I love reading updates from my peers, particularly in Utah where I live, as well as other States and Nations that have great blogs. I subscribe to them, in part because I enjoy receiving their updates and what they’re up to, but also because I love to see them post new things and I want to support that practice. I love to see people write, especially amongst my peers because that is how the world can learn about them. A blog, as opposed to a Facebook update or Twitter, gives me the opportunity to see much more of who they are, what they are up to, as well as learn more about their expertise in the areas they like to share.
I see a trend amongst my tech peers here in Utah as well as other places though that I think may be limiting their potential. Many of them are writing for their local state’s or area’s audience, or perhaps even their family and friends, rather than seeing the potential that others outside of their inner circles could be reading their blog. I admit I am guilty of this.
I went through this early on with this blog if you read over the history. There was awhile I wasn’t quite sure of who my audience was. I wrote my blog as more of a way to get my thoughts recorded for myself, rather than consider that others could be reading this down the road. Some times I would write very techie stuff documenting my progress on a few projects I was working on. Some times I would write stuff about my close family, or maybe even local events that a national or worldwide audience may not be quite as interested in. Occasionally I would delve into religious topics. All this is okay, so long as I recognize that those are the audiences I’m targeting. I’m not sure at the time I did.
It wasn’t until I started recognizing that this blog was more than just a local blog for me and my close friends that this blog began to start getting traffic and taking off. Once I began seriously researching and writing topics, acting as though it were a blog for a national or worldwide audience, people started to listen. Sure, it was and still is and will always be my personal blog, but I have changed my perception of who my audience is, and who it could be. I treated it as how it could become. Because of that I’m achieving my original purposes of sharing things I learn with even greater impact than ever before.
When you’re writing, you should consider who you’re writing for:
If you’re writing for your close friends and family, that is who will read it… If you’re writing for just people in your local city or state, that is who will read it… If you’re writing for your religion or faith, that is who will read it… If you write for a national or worldwide audience, that is who will read it… If you write for TechCrunch or Mashable or Scoble or Louis Gray or Guy Kawasaki, that is who will read it…
Do you want more eyes on your content? Which of the above audiences will bring the most eyes? What are your purposes for your blog? Look long and hard and spend some time determining this. Which one will have the biggest impact on achieving your goals in the long-run? After you do so, look at the above audiences, and then determine which one you need to start writing for.
Most importantly, start writing! Something is always better than nothing.
