Subscribe in a reader
« The Little Baby ThinkBox Birth Date Prediction Contest | Home | American Idol Season 7: Top 10 Guys Performances - ThinkBox Style »
7 Ineffective Habits of Unsuccessful Bloggers - ThinkBonics Style
By Jeff | February 25, 2008
It’s time for my occasional blogging assistance post, brought to you in classic ThinkBonics. ThinkBonics is derived from ebonics, but I’m a white guy from the suburban ‘hood of North Houston so I can’t use straight ebonics. But don’t let my 80s dance moves and occasional desire to dress like a porn star fool you, I’m pimpin’ gangsta like nobody’s bizzle, fo shizzle nizzle dizzle. That’s just how the ThinkBox rolls.
Anyway, I’m still learning as I go along and I don’t feel confident enough to tell you the right way to blog, but I’m fully qualified to tell you how not to. Below is a small 7-step compilation of rules in ThinkBonics style of various rules I’ve learned in my 6 months + of blogging here on Static ThinkBox of things to avoid when working on your own blog. Here are my 7 ineffective habits of unsuccessful bloggers.
1. Slow Your Roll
Do you struggle to post the ‘recommended’ minimum of one post a day? Are you posting just to post? The first ineffective habit is posting an article that you’ve rushed through, or that you’re really not knowledgeable about, or that you’re not passionate about. I’m not saying that posting once a day is a bad thing. I am saying that posting bad content on any day is a bad thing. We’ve all heard it, so repeat after me, “Content is king.”
If we are all honest with ourselves, I have no doubt that some of our posts would have been better if they never saw the light of day on our sites. Not every post is going to ignite the web on fire, but solid consistent posts will begin to make a name for yourself. Mark at Court’s Internet Marketing School has an awesome post about this. Basically, you betta slow that roll down or you’re gonna get thrown down. (Thanks folks, I’m here all day.)
2. You Ain’t Representin’! You Ain’t Keepin’ it Real!
Are you copying other bloggers? Are you simply following the ‘mold’ of what a successful blogger is supposed to look like? This is the second habit. There is a vast difference between following a business model or simply regurgitating what someone has already done or said. I have not researched this, but I’m willing to bet that Making Money Online is the most popular blogging niche out there. If you have recently started a blog, it’s going to be very hard to infiltrate the popular ranks of this subject without some prior name recognition or amazing unheard of techniques that work.
It can still be done, but if you are going to follow the footsteps of so many then you’ve got to be yourself. You’re going to have to make the blog your own so that you have a chance to stand out. Winning the Web has a great post and small series about types of bloggers. Don’t be straight trippin’ yo!
3. Throwin’ Them Gangsta Signs
Are you making your mark? Is your ‘brand’ identifiable? I’m sure you’ve noticed that all these tend to run together and they do. But it makes sense. The third habit is a little more subtle and could realistically be considered more of a compilation of all these habits, but it still needs to be considered as you go through your daily blogging routine. Inconsistency, inaccuracy, and impersonal writing can hurt your ‘brand’. Bloggers and people in general are very fickle and will not repeat their visit or trust you in the future if you fall into this bad habit. ProBlogger has some great tips. That’s the word from the WEST side, playa!
4. Street Cred from Yo Boyz
Are you signing up for every social networking site you come in contact with? Do you think these sites will give you the exposure that you need? Habit number four is believing that joining social networking communities is the key to blogging success. Social communities do play a very good role in blog exposure, but there’s more than just joining. You must be active. Submitting articles is only a small portion. Just like in your work place, school, or neighborhood, there is also a need to make friends online. The key is being active, so only join those services that you enjoy using (and are getting good returns from) and only as many as you can handle. Making Sales Making Money has a solid post relating to this. Street cred don’t just happen in the ‘hood.
5. Baby’s Momma Drama
Ok, this has nothing to do with blogging. This is just straight up good advice in life. STAY AWAY FROM BABY’S MOMMA DRAMA. You don’t want it. It messes with your head. Besides, hot hoochies rarely make good mothers. I mean, not only do you have deal with yo baby’s momma, but you have to deal with yo baby’s momma’s momma. And that is worse than bustin’ a cap in yo own head.
5. To’ Up from the Flo’ Up
Is your site user-friendly? Is your site cluttered or filled with advertising? Are your visitors’ eyes enjoying your website design? There are tons of free themes out there for you to use for WordPress. There are also many talented graphic designers that are willing to custom design a site for your needs for a fair price. It doesn’t matter which option you choose. What matters is finding the intersection of a practical user interface with pleasing aesthetics. In other words, your widgets and overall site appearance should be attractive, but should also serve a purpose. Your readers should be able to navigate easily with as little research as possible to maintain effectiveness.
I’ll be honest. I’m struggling with this right now (although, maybe by the time you read this, I’ll have it fixed). There are certain widget placements that I’m not happy with and I feel that it takes away from my site. So, now I have to decide if there is a better place or if I should just take them out completely. Take it from me, while I may not be able to tell you how to design your site; I can, from experience, tell you how not to. Thanks to Fresh Geek’s Fresh Slant I was able to make some good changes. I’m just not finished yet. Yo website so ugly, it makes an onion cry. (Sorry, it’s late.)
6. Off da Chains
How are your post formats? Do you include vivid images and plenty of paragraph spacing breaks? The sixth ineffective habit deals with the simple format of your posts. You should strive to avoid boring your visitors. Vivid images give your reader a mental point of reference and will help move the contents from short-term memory to long-term memory. You want to be remembered, right?
You should also strive to include correct punctuation and grammar as best as you can. Most bloggers can forgive errors or typos, but if your posts are tough to read in general then your audience will be less likely to stay with you. Give your reader some mental breaks with spacing and new paragraphs. Include spaces, graphic, videos, tables, or whatever as appropriate. Court has an example of The Worst Post in the Universe so you can visualize what not to do. I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly. Your blog is too word-ilicious for me baby. (Don’t ask where that came from.)
7. Bro’s Before Ho’s
Again, this has nothing to do with blogging. I just want to have the word ‘Ho’ on this post. It felt appropriate. Plus, I just wanted to tell Britney Spears that when you dress like a ho, you get treated like a ho. And like Andy from 40-Year Old Virgin said, “She’s a ho… fo’ sho’.”
7. Don’t Hate the Playa; Hate the Game
Are you a selfish blogger? Is the blogging world against you? Do you just not have any luck? The final ineffective habit deals with just being selfish. This is similar to the social networking bad habit, but encompasses more actions than just social networking. If you want people to visit your site, then you should visit other sites. If you want people to subscribe to your RSS feeds, then you should subscribe to other sites. If you want people to leave comments, then you should comment on other sites. It’s really quite simple. Maybe the golden rule of blogging.
If you are pressed for time like I am, you might want to consider something like my Project Comment5. It’s not even a month old and I’m already starting to see dividends. Vic at Blogger Unleashed mentions selfish blogging in more detail. I’m not going to lie to you, the language is strong but the meat of the post is solid (I’m sure he is tired of hearing that phrase). Don’t be hatin’! You don’t know me! Playa.
Conclusion:
Now none of this is new stuff and most, if not all, pretty much know this anyway. I just hope it serves as a friendly reminder and that my unique style was entertaining. I encourage you to check out any of the links that I have provided if you feel that you are struggling with any of these bad habits. If you enjoyed this, I would appreciate a quick shout out.
Can I get a wut wut? Homie don’t play that, sucka. Word to yo mutha. Peace out.
Are you keepin it gangsta? Click the ThinkBox FeedBox to subscribe and be notified of new content.
Topics: blog comments, blog recognition, blogging, ebonics |
February 25th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Vanilla Ice called. He wants his dictionary back.
Seriously, good advice. Thanks fo keepin it reel - fo sho.
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..The Little Baby ThinkBox Birth Date Prediction Contest
February 25th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I’m definitely not gangsta’ so I won’t even attempt to use the lingo. Jason did a good job in his comment, and made me laugh.
Your unique style of writing is refreshing, even if I don’t understand gangsta’ talk.
All of these points are valid, and all bloggers need to understand that it’s all about building relationships with other bloggers. If you want links, give links. If you want stumbles, give stumbles. Want zooms? Give zooms!
That article Court wrote about the worst post cracked me up, but is oh so true. Good job on these tips. Oh, one more thing…Twitter rocks!
Lin Burress’s last blog post..Keeping the Fire Alive in Your Marriage
February 25th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Why you gotta go Vanilla Ice on me? Thas disrespectin’! You could have at least gone with…, uh…., well… ok, ok, Vanilla Ice was appropriate.
Rollin’ in my 5.0 with my ragtop down so my hair can blow.
I can bust out some Ice Ice Baby!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
That’s okay. I’m not sure if I understand ThinkBonics myself… LOL
Court’s article is messed up, but makes a great point.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Ahhhh, yeahhh, Vanilla Ice.
Play that funky music white boy!
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..New NBC series ?quarterlife? premieres Tuesday
February 25th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
And why do I gotta be white?
February 26th, 2008 at 9:09 am
You gotta love the skin you’re in…
I think I’ve heard that before…
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..Sarah Connor Chronicles recap: episode 1×07, ?Demon Hand?
February 26th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
February 26th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
LOL, funny stuff Jeff. Do you talk like that in person?
That “ho fo sho” line in 40 year old virgin was classic. Nice.
Great post, I need to go work on my gangsta signs.
Gyutae Park’s last blog post..Jason Calacanis Thinks Affiliate Marketing is BS - ASW08 Keynote
February 26th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I only talk like that when I’m bustin’ out some Vanilla Ice or rockin’ some of my Yo! MTV Raps collection. Yeah… Boi!
February 27th, 2008 at 9:05 am
He also talks like that when he’s trying to win over the ladies…
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..Terminator Salvation hits screens on May 22nd, 2009
February 27th, 2008 at 11:43 am
February 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
This post is funny as heck! Byt the way Jeff, what part of Houston? I live in North Houston as well.
Gadget’s last blog post..Get Fortune 500 Passwords off eBay.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I went to High School at Spring High School and we lived in Spring, TX. I’m still a huge Rockets, Astros, and Texans fan.
I can’t believe Yao is out. That sucks!
February 28th, 2008 at 8:14 am
This is good. I can’t tell you how many times I start writing a post and cut short by ending it because I get bored writing it.
Blogging is hard work…and it takes patience.
As for all the other interesting advice, well, best of luck!
Asif Nawaz’s last blog post..Obama | The face of non-racially Discriminating America?
February 28th, 2008 at 10:57 am
dear, I love ya slang, not advisive, sounds like a good friend talking to me. cheers from germany.
veryheaven
veryheaven’s last blog post..Editorial 01
February 28th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Good luck to you as well and thanks for leaving a comment!
February 28th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I definitely try to write like I’m simply telling someone a story. That’s why my sentence structure is not always perfect, but I really like that kind of style.
Germany… cool.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Yo, I be feelin’ dat.
Ernie’s last blog post..Five Facts You Never Realized You Wanted To Know
February 29th, 2008 at 11:49 am
LOL… thanks Ernie for taking the time to comment.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
this was funny. enjoyed the post. the info. was good especially the matt 7:12 point….now if you don’t know, you better ask somebody! lol
natural woman’s last blog post..Death of a Blog
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
But yes, you must treat others like you want to be treated.
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm
28 Zooms and counting! Dude, this post is huge!
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..American Idol Brings Back Charity Show
May 15th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
true, i guess