We pause for a short interruption to our regular programming…
Though I didn’t announce it on the blog, I’m currently hosting and participating in a blogging challenge – 31 Days to Build a Better Blog. (If you’d like to join in, we’re only partially through the first of six weeks, so you’d have no problem “catching up”.) Participants are encouraged to report on each day’s tasks in the AP Freewriting BlogFrog community, and each Thursday during the challenge, those participating will have an opportunity to link up their #31DBBB posts for the week on this blog.
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As many of you may remember, I’m currently taking an independent study class this semester on blogging – Blogging as a Ministry. One of the assignments for this class is to read the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog ebook and to journal at least 100 words per chapter/day.
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Day One: Elevator Pitch
The goal of the elevator pitch is to be able to succinctly verbalize what it is that you are about. An elevator pitch is like a first impression – people will choose whether or not they want to know more simply from reading or hearing it. Having an elevator pitch as a blogger helps to keep you focused – gives you a direction and a filter for your blog. Everything else related to your blog – the design, whether or not you monetize, the content, the amount of time you spend on blogging, etc. – is directly impacted by your elevator pitch.
Having an elevator pitch prepared helped me this past weekend to be able to quickly vocalize what my blog was about: “AP Freewriting is a place of encouragement and challenge. I seek to encourage women with the Word of God – both written and spoken – taking it a step beyond devotional, giving them an instant application for their life that day.”
What’s your elevator pitch?
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Day Two: Write a List Post
I love lists - sometimes a bit too much! Lists are as much fun to make as they are to read. List posts are popular in the blogosphere. List posts are easy to scan, (usually) keep a post short and to the point, and (usually) look neat and tidy. Lists can be comprehensive, can be used to persuade, can add to the ease of writing, can go viral (especially “how-to” lists), and can break down the otherwise complicated. List posts are a great way to communicate a large amount of material in an easy to read and easy to digest way. Some of my favorite “reference” posts are list posts – they are great posts to bookmark and come back to for future reference.
How have you used lists in your posts lately?
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Day Three: Promote a Blog Post
Self-promotion is perhaps one of my biggest struggles as a blogger (and as an individual). It’s not that I don’t like to talk about myself (seriously, I do – too much at times), but I have low self-esteem. I don’t like trying to “sell” myself – I’m often afraid of overselling. Promoting a blog post I’ve written comes a bit easier to me now that I’ve been doing it for a few months. Twitter and Facebook are great tools to use to direct people to my posts – using the link within the midst of a larger conversation or stream of updates. Internal linking (links within other posts) is also becoming more natural as I grow as a blogger – I’ve learned how to naturally weave older posts into the content of new posts, adding links to intrigue readers. I’d love to learn more about sending newsletters out, but once again, this is an area where my self-confidence is low.
How do you promote your blog posts? Do you have a favorite way? Least favorite?
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Day Four: Analyze a Top Blog in Your Niche
This is perhaps the most difficult task in this challenge for me. It’s difficult to define my niche, as I seek to be a step beyond a devotional blog, but not to the point of a full Bible study blog. The majority of blogs similar to mine fall into one of these two categories. Being part of this “Devotional/Bible study” niche, there is an undertone of letting God do the promotion on our behalf. We’re writing for His glory, and if He wants others to see our writing, then He will guide them to it. But, at the same time, I need to do my part to be visible. It’s a fine line, and I haven’t found a “top blog” in my niche to follow yet that seems to have this balance figured out.
What niche are you in? What are some of the blogs you use as a standard to follow?
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How’d you do this week? Did you get through all the tasks? Link up below and let us know!
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Thanks to The Fine Grind for sponsoring this post and my ticket for The Relevant Conference. Be sure to check out their selection of artisan roasted specialty coffee, exceptional teas, and gourmet hot chocolates!
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