Lately I have been intrigued by the different levels of bloggers online. I have analyzed various blogs and researched intensely to distinguish the traits that separate an ordinary blogger from the extraordinary. While it is impossible for a newbie to suddenly leap into the extraordinary, there are however certain traits that can be identified that will position a newbie or intermediate blogger to become a great blogger.
The truth is that many people begin blogging because they believe it is an easy route to earn an income online, but for any blogger to really succeed he/she will have to possess 5 characteristics to become a great blogger.
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1. A Figure of Authority
Your knowledge of your niche is pertinent to your rise in the blogosphere. Visitors are attracted to bloggers who exude authority in their chosen niche, and authority is what earns you the respect of every person who reads your blog. If you come across as someone without experience and knowledge your visitors will feel that your content is sub-standard and they will in all likelihood seek their sources of information elsewhere.
2. A Passion for Blogging
Whatever you choose to do in life your passion is what will drive you to succeed. A blogger who lacks this vital ingredient will soon give-up, because passion injects the motivation, energy and desire to continue blogging – it fills you with the fuel to persevere in the face of obstacles. Like a tree that withers when it does not receive sunlight and water you will wither if you do not possess a passion for blogging.
3. A Love for Writing
Bloggers are always brainstorming new ideas and researching, but more importantly they are constantly generating new content. Writing is part and parcel of blogging; it is essentially the core of what blogging is. If you do not have a love for writing then blogging might not be suitable to you. However, I am of the belief that if you can talk then you can write. I only realized I had a love for writing when I was 23 years old, before that I didn’t have the slightest affinity toward writing. It is only when you put pen to paper will you know whether or not you have a love for writing.
4. Understanding User Needs
The one common factor with great bloggers is that they all have a large subscriber base – something that many new bloggers envy. People do not subscribe to blogs that do not satisfy their needs in some way. For you to become a greater blogger you will need to have an in-depth understanding of your users and visitors – you will need to be market focused. It is this understanding that will allow you to offer content that meets the needs of your visitors. Soak yourself in your niche by joining forums and other social platforms related to your niche as this will provide you with the necessary knowledge to increase your understanding of your target market.
5. Thinking Outside the Box
Great bloggers are not comfortable with the average; they are always stretching their creative limits to offer their readers an experience they will never forget. Face it – a lot of what we read online is the same rehashed content that is sometimes mundane and boring. Great bloggers understand this and for this very reason they are constantly brainstorming fresh unique approaches to satisfy the needs of their readers. This approach has a dual benefit: it keeps current subscribers happy and it often attracts new subscribers virally.
These 5 characteristics stood out vividly during my research, there are others, but these 5 are pertinent factors that separate a great blogger from an ordinary blogger. If you possess these traits I have no doubt you have what it takes to be recognized as a great blogger.
Hi Ashley,
Your research has served you well. I think you have hit the nail on the head with seperating good up and coming bloggers with the mundane copy everything blogger.
It is difficult to come up with unique quality content, but not impossible.
I like the way you say that if you can talk, you can write. How true.
Pete
Hi Pete
Thank you for your comment! Yes, with a little thought and creativity you can approach every post in a unique way. I think many people – especially newbies – are intimidated by the word "write", they feel as though they need to be in the mould of Stephen King to write a blog post, but this isn't the case.
Hi Ashley,
I like the thoroughness of your research and you've made some great points.
If I turn it around and think about WHY I follow a particular blog, it's because:
1. I learn something from them.
2. They respond to their comments.
3. They're willing to get to know me, build a relationship with me.
4. I can relate to them in some way.
I'm a bit turned off my authority bloggers who sit on their high throne and can't even be bothered to respond to any of the comments they get.
Thanks for the insightful post!
Peggy
Hi Peggy
You raise some important points, and I totally agree that "realtionships" are pivotal – it actually forms a part of "user needs". I also become a little annoyed when certain bloggers sit on their high horses and do not respond to thoughtful and insightful comments, but these are people who have forgotten what the essence of blogging is.
Thank you Peggy for your comments!
Hi Ashley
Without unique content, it is harder to be heard in the blogosphere these days. May have worked when there was less competition. Now there are so many blogs competing for attention, we can all be selective where we visit.
Keeping content fresh and different yet staying on topic is a challenge for all of us. I love writing so enjoy researching, learning and then writing in my own conversational style. Works for me.
I visit other blogs to learn and hopefully give back in the comments section. Enjoy blogs where there is a sense of community and where the blog owner replies to comments. And I don't visit the "A" listers. There are often guest posts and little interaction. Not for me.
Patricia Perth Australia
Thanks for the comment Patricia.
There will never be a replacement for unique content. I guess it is the holy grail of blogging. I think guest posting is a growing practice that is mutually beneficial – both to the blog owner and the guest author. Although some guest authors "forget" to respond to comments
I much prefer inorfamtive articles like this to that high brow literature.
Hi Patricia,
I'm glad that you chose my blog to give back to with a comment. I also enjoy having a sense of community and try to interact with my commentators. I do also enjoy having great guest posters like Ashley coming on the blog as I think it's awesome to get diverse viewpoints on the blog. It's a great pleasure to have interaction to the extent that people feel like they want to share with a guest post as well as coming back to comment. It's the best of both worlds to have that interaction as well as these great guest authors coming on to share their thoughts as well.
Thanks for the kind words Richard. I'm grateful that one of my articles could find a home on your site.
This article clears something about me – that is realizing that I'm a certified newbie blogger. I only got 1 (which is love for writing) out of five. However, as I move on with my blogging hobby I'm sure I can do the other four on the list. I definitely agree with this article. I noticed that those well researched and useful articles I posted got the most comments and questions which is really overwhelming.
Thanks for your comment. Every problogger started off as a newbie, but what is important is that you have taken action.
As in any offline business, identifying your niches's needs is very essential to the viability of your business. An outstanding blooger has to take the time and study thoroughly what users want and need and try to offer exactly this. Thanks for the outstanding post!
Thanks for your comment Steven. Many people forget that to succeed online you have to adhere to proper business and marketing methodologies.
I think there are a lot of traits that an outstanding blogger should have but one of the main features should be, a strong will to share his knowledge and also the amount of information he knows should be vast.
Also, a blogger should be a great storyteller to entice the visitors in reading what he has to say but also to present his knowledge in a easy to read format. (I can only imagine a blogger posting a about money making and starting to throw with terms like PLR, MMO, IM and other abbreviations).
And of course the characteristics you mentioned go without saying, even normal bloggers should have them, or at least some of them.
Hi Alex,
Lol, thanks for the comment! There are certainly a number of acronyms in the IM realm that would never make sense to a newbie. I completely agree with all of your points.
Nice post with a great research on the topic
Thanks for sharing it
Passion is one of the key factor for blogging if any one have the passion to write he/she become successful blogger . Expert on writing on different Niche would be more appreciable and profitable because you can make many bloggs and learn lots of money.
Took me time to read all the comments Ashley, but I really loved the article. It proved to be really useful to me and I'm positive to all of the commenters right here as well!
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Great article Ashley and very true