Blogging Tips: Why You Need to Read More If You Want to Write More
If you want more ideas for your blogs or any other type of content for that matter, there's no question that reading more will help you accomplish that.
While at first glance you may think this applies more to fiction writers than those who are trying to write for blogs or article directories, but that just isn't the case.
So what kind of things should you read & why? 1.
You Should Read the Best of the Best First and foremost, you want to read the top blogs, articles or ezines in your area of expertise.
Yes, some of them may be the competition, but that's fine.
Why? Following the brightest and best in your topic helps you get a handle on what's attracting their readers or reader comments.
You already know they have a solid audience so by analyzing the kinds of topics they focus on is one way to fill your own idea list.
Besides that, you can choose one of their main points and write a post about how you agree or disagree with it, or put your own spin on it.
Either way, you can keep the conversation going.
However, you don't have to stop there.
You can take this strategy a step further and contact that original blogger by email, Facebook or Twitter advising them of what you've written.
You never know what kind of connection you may make.
2.
Read Your About Your Neighbors Before your mind wanders too far, I'm not talking about trying to find gossip about those people who reside near you.
What I mean is your "neighbors" in business.
Who offers something complimentary to your clients and vice- versa? Why? Just about every business needs to have relationships with people who can refer them.
Other business owners can create such referrals.
For example, if you write about creating content for blogs, good "neighbor" blogs to read would be those written by marketing professionals because they would suggest blogging to their clients.
Doing this would also help you understand what the buzzwords are in their industry etc.
and to learn what's top of mind for their customers.
When you know that, you have plenty of seeds for more things to write about.
These are only a couple of the ways being an avid, or at least a regular reader, can benefit your content creation abilities.
Will it take extra work and time? Sure, but so does improving any skill.
Make reading a regular habit each day or at least each week and soon the ideas for your own content will come more regularly too.
While at first glance you may think this applies more to fiction writers than those who are trying to write for blogs or article directories, but that just isn't the case.
So what kind of things should you read & why? 1.
You Should Read the Best of the Best First and foremost, you want to read the top blogs, articles or ezines in your area of expertise.
Yes, some of them may be the competition, but that's fine.
Why? Following the brightest and best in your topic helps you get a handle on what's attracting their readers or reader comments.
You already know they have a solid audience so by analyzing the kinds of topics they focus on is one way to fill your own idea list.
Besides that, you can choose one of their main points and write a post about how you agree or disagree with it, or put your own spin on it.
Either way, you can keep the conversation going.
However, you don't have to stop there.
You can take this strategy a step further and contact that original blogger by email, Facebook or Twitter advising them of what you've written.
You never know what kind of connection you may make.
2.
Read Your About Your Neighbors Before your mind wanders too far, I'm not talking about trying to find gossip about those people who reside near you.
What I mean is your "neighbors" in business.
Who offers something complimentary to your clients and vice- versa? Why? Just about every business needs to have relationships with people who can refer them.
Other business owners can create such referrals.
For example, if you write about creating content for blogs, good "neighbor" blogs to read would be those written by marketing professionals because they would suggest blogging to their clients.
Doing this would also help you understand what the buzzwords are in their industry etc.
and to learn what's top of mind for their customers.
When you know that, you have plenty of seeds for more things to write about.
These are only a couple of the ways being an avid, or at least a regular reader, can benefit your content creation abilities.
Will it take extra work and time? Sure, but so does improving any skill.
Make reading a regular habit each day or at least each week and soon the ideas for your own content will come more regularly too.
