Some bloggers should not be blogging.
Many bloggers write about common mistakes bloggers make, which was originally supposed to be the subject of this post. Based on psychology*, which maintains there are distinct personality types, there are certain types of people who shouldn’t be blogging. It would be a mistake for them to blog. Are you one of them?
Welcome to my parody of blogging personalities.
The Procrastinator
The Procrastinator rarely writes. These bloggers keep procrastinating and
Bloggers think they can be a success at blogging by rarely blogging.
reminding themselves and anyone who will listen that they are going to resume writing eventually.
In the meantime, they may be networking by feverishly visiting other blogs but do not regularly write themselves. Jason Cushman has over 50,000 followers on his blog Harsh Reality. In my post ...19 Experts Share Their Secrets, I included him as an expert in my interview about how to have a successful blog. Even once a week is not enough to post on your blog. According to Jason, bloggers should write more than once a week. No one is going to notice you if you are sending a single boat down the river and everyone else are sending down fleets.**
The Grouch
Many use their blogs as a catharsis. The blogger rants and raves and complains all the time. It’s cheaper than therapy. Hey, it’s their blog, they can do what they want. Many find rants interesting, even entertaining. I know of one that went viral. However, if a blogger only rants and raves and complains, it will get old–really fast.
The Introvert
…19 Experts Share Their Secrets was my most successful post to date. In my follow-up post Secrets of Successful Bloggers, I actually refuted all but four of the experts and explained why they were wrong to hold their theories about successful blogging. There was only one theory I agreed with–I found the definitive answer to successful blogging! It is networking. Introverts, in contrast to the Procrastinators, don’t network. They are too shy.
Introverts don’t join Facebook groups, they don’t promote their posts on Twitter, and they don’t go to blogging events. They believe their content is so good they can be reserved about promoting their posts online.
If people want to play for an empty room, they shouldn’t be blogging, and they won’t be if their readership diminishes. Bloggers are part of a community. Interact people!
The Hermit
The Hermit is like the Introvert. However, The Hermit doesn’t leave their own blog. The Introvert may leave their blog, but when they leave, they don’t promote or network. For example, they may read other blogs and not interact when there. In contrast, The Hermit won’t leave their blog.
The Actor
Don’t get me wrong, I love actors. My passion is musical theater, and I’ve even participated in some community theater myself.
However, actors read from scripts. Unless they are doing improvisation, they are repeating lines that they don’t genuinely mean.
Bloggers do this. When they reply to their readers, they comment and just copy-paste. I may thank my readers for reading what I wrote and for taking their time to write to me, but I always try to add something genuine, something unique.
The Duty Fulfiller*
The Duty Fulfiller is only interested in peace. Sometimes bloggers need to stir the pot and spark controversy.
When I wrote Ferguson: Right or Wrong?, boy did I spark controversy, and it is my seventh most successful post out of over 100 posts. (If you want to click the link and see it, go ahead, but know that I have since changed my opinion on the incident.)
The Guardian*
The Guardian likes to keep the status quo. They are against change. Bloggers should be flexible and open to new ideas.
As I give blogging advice, sometimes bloggers write me and ask why they should change to trying something new when they are happy with the status quo. Well, maybe if they tried the new methods my blog suggests, they’d be even happier! You don’t know until you try. The Guardian doesn’t want to try.
The Visionary*
The Visionary’s goal is trying to “one up” other bloggers. However, as my post The Great Blogger Hoax explains, being a competitive blogger is counterproductive. Use the resources, the other wonderful bloggers out there waiting to help you. You should help them in return.
Michael Jackson recorded Man in the Mirror. He sang, If you want to make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.
If you want to make your blog a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. You can make a change. The result would be your blog could end up more successful than it already is.
If you share this post with others, maybe they too can make a change!
Readers, are there any types of bloggers I missed? Any mistakes bloggers make you can comment on in order to help others avoid them? I look forward to your views.
Sources: *http://www.personalitypage.com/high-level.html
**http://aopinionatedman.com/2015/03/01/why-no-one-reads-your-blog/
