7 Ways To Rescue A Dying Blog
July 18, 2008
Thousands of new blogs are created every day. (At the last count: 120, 000 a day.) They don’t all make it. Many blogs wither and die as their owners move on to new interests and other activities. By and large that doesn’t matter (except for the web litter they leave behind).
But if you’ve set up that blog as part of your business, your brand or your identity online it does matter.
A stale, dusty or dying blog suggests that you have:
- Lost interest in your subject: what you’re writing about (or working on)
- Moved on to other lines of work
- Given up on something
- Forgotten about a project you started
- Run out of energy and inspiration
None of which are exactly positive ways to enhance your reputation.
If you think your blog might be on the way out here are 7 things you can do to rescue it:
1. Change your pace: if you’ve been blogging too frequently and are burning out try slowing it down to a more sustainable pace. If you haven’t blogged in months, try getting into a fortnightly schedule to ease back in
2. Add variety: experiment with shorter posts (or longer more thoughtful ones), adding in some photos, using quotes that have got you thinking… anything that will freshen things up and reawaken your interest
3. Brainstorm topics: if you’ve got stuck on your content, sit down with a pen and paper and brainstorm ideas for one dimension only - the tighter focus will help you generate new ideas
4. Tidy it up: integrate your blog into a website - that way it won’t look so obvious if you’re not managing to update it regularly
5. Make a decision: if you know you don’t want to blog any more then take some time to tie up the loose ends - write a concluding post, turn the blog into an archive, point visitors to a place you do want them to go
6. Check your purpose: think back to your original purpose - will it still drive you forward? What words will that purpose get you to write? If it’s not working any more: what purpose will?
7: Tap into your motivation: jot down the benefits you’ll get from bringing your blog back to life. Which ones are the most compelling - make your feet start to tap or your fingers itch to write? Focus on them to get you going again
What other strategies are there for kick-starting an ailing blog? Have you ever had to give a blog the kiss of life… or made the decision to put it to rest?
Powerful Web Content provides you with not just the site but the training, skills and support so you can manage and update your site with confidence.
Sign up for a coaching consult to help you get your blog back on track.
Photo Credit: Up, Up and Away by Darwin Bell on Flickr
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