Building a Community
From the outside, you seem to have already figured out how this whole blogging business works – your website is live, your branding is perfect, you publish good quality content, and you’re even collaborating with brands you love.
But you feel like something is still missing …
It’s not that your blog is completely deserted (according to Google Analytics your mom is no longer the only visitor 🙂 but you know that with respect to the blog you have created with your own two hands, your traffic could have been better.
Yeah, you mention it here and there, but you’re not making the real moves you need to be making to get people’s attention, and have them come back for more.
Maybe you think that because your blog looks perfect and is already full of valuable content, then the right people should have come on their own…?
Wait a second, maybe your blog isn’t as great as you think it is? If people aren’t reaching it on their own, or not returning after their first visits, maybe there isn’t anything special about it?
I want to tell you something that I wish someone would have told me when I was at this point – it can’t be far from the truth.
I assure you, at the stage you’re in, your blog and content are not the problem. Yes, you could be not 100% pleased about your blog and the content you create, after all there is always room to grow, but that’s not the reason why your blog is feelin’ lonely.
The reason why your blog is not where you expect it to be is simple – You haven’t created a community around it yet!
If you don’t identify with what’s written above, try checking out the other results. After all, these quizzes aren’t exact science so you could have been directed to the wrong results. Check out the other ones here.
(Warning: Don’t be tempted to skip levels on your way to turning your hobby into a full time job).
Not only do members of a community return to the blog to see what’s new, they also serve as ambassadors and attract more readers with similar interests, thus increasing visibility.
And you know what's the most amazing thing is about having a community? It is not measured in numbers. You don't need 100K traffic to feel like your blog is doing well.
A quality, focused community, however small, has far more value than tens or hundreds of thousands of casual web surfers. A focused community is better for your blog, your business, and the brands you want to partner with. Why?
Because a good brand is measured by quality, not quantity.
Hi, my name is Tamar Leibovitz Golan
I am a blogger, content creator and consultant for blogs and social networks – and I absolutely love my job!
But I didn’t always have the job of my dreams…
I started Hedonistit almost 4 years ago, during one of the most difficult times of my life. I wondered where I wanted to be in five or six years and it was clear that I had to act differently from what is accepted to achieve the lifestyle I wanted – to gain financial independence, to work from anywhere, to travel the world and most importantly – not to spend the week waiting for the weekend and have a difficult time on Sundays or sometimes even as early as Saturdays.
And that’s how Hedonistit – my blog and business – came to be.
Turning a personal hobby and passion into a full time job is a dream come true for me, and now I want to help you toward realizing your own dream.
So as you already figured out … your answers to the quiz indicate that you are in the third stage in the journey of any blogger, and that is – to build a supportive community around your brand.
What’s the difference between an audience and a community?
Audience is only one-way. An audience reads the content you write or skim through the pictures you post on the blog, but the audience is not interactive They don’t share feelings, thoughts, and opinions on what they’ve read, nor will they share content from your blog with others.
Community, on the other hand, is something a lot more active. It consists of people who are interested in the topics shown on your blog and your way of thinking about them, or others. Your community are the same people who follow the blog on all social networks, respond to posts, and sometimes even show up in your email in response to the latest newsletter you sent.
Why do you need a community?
A community is the next stage of content marketing. By listening, understanding, and responding to their needs, you create an ongoing interaction between your brand and its target audience. Providing real value to your community can create a sense of affection and belonging to your brand, and in the future also make community members become devoted customers.
How do you actually build a community?
First of all, keep in mind that it takes time to build a true community. A community is not built in a day or two, or in a month, it is an ongoing process.
In fact, when you think about it, building a community is like creating a genuine friendship. Think about your best friend, you didn’t become best fiends instantly. Your friendship is a result of shared values and interests, helping and supporting each other, and other small yet significant things that are found at the base of your relationship. Same goes for a community. It takes time to create it, but just like a friendship, it’s worth investing in.
Even the things that help create a true friendship are parallel to building a community –
- You need to be yourself, stay true to your voice, and authentic (no one wants a fake friend)
- You need to give of yourself and provide value to the relationship
- You want to be very present, especially at first until the foundations are strong enough.
Want to learn more about the first steps you should take in the Blogging World and find out what are the most important topics to focus on when starting a personal or business blog?
You’re welcome to check out my top guides where you can get all the information you need on Building a Community for your blog, and eventually turn your hobby into a full time occupation.
