I don’t know what my blog is about yet. I’ve been writing it for over a year now, and the ideas haven’t jelled into a cohesive theme. How do I know this?
Because I can’t explain it in 30 words or less.
I was reminded of this dilemma recently when I found the brilliant blog “Pocket-Sized Stories.” What’s that blog about?
Allow me to share the first 30 words you see at the top of it:
The other day someone told me I wasn’t using Twitter the “right way.”
A few days after that, someone told me I wasn’t using Pinterest the “right way.”
A few days after that, someone told me I wasn’t using Instagram the “right way.”
The funny thing is they’re all wrong.
(This is part 4 in a 5 part series, read parts 1, 2 and 3.)
Last week, we talked about the first three C’s of social media dominance: content, context, and clarity. Today let’s talk about:
4. Consistency
Two years ago, the readers of my blog Stuff Christians Like raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam. It was an incredible experience, and it firmly cemented in my mind the power of what a generous community can do online.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote an article about the first kindergarten, and the headline was, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 hours.” Technically, that headline was true, but the headline should have actually read, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 months.”
That’s how long it really took to raise the money. For 18 months, I consistently wrote Stuff Christians Like. I poured in a million words of the best ideas I could think of into the conversation with readers. Day after day, post after post, with consistency, I jumped into the discussion happening on Stuff Christians Like.
(This is a guest post from Michael Hyatt, a friend, top business blogger, and Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael just released a new book called Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.)
What do most successful people have that others wish they did?
A platform.
It’s the thing that elevates you so that your voice can be heard. And, these days, getting heard in a noisy world is easier said than done.
But if you’re someone with something to say or sell, building and expanding your platform is more important than ever.
Unlike a stage in the theater, today’s platform is not built of wood or concrete or perched on a grassy hill. Today’s platform is built of:
• Contacts
• Connections
• Followers
Your platform is going to be a combination of your online/social media presence (Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, etc.), public appearances, and possibly appearances in traditional media like radio, magazines, and newspapers.
But why build a platform…and why now? There are three reasons:
(Today we’ve got a guest post from Matt Chambers, the director of SafeWorld! You can follow him on Twitter @chambers_matt, or read his blog http://ethoshift.com.)
conTENT not CONtent by Matt Chambers
I have a confession to make.
I’m a…contentaholic.
Never heard of it? That’s because it’s probably not officially a “real thing.” (Not yet anyways)
But I promise I have it. It’s self-inflicted, easily enabled, and I’ve been struggling with it for years.
Basically, it’s a mental filter that stops enjoying moments of reality for what they are and processes them according to what kind of tweet I could create as a result, or how amazing it would look on Instagram.
In 2008, I became the first person in history to go to a counselor to talk about Google Analytics.
Technically, there wasn’t a trophy or anything, but I’m pretty sure I hold that title.
Blog traffic became a drug for me and I hit the refresh button on Google Analytics like a junky.
I don’t hate Google Analytics. I think it’s a great tool.
It’s an amazing way for you to measure blog traffic.
But it’s a horrible way for you to measure self-esteem.
I have a hard time paying attention at church.
Why?
Because for more than four years, I’ve written a blog about church.
In order to keep up with the self-imposed content demands of my blog, I had to become a content machine. I had to train myself to see church and worship and Sunday not for what they are, but for what they could be.
I had to develop “blog goggles.”
How do you write a blog that is unique to you? How do you design a product that is unique to your company? How do you create anything that is unique to who you are and what you do?
Here in a 90 second video I explain the thumb test, something I learned working in advertising. (What I don’t explain is how to not have the opening frame look incredibly goofy. Look at my crazy half smile. Ridiculous.) Big shout out to Patrick Tohill for putting together the video!
Question:
If you put your thumb over your last blog post, book idea or project, would it pass the thumb test?
Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite writers. He’s written a ridiculous amount of brilliant books and in this short video explains the shape of stories. If you’ve got 5 minutes today, watch this. Whether you ever want to write or not, this is a perfect example of how to communicate an idea. (Heads up, there’s one profanity.)