How to Have a Popular Blog [and Should You?]

By: | October 13, 2015 | Tags: , , , , , | 82 comments


Bloggers face disappointment when blogging.Do you want a popular blog?

(I will pause while you give a resounding “yes”.)

Do you want to blog about the interests you are passionate about?

(Again, I pause while you think “yes” in unison.)

What if I told you that you could not have both, but you could have one or the other?

Which would you pick?

This article will explain, with the help of my guest author, how you can have a popular blog and help you decide if you even want one.

Over the weekend, I read a dialogue between two bloggers.

Blogger 1 asked Blogger 2 what he wants from his blog. Blogger 2 answered, “I want it all.”

Suppose you could not have it all.

Do you want a popular blog? It’s yours for the asking. However, it may not be the blog you want to author.

3 Ways to Have a Popular Blog

  1. Go to Pinterest.com and go to “Popular” in the dropdown menu. Write about one of those topics.

Bloggers can find popular categories to write about on Pinterest.

2. Pick one of the nine most popular topics according to blogging expert Beth Hayden. These are Beauty, Crafts, Home Decorating, Fashion, Fitness, Food, Kids, Pets, and Travel. 

3. Go to Buzzsumo.com to find a popular topic to write about.

Buzzsumo can help bloggers find popular blog themes.

Buzzsumo can help bloggers find a popular blogging niche. By showing the social shares, this screenshot shows how much interest there is in the topic blogging.

 

Should You Have a Popular Blog?

Do you want to blog about any of the topics you just discovered were popular?

You have a choice between popular and passionate.  What do you want? A blog that is popular, with boatloads of comments, likes, and followers, or a blog that is interesting to you?

I have invited my guest author Chhiti Pandey, a Huffington post author and former doctoral candidate raising a toddler in Holland, to help answer the question.

Chittry, take it away.

My Take on Blogging

“What are you up to these days? Aren’t you bored to be at home all the time?”

These are the questions many people have asked me numerous times. No, it’s not wrong to be concerned about someone’s sanity as it’s a bit overwhelming to be with a toddler at home all the time.

In my case it was like chewing a bullet to tell people that I have decided to start a blog; above all, at times it was even harder to convince myself that blogging is what I really want to do.

Before people go bazooka over me let me explain: anyone can write but getting what you write to resonate with people is hard, and to top it off, if your aim is to make money, I believe it’s even more difficult.

This world is full of so many people, cultures, beliefs, religions, races, regions, languages to be honest even in a family people don’t have same thoughts, so here we are battling for a diverse group of people. Above all, you are not the only one who is blogging; there are a plethora of people blogging about the same topic as you do.

Questions You Should Ask Yourself When Starting A Blog

  • Right off the bat the first question people ask me is why did I start blogging? There were times in my life when a lot of emotions, conflicts, and anxiety were curtailed for a moment or ‘cured’ by reading blogs.

When you are lonely and alone, reading blogs feels like you are talking to someone, someone who has gone through what you have gone through. Some of the blogs really give you the power to overcome anything or to work around your weak points or give you the strength that if other person can do it, so can you. I think some can make you feel like a millionaire!

  • The second question is what do you blog about?  It could be anything whatever you are passionate about, very familiar with, or topics extremely popular and in sync these days or any topic with humongous monetary returns.
  • The third question you ask yourself: Do I like it even if it’s not returning me what I expected?

Let me clarify this question. We have expectations about everything we do in this life, either consciously or subconsciously.  We do have some expectations, some more, some less.

A lot of people write really well, but maybe they have a limited audience, or maybe they are not able to promote well.

It’s really hard to stay motivated when you don’t get in return what others get, every like and comment at times can raise your heartbeat or ease the pain.

Are you patient enough to go through the thought that maybe the topic you chose is not in the same league as the blogs that are immensely popular, and you might have to start over again? Hey, you need to always be prepared for the worst in life right?

I love to write and blog, to me it’s redefining myself, rediscovering myself, to evaluate what was wrong and right and how I will never do it again, at times frustrating–that why did I do it this way?

I have some amazing people who told me their stories, who became friends and helped. It’s like I am acting, and it’s my stage where I can be funny, humorous, serious, angry, flirty and of course bitter (my classic trait), complete freedom to express myself in my own way.

I will be lying if I say it’s all that rosy, it’s not for faint-hearted people. When you open up about your life to people, they have their own views, interpretations, and, at times, criticisms, and if you can’t handle them, it’s not a place for you.

The other thing for me is that I try to attract the attention of Google communities by posting my pictures or relevant pictures. However, at times people just visit your profile but not your blog, which is really discouraging…

Try to connect with as many bloggers as you can, when you need help ask for it, there is no shame in it. Of course, you need to have a great content, which is also highly subjective as some people might not like it, some might like it, so it will vary like desert weather.

Try to be as active you can on Facebook and Twitter. There are many other forums I am not aware of. I am also exploring my options here. For now, at least I know people understand what I am trying to tell them, and if with my journey I can make even a single person who is disappointed, bullied or lonely in life smile, I will consider this journey a success.

Good luck.

Admin Blogger’s Commentary

Me again: Thank you so much Chhiti for giving us your take on blogging.

This is my take on Chhiti’s take on blogging:

You have a choice.  You can either choose to write about a popular topic trending on Buzzsumo or Pinterest or be prepared to encounter the disappointments of a blog with a lackluster reception.

I hope that you will share this post, so that bloggers who are disappointed in their number of likes, comments, page views, and subscriber counts can read Chhiti’s article and realize that they are not alone.

After you share, please go to Chhiti’s site and show her some blog love–comment, like, and if you are interested in her topic, subscribe to her blog.

What is your choice? According to Beth Hayden, Beauty, Crafts, Home Decorating, Fashion, Fitness, Food, Kids, Pets, and Travel are the topics that will get your blog the best reception.

Do you blog about one of those nine topics which you are fortunate enough to find interesting, or do you blog about another topic that interests you? I look forward to your views.

Related Post:

How to Create Better Blog Content That Will Bring You an Enormous Audience

 

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  2. Hammad Rais at 4:25 am

    Hey Janice!
    Great post this is. 1 question: is it okay if someone want to have multiple topics covered in his/her blog? I think it is fine as it will bring more exposure.
    What do you say?
    Take Care!

    Reply to this comment
    • Janice Wald at 10:27 pm

      Hey Hammad,
      It is AWESOME to hear from you. I thought perhaps you’d taken a break from blogging over the summer or something. I took off in July. We spent the month in Europe.
      To answer your question, blogging experts say to have a niche. I brought you the link to the article explaining why:
      http://wp.me/p6x6vQ-14r.
      Thank you for writing me. It really is AWESOME to be in touch again =).
      Janice
      Janice Wald recently posted…Inspire Me Monday Linky Party #54My Profile

      Reply to this comment
    • Chhiti Pandey at 10:27 am

      Hello,

      I do cover but they all go back to health. I share recipes, how to eat well balanced meals especially since I am a vegetarian. I combine them with the culture we have back home. My blogs also deal with self confidence issues I have always had to face which was pretty brutal I will say.
      Chhiti Pandey recently posted…TRICKS & TREATSMy Profile

      Reply to this comment
  4. Melanie Redd at 7:33 am

    What an honest post about blogging. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted!

    And, it is fun, amazing, a learning experiencing, and something that gives us the chance to meet and connect with people all over the world.

    Thanks for a good word today!

    I found you on Twinkly Tuesdays.
    Hope you have a blessed day~
    Melanie
    Melanie Redd recently posted…Could You Spare Me a Little More Grace?My Profile

    Reply to this comment
  5. Debby Gies at 9:42 am

    An wonderful truth about blogging shared here with Chhitti. We all have many reasons we blog and read, besides informative blogs, they can be comforting and uplifting. The power of words! 🙂

    Reply to this comment
      • Anonymous at 8:20 am

        It takes so much time to write and research a blog and when you’re done just a simple comment from people who read it makes you feel that it was all worth it. I felt really bad for your guest blogger but I have noticed that she has not responded to one person not one who commented on her guest blog. I am starting to get the feeling that maybe people in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks. She has expressed how badly she feels but I ask you this question, why after all this time has she chosen to ignore all the people who took the time to comment on her guest blog. None of this makes any sense it sounds like she was just looking for attention.

        Reply to this comment
  7. Rachel (Lifeofmyfamilyandme) at 1:41 pm

    I’d love a popular blog with tons of likes, comments and followers but for me it’s about having the time to research, write, promote etc. I find myself juggling with working and blogging, for now i am content with blogging when i can without putting pressure on myself to ‘do that bit more’. #TwinklyTuesday
    Rachel (Lifeofmyfamilyandme) recently posted…Choosing a Secondary SchoolMy Profile

    Reply to this comment
  9. John Doe at 2:27 pm

    Am I the only person that has to sign on to this site every time I do anything? Even though I have the box checked stay signed in, it Makes me sign in each time. I have to put my name and email each time. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am not signed out at word press I’m always signed iN

    Reply to this comment
  14. Tim Gatewood at 8:26 pm

    I noticed this list of top topics is one you’ve used in previous posts. So, that got me thinking. While I do sometimes mention our cats in my posts, I’m not ready to make my blog about them just so it will be more popular. Okay, sometimes I might do an article on the pets to see if it boosts traffic, but these other hot topics are simply not even close to my interests.

    All of which leads to this question, what are the top 30 topics? Surely, with more to choose from than just the top 5 or 6, we would be more likely to find topics we are better suited to address. I bet writing is in the top 15 and SEO or social media are in the top 20. Is there a link to where we can look up the current hot topics? One that goes a bit further down the list and perhaps even ranks them by popularity?
    Tim Gatewood recently posted…On Judging OthersMy Profile

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  15. Janice Wald at 10:51 pm

    Hi,
    Normally, it’s done in the reverse order. People find a topic and go to Buzzsumo to see if it’s popular. I tried Googling the top 30 blog topics but got no where. So I wrote the Buzzsumo people and asked them. I will let you know when they reply. Thanks for writing and trying to help John Doe today.
    Janice
    Janice Wald recently posted…Inspire Me Monday Linky Party #54My Profile

    Reply to this comment
  17. Beth McIntire at 10:12 am

    Great post as always! I write about most of these topics on my lifestyle-themed blog. Strangely enough, my most popular posts have been related to things I’m passionate about. Until recently, the most popular have been about solving technical problems, mainly with Rokus and smartphones. The other day, I posted about my genealogy research hobby and have seen large traffic numbers from the posts (a two-part series).

    In general, how-to articles and posts about how to fix problems have been my biggest hits.
    Beth McIntire recently posted…Starkist Tuna and Salmon Packets Make Lunchtime Quick & HealthyMy Profile

    Reply to this comment
  18. Holly at 3:14 pm

    Great read! Thanks so much for sharing! I love blogging and blog about what’s important to me. It’s hard at times getting posts out of my head – I think that would be even harder if I was just writing for what’s popular. I’ve always been the one who bucks trends – maybe I’ve brought it over into to blog life! 😉
    Holly recently posted…waiting on…Wednesday {link-up #33}My Profile

    Reply to this comment
    • Chhiti Pandey at 7:18 pm

      Thankyou for liking the post. I also want to make money who doesnt? but I want to meet new people and know if they understand what I have to say. I think if your writing or voice has the power no one can stop it although right now I am pretty new to say that. Wish you all the best.

      Reply to this comment
    • Janice Wald at 9:23 pm

      Hi Holly,
      Thank you so much for commenting on my post. I thin it’s good to be your own person–as long as you don’t feel disappointed if your blog doesn’t give you the results you want. as far as page views.
      Janice

      Reply to this comment
  22. Lisa (mummascribbles) at 12:40 pm

    This is a great post and really helpful. I don’t think k too much about what I blog about but being a mum pretty much always brings me go blogging about that! I basically write about whatever might pop into my head or something that has happened. I don’t purposefully write a certain type of post to gain more readership. If people want to read it then great 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
    Lisa (mummascribbles) recently posted…The second worst part of being a working parentMy Profile

    Reply to this comment
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  25. Memee at 11:03 pm

    Thanks for the Hug!

    Have been experiencing love-hate growing pains but reached out, blogged about it and received a lot of great encouragement. Had I seen this post earlier I might have realized none of it mattered because I love what I write and I love my blog. Who cares about anyone else!

    This post will be pinged to a post I am running next month and I am encouraging other bloggers to be smart and follow you!

    Now, off to give some love to Chhiti.

    Reply to this comment
    • Janice Wald at 9:13 pm

      Hi Brianna,
      What great comments these are. Thank you! I am so sorry I did not write back sooner. It’s been a busy week with Parent Night at school. Did you see I started a StumbleUpon group? It’s a page on my site now. Why don’t you leave a link? People are reporting getting mass traffic after just a day or two.
      In response to your comments, it sounds like Chhiti’s article was relatable. I figured it would be. I am glad it helped with the “growing pains” and those frustrating moments. I am so glad you liked my graphic using the Disney character. Yes, it was a hug for people experiencing those “growing pains” you put so eloquently.
      Thank you so much for offering to link my post to your article you are running next month. I would love the promotion. Thank you for offering to help me grow my subscriber list. Thanks again for your wonderful comments and forgive my delay in responding.
      Janice
      Janice Wald recently posted…International Link Roundup #3My Profile

      Reply to this comment
  26. Janelle at 7:31 am

    Hi, another great suggestion. I do have one question, if i sm blogging about an assortment of popular topics, should i pick just one? I feel my niche is being eclectic, I’m a jane of all trades and master of none. Could it be possible that my break from blogging hurt my growth and i must just start the growth scale again? Maybe its my lack of promoting…you see you’ve got me thinking about my brand again and i wonder if maybe my eclectic brand can work if i find the right schedule and promotion system. What do you think? Did i make sense?
    Janelle recently posted…Sharing is Caring…When your Elf on the Shelf gives a lesson in sharing.My Profile

    Reply to this comment
    • Janice Wald at 3:57 pm

      HI Janelle,
      Thank you for writing me today. This is what I am understanding you to ask:
      1. Is it possible taking a break from writing could hurt my growth?
      Answer: I don’t know what you did on the break. I took a month off without writing or promoting in July. I got many new subscribers since all I did was network. Even if you took a non-blogging related break, you won’t grow unless your followers reblogged you while you were gone, but you won’t lose your followers. They would still be there upon your return.
      2. Do I need a blogging niche? I write about many popular topics.
      Answer: Then have many different blogs. Yes, you need a niche. I even wrote a blog post about why you need a niche:
      https://mostlyblogging.com/how-to-create-better-blog-content-that-will-bring-you-an-enormous-audience/
      1,000 words about the importance of finding and maintaining a niche.
      I like to pride myself on my writing. I had many wonderfully written articles last year about many different “eclectic” topics. My blog was struggling big time until I got a niche. Please check out the article. There are over 70 comments on it with people weighing in on the importance of a niche. I am sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear. Thanks for contacting me today.
      Janice
      Janice
      Janice Wald recently posted…How to Immediately Increase Your Blog SubscribersMy Profile

      Reply to this comment
      • Janelle (JEM) at 8:53 pm

        Thanks. I checked out the post you suggested and I believe that I might have a niche already. Yay. I have subcategories but they all have a general theme.(except maybe my elf on the shelf posts) my general theme is having a healthy lifestyle or over all wellness. Crafting, recipes of food and green products and gardening all go together with a healthy lifestyle if I write it that way…which I do. I think I need to keep working towards sharing and learning. The more I write, share and learn the more readers I’ll find.

        I am learning so much from you and have noticed a small jump in veiws each time I add a new suggestion you write about or direct me too. I only have 22 posts and this is my 3rd steady month of blogging. I started my blog in 2014 but gave up, then decided in September I’d give it a try again. I love it, it is a great outlet for me. I have to remember I am a patience person and slow and steady wins the race. I just want it so bad. I do have a post is over 8,000 views. I should be happy its a year old but still my most viewed post daily. Maybe more like it…
        Janelle (JEM) recently posted…Sharing is Caring…When your Elf on the Shelf gives a lesson in sharing.My Profile

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