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Blogging Guide > Choosing a system > Having more than just a blog
There are a lot of blogs on the Internet. New blogs are being created all the time, and they all want people to visit them. How can you stand out from the crowd?
Writing great content is very important. Building your reputation is something else you need to think about if you want to become an authority in your niche. In particular, you should be asking what you do differently from the other sites on the web.
You can address this problem by using categories and/or tags to organise your posts into logical sections. What if you have too many categories, or too few? What if you have too many posts in most of your categories? Doesn't it become a bit difficult to find your way around?
While I suggest you should take a moment to organise your content, the more content you publish, the more likely it is that things will start to be buried deep in your site. Imagine if you write 5 posts a week for 50 weeks (that leaves time for a short break). That's 250 posts in a year. If you display 5 posts on your home page, that's 50 pages of posts for people to read through. Who's going to do that?
If you don't think your older posts are worth reading, why are they still online?
I strongly recommend that you consider what's at the heart of your site before you go too far down this road. If you've already started and you decide that you want to add a gallery, a set of tutorials, a forum and so on, you may end up having to make some changes. Yes, it can be done by "bolting on" extra bits and pieces, but you may become unstuck as you end up having to work with lots of different systems and plugins. It's a maintenance nightmare.
Planning from the beginning is the ideal way, but you never know what might happen down the line. If you're not happy with how your site is at the moment, take a step back and think about what you want to do with it. Ask me if you like - I'll be happy to offer suggestions.
I find that grouping related posts together can make a dramatic improvement to your site navigation. For instance, my Blogging Guide has 10 different sections, with somewhere between 3 and 8 posts in each. Right now there's a total of 50 posts across the various sections. Dividing your content into manageable chunks will mean your readers are not overwhelmed by dozens and dozens of pages worth of content.
This doesn't just apply to "how to" sites. Any kind of site will benefit from proper organisation.
If you've got a lot to share, don't just put the whole lot on a third party site with a link saying "check out my stuff". If you want people to check it out, give them a few highlights. Showcase a few of your best works on your blog - and if they really don't fit with what you're writing about, you could always set up an additional section of your site for news. That's what my Music Blog is for. (I'm working on a subscription option so you can get my music updates without them being in the same place as my main blog. I'll write more when this is up and running.)
Better still, don't use third party sites as the main place to store your creations - include them as part of your site. In my opinion, sites such as Flickr, last.fm and DeviantArt are great for sharing a selection of your work, but you should put the complete collection on your site (assuming you want to put it all online). Basically, people should have more of a reason to check out your site. They shouldn't have to click a variety of links and hop between half a dozen sites to see what you've been up to.
I know that not everyone can do these things. But if you can do something as a "side project" so your blog is not the only thing on your site, people may spend more time looking around. Some of my readers don't realise I write music, and I have received comments from people who were genuinely interested and pleasantly surprised by what I had to offer. That's not to say what I do will appeal to everyone, but it's a nice extra if that's the kind of thing you like.
Is there anything else you do that could be included?
Would you like to expand your blog so it's part of a website?
Having more than just a blog
< No system is perfect | Choosing a system | How to choose software that's right for you >
There are a lot of blogs on the Internet. New blogs are being created all the time, and they all want people to visit them. How can you stand out from the crowd?
Writing great content is very important. Building your reputation is something else you need to think about if you want to become an authority in your niche. In particular, you should be asking what you do differently from the other sites on the web.
When blogs don't work so well
Initially, your blog will be empty. You have to start adding content to it so it's worth reading. But once you've been blogging for a few months, you'll see that the content starts to build up.You can address this problem by using categories and/or tags to organise your posts into logical sections. What if you have too many categories, or too few? What if you have too many posts in most of your categories? Doesn't it become a bit difficult to find your way around?
While I suggest you should take a moment to organise your content, the more content you publish, the more likely it is that things will start to be buried deep in your site. Imagine if you write 5 posts a week for 50 weeks (that leaves time for a short break). That's 250 posts in a year. If you display 5 posts on your home page, that's 50 pages of posts for people to read through. Who's going to do that?
If you don't think your older posts are worth reading, why are they still online?
Building a website
I've found it helps to start thinking beyond your blog. I consider a blog to be part of a website. The blog can stand alone, but if you want to have a website, the blog should be part of it. I've seen sites that separate the two, which just makes it harder for people to move from one section to the next.I strongly recommend that you consider what's at the heart of your site before you go too far down this road. If you've already started and you decide that you want to add a gallery, a set of tutorials, a forum and so on, you may end up having to make some changes. Yes, it can be done by "bolting on" extra bits and pieces, but you may become unstuck as you end up having to work with lots of different systems and plugins. It's a maintenance nightmare.
Planning from the beginning is the ideal way, but you never know what might happen down the line. If you're not happy with how your site is at the moment, take a step back and think about what you want to do with it. Ask me if you like - I'll be happy to offer suggestions.
Help your readers to find the best posts
A page on your site with links to your best posts is one way to do it. But what about the other posts? There are bound to be some that fall between the cracks, especially as your site grows.I find that grouping related posts together can make a dramatic improvement to your site navigation. For instance, my Blogging Guide has 10 different sections, with somewhere between 3 and 8 posts in each. Right now there's a total of 50 posts across the various sections. Dividing your content into manageable chunks will mean your readers are not overwhelmed by dozens and dozens of pages worth of content.
This doesn't just apply to "how to" sites. Any kind of site will benefit from proper organisation.
Show off your creative side
Have you taken any photos, designed digital graphics, drawn pictures, or recorded some music? Those are all perfect things to showcase on your site, even if they don't fit with the site itself. Just put them in a different area of your site. I have over 80 original compositions in my Music section, and they don't affect the quality of my posts in any way.If you've got a lot to share, don't just put the whole lot on a third party site with a link saying "check out my stuff". If you want people to check it out, give them a few highlights. Showcase a few of your best works on your blog - and if they really don't fit with what you're writing about, you could always set up an additional section of your site for news. That's what my Music Blog is for. (I'm working on a subscription option so you can get my music updates without them being in the same place as my main blog. I'll write more when this is up and running.)
Better still, don't use third party sites as the main place to store your creations - include them as part of your site. In my opinion, sites such as Flickr, last.fm and DeviantArt are great for sharing a selection of your work, but you should put the complete collection on your site (assuming you want to put it all online). Basically, people should have more of a reason to check out your site. They shouldn't have to click a variety of links and hop between half a dozen sites to see what you've been up to.
I know that not everyone can do these things. But if you can do something as a "side project" so your blog is not the only thing on your site, people may spend more time looking around. Some of my readers don't realise I write music, and I have received comments from people who were genuinely interested and pleasantly surprised by what I had to offer. That's not to say what I do will appeal to everyone, but it's a nice extra if that's the kind of thing you like.
What do you think?
Do you have anything else in addition to your blog?Is there anything else you do that could be included?
Would you like to expand your blog so it's part of a website?
Related Content
Comments on Having more than just a blog
I'm stealing my own comment to post in my blog. I'd like to read it again when I'm feeling less than inspired.
Thanks for the insightful comment, Laura. :) Being unique is very important, certainly. I think that having more than a blog is one way to do this. Of course there are other ways too. You have to have your own voice and not just copy all the other sites out there. Good tips!
I often write just to hear myself think.
You have a good voice yourself Ben. I want to go back and read your older posts when life is a bit less chaotic.
Thanks Laura. There are plenty to read! :)
I think the best tip you can give about blogging is to make your blog your own. Your own voice, thoughts, etc. However you express yourself it has to be you. Don't copy someone else cause they have a good Google or Alexa rank or cause they run ads and make money.... blah blah blah. Those blogs all just become a blur. Do you actually read them or do you just skim them in case one of the masses actually comes up with an original thought some day.
I seldom even look at blogs about blogging. Only a few exceptions, those which have their own unique and individual voice. Those who may or may not be right but they don't just babble on saying the same party line as all the other blogs. This includes personal blogs.
If you write a personal blog and try to write for your readers you are not going to stick with it very long. You lose the point of it all if you try to sell your blog. Just write the damned thing and enjoy it. If it stops being fun, stop. Come back to it when you want to create something again.
Every blog should have a creative, free spirit. It's more than the voice you give it it's your whole attitude towards it. Does writing in your blog give you an uplifted feeling? Do you look forward to having something to post? Would you still be posting even if your hit counter only moves up a few times a year? What part of blogging matters to you? If it's money making or being famous you're here for the wrong reasons. You won't have staying power.