One of the more uncomfortable moments in most blogger’s careers involves evolving from a popularity seeker to someone who solves pressing blogging needs to ease the suffering of their readers. Observe how most bloggers want more:
- backlinks
- followers
- traffic
- profits
- clients
- customers
Wanting *more* of anything is fear fueled by:
- a desire to be popular
- the need for greed
- a rank desperation
Most bloggers want to be popular. Most bloggers want to get more numbers. Most bloggers focus most of their attention and energy on getting more and more and more, becoming lost in an imaginary world of illusions. Who cares if you manifest imaginary numbers? Do you solve pressing needs? Do you ease human suffering by listening to reader problems, by solving their problems with your content, and by doing so with this addressing of problems being your dominant intent? Helping human beings by solving their problems is the foundation for every professional blogging career. Trying to be popular is the foundation of every blogging failure.
Bloggers sometimes ask me how to get more backlinks. But I remind them how backlinks never:
- promoted me
- endorsed me
- bought my eBooks
- reviewed my eBooks
- hired me
- offered me glowing testimonials
- promoted me to their loving, loyal tribes
Backlinks are things. Trying to accumulate a large number of things does not build the foundation for a professional blogging career. Helping human beings by:
- listening to their problems
- solving their problems through your free content and premium offerings
lays the foundation for a professional blogging career.
Make your blogging campaign all about addressing pressing blogging needs. First, listen closely to your readers. If you have zero readers, listen closely to readers who follow top blogs in your niche. Spot their pain points. Listen to their dreams. Address their problems by solving their problems through your:
- blog posts
- guest posts
- videos
- podcasts
- eBooks
- audio books
- courses
- coaching services
- consulting services
- free services
Do NOT get lost in the popularity-numbers game. Do not stop addressing pressing human needs by giving your attention and energy to ego metrics like:
- trying to get more readers
- trying to get more followers
- trying to get more profits
- trying to get more traffic
How about you appreciate the readers, followers, customers and clients you already have by:
- listening to their needs?
- solving their problems with your free and premium content?
More is never the answer. Solving problems is always the answer. Trying to be popular is never the answer. Numbers are meaningless. Numbers are worthless. What happens if a high number of people become aware of your presence? Nothing happens, business-wise. Popular people simply seem to be known by many humans. Being known by a bunch of humans does not mean any of these humans:
- trust you
- believe you
- see you as being credible
- have a deep, pulsating interest in your blogging niche
- see you as an authority in your blogging niche
I have seen bloggers with 600,000 followers who generate 1-2 retweets per post. 600,000 follower’s worth of popularity does not put a penny into their blogging pockets. I have 46,000 followers but only profit financially through @replies, engagements, and intimate, 1 to 1 chats, via DMs, and via the @reply function, because helping humans is the way to become a successful blogger. Numbers are numbers. Popularity is popularity. Becoming a professional blogger is based on addressing pressing needs by solving reader problems through your free and premium content.
eBook
Picking the proper blogging niche for you is step #1 in addressing specific reader needs.
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Buy it here:
How to Pick the Right Blogging Niche
2 comments
Hi Ryan,
Great post! I think everyone wants to be popular, this is the primary need behind blogging. But your article tackles a huge question of whether being popular is more important than being valuable. Thanks a lot for sharing your perspective. It has given me a new purpose and reminded me why I got into writing in the first place. I will share this article with others in my network, and I hope it does the same for them as it has done for me.
Hi Ryan,
It was a very informational read! I can understand this problem. I faced this too a few years back. This is a very difficult choice between choosing popularity or adding value. I really appreciate you sharing this resource, and highlighting what is important. We shouldn’t forget that the main purpose of blogging is adding value. I will definitely be sharing this resource within my network to enlighten all bloggers on my list. Looking forward to reading more of your work.