that you don’t have the weirdos flocking to your blog by sheer accident, and you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor all the more because you’re unique, not unusual.
Phil Gerbyshak is a public speaker and author of the book 10 Ways to Make It Great!. Additionally he writes personal empowerment articles most days at Make It Great! and recently started sharing management tips and tricks at Slacker Manager. No, that’s not him in the lampshade, though no doubt there are pictures floating across the Internet somewhere that have a shot similar to this, he just hasn’t found them yet.
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6 Comments
Good point. Although you are also unusual if you are unique or not? It doesn’t work the other way round though. Being unusual does not equal being unique so we do agree on what to strive for at least.
I am still wondering what I with my 3+ months of experience am when you are still a baby after 2 and a half years. I guess I am still in the womb then.
Perhaps I just managed to add another unusual term that will bring all the wrong people to this blog. Although surely not as bad as the one you mentioned 🙂
Womby bloggers? Interesting phrase Jan.
It is important to remember that just because you’re unusual, that doesn’t mean you’re unique. I’m glad you agree with that.
Here’s to more phrases hitting the English language. Lord knows we don’t need to Google to find that answer.
You are right on as usual, Phil. Unusual gets you so far, but unique can get you the distance. Like attracts like.
This is often forgotten in the grasp for PageRank and attention.
Thanks Lorelle. Like does attract like. If you’re a weird unusual guy/gal, you get many of those in your way. In the Internet generation where we all want our 15 MBs of fame, we forget the simple things, like posting your passion.
Err.. Is there such thing as one’s uniqueness coming from somebody’s echo..? Because I think I fall into that category!
There just might be Pelf. That certainly sounds possible to me 🙂
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