Focusing a blog

[ammcmaho]

So does a blog HAVE to have focus? I currently just blog when I have time and something irks me, but i'd like to keep it more up to date. However, to do that, it might end up with more random posts, rather than focused posts.

What are your thoughts? What makes you "follow" a blog?

for illustration purposes, I currently blog at newlyecomama.blogspot.com

Thanks ladies

[lisarussell]

I follow a blog for several reasons. Bloggers who are random, I follow because...

- the writer is funny
- the writer has an interesting way of perceiving things that makes me re-evaluate my perspective & helps me be a better person
- their pictures inspire me
- I want to be more like them
- I know them personally
- they're related to me

Focused, niche blogs I follow because

- The topic is one that I'm interested in

I write niche blogs for income. Niche blogging isn't always about getting followers, it's about making money from ads and bringing in traffic through Search engine optimization. More traffic =more money.

Making money with blogs that are random is more about finding sponsored advertisers who want to speak to all the random people in your follow list (which can take time to build)

[Twocoolboys]

I think whether or not your blog has focus depends on why you blog. If you're looking to make money or build followers, then I recommend a niche blog. I have a niche blog and I love it. It's all about cleaning up the clutter in my house. I've been able to stick with the topic all year and find that I'm not getting sick of it. I am trying to add in some informational, article-style posts, but they are all related to cleaning and/or clutter when I do. Most of my posts show a before and after picture and talk briefly about the 15 minutes worth of work I did to get to that point. I've got some loyal followers.

My reasons to blog are to force myself to write everyday (or almost everyday), to build an audience and to make money. I'm still working on each of these goals, but I'm pretty happy with where I'm headed. Once I get to the one year point, I'm going to revise my goals a bit.

I tend not to read a lot of random thoughts or a day in the life blogs. There is one I follow because the writer is so darn funny, but all the other blogs I follow are definitely niche blogs. One is about vintage fashion, one about food, one about herbs, etc. There is an endless supply of topics to choose from.

[ammcmaho]

Thanks ladies - I guess my goal for what I do now is to somewhat "brainwash" all my mainstream friends, lol. not entirely but i do like to write, am passionate about a few things, but also find that i do read some blogs that are day in the life types.

I see a lot of blogs that are obviously looking for money makers but they're SOOOO stuffed full of ads and links that it is hard to follow. I guess most of those are the coupon/penny pincher types anyway.

[white_queen_22]

I have blogs where I focus. And blogs where I do whatever I want. For example - see my set up on angengland.com? I specifically call it the Renaissance Woman with the definition there so that it will be totally ok to do anything and everything. I use it to point to a lot of the other stuff I write elsewhere, host my ebooks, display my writing resume, post pictures of my dog, etc. :-) A little bit of everything but that's what the blog is about.

SO....it's up to you.

Angela <><

[dolcedaze]

I follow stranger's blogs if they're niche blogs- preschool activity and food blogs, for the most part. I do read some "everything" blogs, but those are only interesting to me if they're someone I know personally.

[momof3boys3702]

just remember

there is an audience out there for whatever you write... keep doing what you feel comfortable doing and GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE! Submit to search engines, comment on other's blogs, join in forum discussions, attend twitter events to build that following, etc etc etc LOL!

[Code Name Mama]

Originally Posted by momof3boys3702

there is an audience out there for whatever you write... keep doing what you feel comfortable doing and GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE! Submit to search engines, comment on other's blogs, join in forum discussions, attend twitter events to build that following, etc etc etc LOL!

(newbie alert!) can you tell me what you mean by submitting to search engines?

[momof3boys3702]

Originally Posted by MahnaMahna

(newbie alert!) can you tell me what you mean by submitting to search engines?

you are making it very hard for me to get off this. LOL! everytime I think I am getting off, I have a new reply notification <grin>

a search engine like google, yahoo, msn, etc. the place you go to find something you are looking for. search engine have bots that scour the web looking for new stuff so we don't have to do it... but, it takes a VERY long time for them to finally pick up on you. So, submit your site to those engine and get your name out there faster. :-)

here is the one I use and LOVE it, I resubmit every month
http://www.entireweb.com/free_submission

[ammcmaho]

thanks for the URL, i appreciate it.

[KoalaMama]

Originally Posted by momof3boys3702

a search engine like google, yahoo, msn, etc. the place you go to find something you are looking for. search engine have bots that scour the web looking for new stuff so we don't have to do it... but, it takes a VERY long time for them to finally pick up on you. So, submit your site to those engine and get your name out there faster. :-)
[/URL]

If you're blogging with wordpress, there's a plug-in called Google Sitemap Generator that automatically notifies Google, Bing and Ask.com every time the content on your blog changes. No need to manually notify anyone.

[momof3boys3702]

Originally Posted by KoalaMama

If you're blogging with wordpress, there's a plug-in called Google Sitemap Generator that automatically notifies Google, Bing and Ask.com every time the content on your blog changes. No need to manually notify anyone.

True but the one I use submits to a ton more. :-) Everything you can do to get your name out there helps. :-) I am always looking for new things. LOL!

Also, be sure your blog is feeding into your facebook. I also have new posts automatically post on my twitter.