I want to be an Olympic blogger (Part I)

(Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes)

[Lisa, AKA the RunningBear, dropped me a line a couple of weeks ago with a proposal to write an article on content strategy. I liked how she structured that article so much I mentioned that it could be expanded into a series of articles. One thing led to another, the series grew, brainstorming with Kelly Diels ensued, etc. So who is Lisa? And how come she knows so much about running and the Olympics? Read on... -Dave D]

Building the base miles

-by Lisa H, Getting to Zen

There are millions of runners in the world, and only a very small percentage of them meet the standards required to participate in the Olympics; Just like there are millions of bloggers in the blogosphere, of which only a small percentage have been able to make it a career. Now you don’t just become an Olympic blogger over night, just like in running, it is something that takes hard work, dedication, and training.

So by now, you must be wondering what all this blogging, running, and Olympic stuff is about; well, I am a runner, and a blogger, and at one point in my life I was trying to meet the Olympic qualifying standard in the marathon (really, I am not bragging here). Did I? Stay tuned for the rest of the series.

According to a 2006 Technorati report, there are 175,000 blogs are started each day, and although this report is from 2006, you can see that unless you discover a totally new niche (possible; unlikely), chances are you will be entering one that has already been discovered by thousands of other bloggers.

So in this five part series, beginning with this foundation article, we will be training for the blogging Olympics.

Develop a content strategy
Bloggers take your mark…..set…. go

I wouldn’t enter a race without having a strategy, nor would I write an article with out one. Having a clearly defined strategy will make it more possible for you to realize your goals. Your strategy should take into consideration who your audience is; where they hang out; what they want to read about; and what keywords they will use to find your articles. If you don’t know where you are going, you may end up taking a wrong turn that could put you out of the race.

Write good content
Run your own race

There really isn’t a definitive example of what good content is. Good content is subjective. For example, when I run at 6:00 minute mile pace, I am considered fast to the 8:00 miler, but slow to the 5:30 minute miler. You see, it depends who I am running against. You can look at it this way; good content is any content that solves a reader’s problem, invokes thought, provides entertainment, strikes a debate, educates or informs, but it is really up to each individual reader to determine whether or not an article has done that.

Get the long and short of it
5k,10k, marathon, ultramarathon

Every runner has their favorite distances. Mine range from 10 miles to the marathon; However, for many, even the marathon is too short. Ultra marathoners run distances up to and over 100 miles. This is the same for bloggers; some bloggers prefer to write shorter articles (under 500 words), while others prefer to write articles beyond 1000 words. Most of the articles I have read advocated between 500-700 words; but when it comes down to it, should be as long or short as it needs to be to get the message across.

Writing a long post for the sake of writing a long post is not a good strategy, and neither is writing a short post that doesn’t cover the topic well. A reader can tell when an article is full of “fluff and extras” or when you have skimped on the content.

Grab them and hold on
Find someone who is running the pace that you want to run, and stay with them

I am a fan of really catchy and witty headings; however, I tend to hold myself back a little here. Sometimes I am tempted to put nuances into a title or subheading, only to realize that there is a good chance that they will be misunderstood. Remember, the sole purpose of a title is to get the reader to read the first line of your article, just like the purpose of a pace group, is to help you to complete the race in the time that you want. Use interesting, but understandable headings to guide your audience through your article and not lose them.

Create a posting schedule
Know at what time you need to be at each mile so that you reach your goal

I can’t stress the importance of having a posting schedule enough. You wouldn’t try to complete an endurance race without some sort of workout schedule, would you? Not only is it is essential to keeping readers interested in your blog, but it also shows that you are interested in your blog. You want to become a reliable place for readers to get fresh content.

I publish two articles per week, and if I have extra time, decide if I want to post more. I have found that it is a lot easier to increase the number of posts I write in a given time, than it is to cut back on what readers have come to expect.

Write, but don’t publish
Hold yourself back in the beginning miles, so that you don’t burn out

Starting a blog is exciting, and I found myself wanting to post often in the beginning; but just like the beginning miles of a long race, I held myself back. Pre-write the posts, but don’t publish them. Let a few of them stack up for those days that you don’t even want to turn on the computer.

Get social baby:
Talk to others in the race, it makes it go by more quickly

After your content has been created, you will need to promote it to get readership. This can sometimes be a daunting process. I am not going to kid you, it takes a lot of work. So far I have let friends and family know about my blog, commented on other blogs in my niche, submitted my blog to blog directories, joined social networks and forums, and guest posted.

See you in the comments.

Lisa H, aka RunningBear has worked in Information Technology for 16 years, including corporate training, web design, & technical writing. She enjoys working out, cooking, volunteering with the local track and cross country teams and spending time with her sweetie, two cats and dog, and new blog Getting to Zen.

Long time readers know I will accept “anonymous” articles for guest posting under the condition that the author and I connect on LinkedIn, and that your backlink adds value to Website In A Weekend reader experience. If you are a “stealth” blogger, and have something interesting to say, tell me. We might be able to work something out.