If this post teaches you anything, I’d be very very surprised
The most important element in getting lasting web traffic…
I’m gonna tell you what it is even though I guarantee you already know it.
And, no, it’s not nude celebrity pictures or videos of Britney Spears accidentally hitting her baby with a tire iron.
Okay, I admit it, I’d probably have to go check that one out. But I guarantee once I left the site, I wouldn’t be able to find my way back if you paid me. That’s not a successful business model.
To be successful AND durable, your blog has to connect readers with their interests.
Why is this the most important rule?
Well, first off, it’s common sense. You can try to debate me on it, but I’d win. And even if I didn’t win I’d act like I did, and that can get really super annoying.
Secondly, the further proof of this, if you really need it, is that any problem your site may have bows down and kisses the feet of just delivering what’s wanted.
Here, I’ll show you. You tell me a symptom and I’ll tell you the illness.
“I’m not making any affiliate commissions” – You’re not connecting people with what they want.
“I’m not selling jack on eBay” – You’re not connecting people with what they want.
“My SEO strategy isn’t working” – You’re not connecting people with what they want.
“Hell, I can’t even GIVE my ebooks away” – You’re not connecting people with what they want.
“No shit, dude. We already knew this.”
I know this seems too simple, and it is. It’s as simple and obvious as looking both ways before you cross the street, which is why people are still getting hit by cars. People forget the obvious.
Sites that really deliver
Usually this is time when I start whining and pointing fingers. Well, I’m not going to whine but I’m still gonna point fingers. This time, I’ll point to some sites that are doing this just right.
Yaro Starak of Entrepreneur’s Journey is the star of the money-making niche. He’s the bomb. Pretty much every single post he writes can make you money if you pay attention and put some things into practice. And he’s nice as hell. Even when people say stupid stuff in his comments, Yaro is as sweet as your baby brother, without being spineless.
Collis Ta’eed is doing it right. He’s the main guy behind the Envato network, which at last count had 16-bazillion-trillion-infinity website visits each month. Insane.
Seth Godin. Love him, hate him, pray to his bald pate, whatever. He’s delivering exactly what his audience wants: pithy messages on branding and new-era marketing.
So…all that said, here comes the all-important question that might make you hem and haw and shuffle your feet:
Are you actually USING this rule and connecting readers to their interests?
Catchy rule of thumb for the grand-kids
Nude pictures and stories about aliens and recent Hollywood gossip…these are circus attractions. And remember, circuses are always leaving town to go to the next. Because after a while, nobody cares anymore.
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27 January 2009 @ 4pm
Okay, now I know why I need marketing advice.
I read this sentence: “To be successful AND durable, your blog has to connect readers with their interests.”
and heard this: “To be successful AND durable, your blog has to connect readers with [your] interests.”
Oh my, hard to admit. Guess that’s what I wanted to hear! Now all I have to figure out is what I have to offer that people want….
27 January 2009 @ 4pm
Diana -
Oh, I’m with you. It’s hard enough for me to write as it is, and now I’ve got to write something that you want? Sheesh.
28 January 2009 @ 5am
Charlie,
You always hit me right between the eyes, man. I say stuff like this all the time and you’ve still got me thinking: Do I connect readers with their interests enough?
Bugger all. Not as often as I’d like to.
Printing-and-keeping. I’ll be musing on this for a while so I need the hard copy to remember what I was thinking about, hehe.
Good one.
Regards,
Kelly
28 January 2009 @ 10am
Diana -
Hehe, yeah, that was definitely me being sarcastic. It’s tough for me to write stuff that fits within the blog and isn’t just me having fun writing.
Glad to see you here and glad I didn’t scare you away 
Kelly -
Woohoo! If you print this out, I’m a published author in more than one state! Unless you live in Washington, of course.
And as you know from following my blogs, writing on-topic posts is not so easy for me. That’s why I publish a new blog post every ice age.
28 January 2009 @ 10am
Charlie,
whew, glad you’re not one one those who JUMP on newbies when they confess!
As an artist, I really am trying to find out if I have/do something that anyone wants! I think I was an employee too long (commercial art). What people wanted was right in front of me, on my work slip. Finding a niche is hard work. I applaud those who have succeeded.
28 January 2009 @ 12pm
Charlie,
Delaware. ‘Bout as far from you as it’s possible to be on this continent. Don’t fear me stalking you, in spite of my love of your tremendous eye for clean design.
And I don’t think it’s my first Ignite Living print-and-keeper, so you’re already a published author in the 2nd smallest state.
Until later,
Kelly
Finally...a book on freelancing that's not just about taxes, client acquisition and time management.
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