Blog Relaunch Shoots Blanks, Misses Writing Target

 

 

Thinking of starting a blog, relaunching a blog? Good.

 

If you’re a writer, then I’m talking to you. Whether you dabble with words, put a few things on paper, or carve out time to organize the book you’ve been writing the past few years, it’s you.

 

The world of bloggers, columnists, poets, and other liars is your world. I’m a part of it, you’re a part of it, but which part?

Writing is a nice hobby. In general, working writers are nice to be around. At least they’re quiet. Just don’t ask them, “How’s it going?”

 

I made that mistake more than once and have had to listen to whining and complaining for hours. It’s a lot like asking myself the same question. Then it’s worse.

 

Ask a writer if they blog and you get one of two answers. The first is no, along with a look of, “Who do you think I am? Puhlease. Bloggers are scum.”

 

Or they say yes, then go off on the technical details in regard to their wordpress platform, Genesis framework, Studiopress theme; they won’t shut up about SEO, ROI, SERPS; you won’t find the off button when they go off on their analytics, bounce rates, and traffic.

 

Push them in a room and lock the door when they bring up Neil Patel, Jon Morrow, or Darren Rowse; if you don’t they’ll start raving about Quick Sprout, Smartblogger, and Problogger.

 

Bloggers are an insufferable bunch. I’m a blogger who needs a blog relaunch, a hammer, a good talking to. I need a boost, a black hat, a secret teller. Maybe you do too?

 

Or maybe you need better content, a better writing schedule, and a sharper target area. Who do you write for? Please don’t say, “I write for myself, so screw off.” Okay, Emily Dickinson, have at it. Stay in your attic.

 

If you put something on a blog that someone reads, then you have an audience. That’s who you write for. If they send you all of their money, then your audience is mental, but it’s still cash.

 

The blog relaunch for boomerpdx comes with a new tag of “Organic, Free Roaming Portland Writer In Tigard.” Oh, and I included my name with my first two initials like J.K. Rowling does. Smart thinking? Call it a soft blog relaunch.

 

Did it work? Do I have better numbers? Has my content improved? Do I still get Boston traffic from a blogger version of auto-dial? Man, that bugs me from Boston, but whatayagonnado? Fuggetaboutit. It’s Boston. I figure they show up because they wanted Portland to carry their name, but they lost out.

 

Besides better content with a sharper focus, a readable font, and good researching skills, what else is there to writing? Short paragraphs. Linking ideas from one paragraph to the next. A good three part structure of beginning, middle, and end. Very dramatic stuff here.

 

New bloggers aren’t new writers, just writers who’ve finally found the right canvas. A facebook friend posted about a new blog they heard about, a travel blog. It looks good, but is travel blogging a good idea? Of course it’s a good idea.

 

What do you do in the travel world? Walk around, eat, drink, walk around, get a ride, take a train, a bus, a plane. Repeat. Writing, whether on a travel blog, or notebook, adds structure. Besides, then you can say, “I’ll be ready as soon as I finish writing.”

 

Sounds good? Now you’re somebody. The person waiting thinks you’re a writer. Now you know what to do when they ask, “What were you writing?”