Blog content: trunks, branches, leaves
I just came across a post by Ari Herzog where he answers the question, ‘Should bloggers only blog about one topic or is it okay for them to talk about a lot of different things?’
I was relieved actually to see that his answer was quite liberal; he (with quote help from Jake Halpern) said that bloggers need to blog about what interests them. If the topics start to spread, so be it.
But, I have to add something to that. I agree that if you aren’t writing about your passions, then the writing will fall flat. Still, I think there has to be a tie that binds. It could be an industry, a product, a service, a genre, a person, a group, a pair of pants…something.
When I talk to companies/business about blog content strategy, I use the image of a tree. The blog’s main topic, your main theme is the trunk of the tree. All of the posts that you write are the branches and leaves of the tree.
Some posts will literally spring from the trunk, like those first two or three branches that separate and grow up and out.
Some posts will be quite far removed from the trunk, they’ll be those teeny tiny branches, fifty feet out, reaching into the sun – but they will still be connected to the trunk, they’re definitively part of the same tree.
And then you’ve got the posts that are everything else in between. But there’s always a connection, no matter how small.
Why is this important?
- You don’t want your readers to get lost or confused. Make them feel good and smart, not disoriented and dumb.
- You want to have a point. Otherwise you might end up sounding disoriented and dumb.
- If you’re blogging for business, it’s good to have a tie back to your product, service or industry. If your blogs purpose it to showcase your talents as a dance coach, I’m not sure how talking about the many ways to cook an egg will help you.
- You’re building a relationship with your readers. If you always blog about painting and suddenly throw in some posts about roller derbies, they’re going to feel a rift in the relationship. They might even feel abandoned and leave you comments like, ‘I don’t even know who you are anymore.’
I’m all for expanding your content. The more branches you create, the more likely you are to catch the web traffic blowing by in your tree. Just do your readers a favor and maintain your core connection.
Image credit: joiseyshowaa
Related posts:
- the benefits of having a blog for your business, company or self
- what would i write about? thinking up good blog content
- When people are searching for Dirty Dancing, but find You
7 Responses to “Blog content: trunks, branches, leaves”
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This has been tricky for me when planning my own blog. The question of personal vs. business. Even now, I finally launched it this week, but don’t feel confident of my direction. I blog about business on my company blog and, right now atleast, can’t bring myself to come up with enough content to blog about business in 2 places. I also find blogging about more personal items very therapeutic. I am hoping that over time I can tie them together and blog about both, but right now the goal is just to write and figure out where and how it fits afterwards. Great post as usual Julie! Thanks.
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Becky – I like the way you think: write what comes to you, what needs to come out and decide where it ‘fits’ after the writing is done. No need to complicate the writing process by wondering where the work will be published.
If your ‘personal’ blog’s ‘trunk’ is YOU – then you can write about whatever you want there as long as it connects to you (if you follow my suggestion in this post). Your thoughts on life, work, etc. See how that works?
Thanks for your fantastic comment…
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Is sooomebody feeling guilty for blogging about Twilight?
xo
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Ha! Actually no – This was really a reaction to Ari’s post – and the theory is something I’ve been writing about and sharing with clients for a looooong time. But, you’re very funny, regardless…
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I know, I know. You’re always thinking. I, however, am a slave to the obvious joke. It’s a disability.
I agree that it’s usually (not always, especially with creative professions) best to keep on point in a business blog. Or a very specific one like green living or homeschooling or Manga.
That said, I’ve always wondered why so many bloggers have multiple blogs going at once — a photo blog, a personal journal blog, a blog about raising a family. I have the most fun writing and reading blogs when I override my natural impulse for categorization. Our heads and our lives aren’t so easily organized. Maybe that’s why this approach appeals to so many. But it just doesn’t work for me. I like to throw all the spices into one pot and stir it in with a bit of this and that. It touches me when my favorite bloggers share their multidemensionality with me. It’s a bit of a risk, and I appreciate that.
It is in the reading of these types of blogs that I learn the most. For example, I like poetry but I’m not a HUGE fan to the point that I would read a poetry blog. But if I were to happen across a poem in of one of my favorite personal or photo blogs it would take me off guard and make me take notice; it would add a wrinkle to my brain and quite possibly stir my creativity. Sometimes we don’t know what interests us until we see it.
I am also a completely selfish human being. I think blogs are for the blogger, not the reader. I think we should strive to dance like nobody’s watching, make love like the lights are out, and blog like nobody’s reading. I’m sick of living to please others. They’re not taking notice anyway; they’re too busy living to please somebody other than me.
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Love the tree image, it’s a great way to think about your blog, branch out but always keep home on your mind…
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[...] It’s all connected and it will stay that way – because writing is writing is writing. There are just so many parts of it to explore as I live it – this writing life. Just consider yourself forewarned that I can’t stop following my heart around this blog. [...]