Art of Blogging

CREATING A UNIQUE BLOGGING VOICE

Art of Blogging

Who am I?

I’m Fajr Muhammad, a fashion & lifestyle blogger at Stylishthought.com

I have been blogging for over 5 years and have built a targeted niche and readership in the fashion blogging community.

I’m currently an SEO Copywriter at Razorfish Health

Tweet me: @stylishthought

Email me: fajr@stylishthought.com

Shameles

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Art of Blogging

Why We Love Blogs?

Content: Updated on frequent basis and offer a personal view of a blogger, industry or brand

Syndication: Constant engagement and up-to-date information by subscribing to their blog

Conversation: Blogs are a central hub for like-minded people to come and discuss ideas. We all love to share ideas and information and blogs are the perfect vehicle

Basically, Blogs Rock!

Art of Blogging

Some Nifty Blogs

Art of Blogging

What makes a unique blog?

Unique Blog

FOCUS

POV

COMMUNITY

CONSISTENT CONTENT

Art of Blogging

Hocus, Focus

A blog without a focus is like a sheep without wool; utterly pointless!

In a sea of digital ramblings, having a focus is the guiding force for your blog

In deciding on a focus or niche, ask yourself these questions • What do I believe in? • What am I wildly passionate about? • What could I talk about for hours

Pulling from your personal hobbies ensures that you have a sustained interest and is a great place to start a blog

Tip #1: Brainstorm possible topics based on

your own interests; then highlight topics that

you have experience/expertise in

Art of Blogging

FOCUSEach of these blogs has a distinct focus

Art of Blogging

Point of View, What’s that?

What can you say that no one else is saying like no one else is saying it?

So you’ve got a niche, but you can’t stop there. What is your POV on that niche?

What are other bloggers in your niche saying and how does your view differ?

Basically, • Say something other bloggers aren’t saying • Say it in a way they are not saying it

Tip #2 Assess what other bloggers in your

niche are saying. What is their stance and

how does yours differ?

Art of Blogging

One Niche, Two POVs

Galadarling.comPersonal Style Blogger

TheBudgetFashionista.comFashion Deal Site

Art of Blogging

Fresh Squeezed Content

Content is King, Queen, Hell its the Entire Kingdom

Content is the cornerstone of an awesome blog

Blogs that create useful content build an engaged community that continues to support and read

Decide early on what your foundation posts will be. Will you be known for your how-to advice, informational posts, vlogs or pictorials?

Take your content to the next level; with a variety of post styles

Tip #3 Leverage personal experiences in your

blog posts brings your personality and makes

a connection between writer and reader

Art of Blogging

Content Tactics

• List Posts

• Reviews

• Informational

• Interviews

• Link Posts

• Rants

• Video Blogs

• Pictorials

Tip #4 Crafting headlines is an art form.

Creating attention-grabbing headlines will

ensure your content is read & most

importantly shared!

Art of Blogging

Community & Not the Show

People read blogs for the two-way conversation and community

Blogs inherently have commenting systems to foster discussion and interaction

Engage readers by asking questions, requesting their thoughts making your content shareable

Tip #5 Ask for comments! At the end of your

posts, lead with a question and then ask your

readers to comment

Art of Blogging

4 Ways to Foster Community

1. CommentLuv: a plugin that allows commenters to link to their last blog posts

2. Interact in the comments section. Respond to readers comments!

3. Accept Guest Bloggers; a great way to build loyal readers and get more content

4. ShareThis: Social sharing buttons to attach to each blog posts

Art of Blogging

Your Blog & Beyond

• Find a focus, decide on a niche you can blog passionately about

• Have a distinct perspective, don’t be afraid to use your personal opinions in your content

• Be consistent in your content; create foundational posts and experiment with different posts formats

• Foster community by asking questions, responding to comments and facilitating social sharing

Art of Blogging

Thank You!

& Happy Blogging!