Songdo South Korea
Most bloggers trip over themselves following the leader versus carving out their path.
Everyone not in the know wants to be popular. Being popular means making big bank…..or so the general thinking goes.
Meet a bunch of people. Publish a heavy volume of content. Get as many eyeballs on content as humanly possible.
While you’re at it, nab as many followers as possible, too. Growing a massive following must lead to a full-time blogging career. Right?
The right way is not the popularity-seeking way.
Being known by many people means that humans know of your existence. Does this prove your credibility as a blogging teacher? No way.
I have a decent volume of X followers. Yet it only proves that a sliver of humanity tapped a button. Does that mean I know my blogging tips inside-out? Nope.
Becoming a credible blogging tips guide demanded me to:
- learn how to blog successfully
- practice blogging consistently
- gain invaluable blogging experience
- teach successful blogging strategies backed by my blogging experience
As you may guess, engaging in this process required me to invest thousands of hours. Getting X followers? That was easy. Learning blogging inside-out? I gave a chunk of my life to reach that goal. That was not easy at all but proved to be a wise investment.
Something interesting happened as I blogged diligently.
I learned that your general popularity dwindles as organic traffic and blogging income increases.
Profits Exclude
Earning blogging profits excludes most of humanity.
Think of it this way; if 10,000 random people saw the title for this blog post only a tiny percentage of bloggers thirsty for blogging tips would click the title. I potentially appealed to the popular masses. Yet I excluded almost all 10,000 people to dial in on a few bloggers pinpointed for this post.
What About those Few Bloggers?
Imagine if 20 bloggers from the 10,000 lot:
- read
- promote
this blog post.
Since the 20 people actually want the content it means potential referral marketing and referral income.
But consider 10,000 non-targeted people who never even click on the blog post title. 10,000 people might know me. But if none want my content it does neither party any good.
Excluding most netted a higher chance of generating blogging income.
Targeting is everything.
Target Content
Target content to drive:
- organic traffic
- loyal readers
- customers
- clients
- referral marketing
- referral business
Targeted severely limits popularity while significantly increasing blogging income potential.
Most never give your content a second look. But the few who do become customers, clients and cornerstones for a thriving blogging business and stable, full-time blogging career.
Do everything for one clear person not random human beings.
For example, I only publish blogging tips to draw blogging tips hungry bloggers to my site. Blogging tips thirsty bloggers buy my stuff, refer me to bloggers like them and fan the flames under my blogging business.
I lose popularity but exponentially increase traffic because the few who stick around promote my blog to an increasing volume of like-minded bloggers.
Do the Math
10,000 people who do not want my content – being random – never click on my blog. 10 K humans is zero humans, for all intents and purposes, because no one visits my blog, buys my stuff and refers me to fellow bloggers.
20 highly targeted bloggers who refer me to 200 highly targeted bloggers from their friend network put my blog, online course and eBooks on the radar screen of folks highly interested in my blog and premium offerings. This is how to build a full-time blogging career. Some of those 220 people buy my stuff then refer my blog to 400 people who deeply desire my blog, online course and eBooks.
The number eventually grows exponentially to well beyond 10,000 *highly targeted bloggers who want my blogging tips*.
Compare 10,000 highly interested people to 10,000 people with no interest in your offering.
The former co-creates a thriving pro blogger career. The latter strokes the ego but disappears into thin air.
The Difficult Part
Looking past being popular to being profitable is difficult in a world hellbent on seeking popularity instead of profits.
Everywhere I look, business owners chase big numbers instead of pinpointing one specific human with carefully optimized content.
Giving in to the temptation is common. I am not immune from slamming into this mental malady.
But publishing this post reminds me to remind you of this truth: excluding almost everyone save a targeted tribe lets the tribe organically co-create your professional blogging career with you.
Letting go the urge to be popular comes part and parcel with this process.
No one reaches both goals because giving up being popular lays the framework for a hyper-targeted content creation campaign and full-time blogging career.
Let it go.
How Can You Target Blog Posts?
Publish content to solve common niche problems.
I share blogging tips to cure typical blogging maladies.
Be consistent. Targeting effectively is similar to jogging a marathon because it takes great time to build referral marketing and referral traffic from a small lot of keenly interested human beings.
Practical TipsÂ
- publish 1200 to 1500 word blog posts for one specific reader
- see the reader in mind before writing posts
- solve the individual’s specific problems
- baby step readers from problem to solution with all tips necessary
- cover only one niche to develop topical authority
- publish at least one blog post weekly to keep readers current
Video: Publish Detailed Content to Gain Committed Readers
Be disciplined as you follow these tips.
Every blogger trips up, becomes lax and breaks the above rules because the urge to be popular feels irresistible.
I recall trying to get *anyone* to visit my old blog. I covered multiple topics – versus one – because appealing to more people sounded like a good idea. My desperation clouded my judgment. I played the numbers game.
I attracted and then confused more readers. Picture a revolving door. Up to 15,000 random people visited my old blog daily but almost every visitor bounced instantly because I boasted zero:
- topical authority
- specializing
- niche authority
Why?
I covered many niches. A jack of all trades masters none. Lawyers who deliver pizza, clean toilets, walk dogs and cook Chinese food never inspire a potential client to hire them for a life-changing court case.
Do one thing.
Do it well.
Blogging From Paradise took off nicely in 2014 because I chose one blogging niche.
Target everything.
Be patient.
Build topical authority through your consistent approach.
Professional bloggers master one niche.
Follow their lead to go pro, just like the leaders.
Conclusion
Do you want to be popular?
Or do you want your blog to be profitable?
Consider the answer and process carefully.
Anyone can be popular. Being known is relatively easy.
Few master the skill of being truly helpful.
But helping one reader is the way to go pro.
