This Blogging STRATEGY post is a part of “2 Weeks To Launch Your Blog”

Guess what fraction of bloggers start out with a strategy?

Right. Fewer than 1%.

You do NOT want to be one of the masses. Simply having a strategy, however simple and basic, will put you ahead of the crowd.

Yet many people reading this will believe it’s all fluff and nonsense, because it is not immediate, instant or actionable right away.

Your blogging strategy involves many elements like your purpose in blogging, your audience, your desired impact, your resources available to execute and continue your strategic objectives, and your individuality - because in the end, a blog is about YOU.

Before you skim thinking this stuff ‘doesn’t really matter’, remember that many millions of blogs out there are NOT wildly successful… because they don’t have a strategy. That’s how important this section is.

You may be frustrated at some of this, but humor me. Please. Later on, you’ll thank yourself for doing it, because these factors enhance and multiply the effect of the specific action steps that follow.

Let’s talk about these things in more detail.

Your Blog’s PURPOSE

Every blog has a purpose.

1. It may be a personal diary, a stream of consciousness log, or a compilation of your individual rants and raves. Such a blog needs no audience, just the same way your personal diary needs no readers.

2. It may be your platform. You use it to address a specific audience, one you have already defined specifically, or somewhat generally. It may be your friends and family. Or your colleagues at work. Or clients. Anyone.

3. It may be your ticket to fame. Your blog is your launchpad to send your memes and ideas zooming out into the universe, where hopefully it will touch lives, change minds, create influence.

What is your purpose for blogging?

Without knowing this clearly, you’re groping in the dark. Once you know, that information becomes a lantern or torch or spotlight that brightens up your path towards the destination.

Think carefully about WHY you want to blog before you post your first message.

Your Blog’s AUDIENCE

Who will read your blog?

Ideally.

Of course, you have no way of controlling who will access your blog once it is ‘out there’. But by defining your ideal audience, you will be able to better establish your tone, your writing or speaking style, your blogging frequency and - most important - pick your topics based upon their interests.

That’s the key to a hyper-successful blogger - knowing whom you are writing for, and then meeting their needs, expectations and demands.

Your Blog’s IMPACT

What exactly are you hoping to achieve with your blog?

• - Do you want to be famous, recognized, respected world-wide?
• - Do you want to sell more copies of your book?
• - Do you want your website to rank high on Google?
• - Do you want to make more money?
• - Do you want to change the world?

Know how big your impact should be. Know what form that impact should take. Know how much effort and time is involved in reaching those targets.

Blogging is indeed very powerful in making an impact. But knowing more precisely what form of impact you are looking to make will help you tailor your blog’s structure and process to maximize your impact.

Share some of your insights about blogging strategy.

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Post your comments here. Readership to this blog is ramping up quickly, and this will become a 2-way learning process for everyone who is interested.

2. If you prefer it, you can post your tips on your own blog and tell me. Email me with the title and URL of your blog post. I’ll summarize the contributions from all readers and post them as an update to this blog from time to time.