The Four C’s Of Blogging

Posted byFractured Faith BlogPosted inA Fractured FaithTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I keep getting asked what is the secret to successful blogging. Which baffles me as folk seem to be suggesting I’m a successful blogger. I don’t see it that way at all as there are many, many better writers than me out there in the bloggersphere. But for what it’s worth here are my two cents. You can take from it what you regard as useful and ignore the rest. These thoughts are just my personal opinions.

1. Consistency

I blog every day. That’s my personal choice. I realise that doesn’t suit everyone due to other commitments but if you are serious about building a successful blog you should get into the habit of posting on a regular basis. If you propose to blog every day, every other day or 2-3 times a week, your readers will know when to expect new material from you.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a blogger you really like, posting sporadically or going AWOL for long periods of time. Building a readership doesn’t happen overnight. You need to work at it and that involves earning the loyalty and trust of your readers. They will keep coming back for more if they know you’re going to be there. Inconsistent bloggers won’t merit that trust.

2. Content

Every blogger needs a message, a vision statement if you will. Why are you blogging? What are you seeking to convey to your readers? If you want to write about your passions for fishing and pot holing, then go for it, but don’t after three months decide you want to ‘do a 180’ and blog about North Korean politics and architecture.

Content is key. Focus on quality and building a niche for yourself within the community where you feel most at home. Readers know what they like and if they like the topics you discuss, then they will keep coming back to your site. Writing about what you know also equates to more efficient and effective writing. Your passion for your content will shine through and become infectious to others.

3. Controversy

There is an argument that ‘shock blogging’ will get you noticed, but I don’t buy into that. At best, it’s a short term tactic that soon wears thin. Always be courteous and civilised in your blogging. Considering I’m Northern Irish, I largely steer clear of writing about religion and politics, two contentious areas on this island I live on. I tend to keep my thoughts on such topics private.

Call me churlish, but I’m also not a fan of unnecessary swearing. Where I see the ‘F Bomb’ in the title or first few lines of a post, I tend to stop reading. I’m no prude but is that really the best you can manage? I’m all for passionate blogging but I tend to disengage in a person’s argument if it involves a lot of shouting and swearing. Offensive images, memes and videos are also a personal no no.

4. Communication

Communication is a two way street. It’s all very well penning award winning posts, but that’s only half the battle. You need to reach out and engage within your community. If someone takes the time to comment on your work, then reply to them. Read other blogs, like their content, follow them, encourage and support fledgling bloggers. WordPress is a caring and supportive community.

I’ve found it a world apart from the vain, self absorbed platforms of Twitter or Instagram. Bloggers want to build friendships and relationships. It’s a safe place to learn and explore your emotions. I’d say 99.9% of my interactions on WordPress have been positive. I’ve made friends across the world, people I engage with more than my next door neighbours. That’s the joy of blogging.

I hope you’ve found these pointers of use. Please feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments section below.

Published by Fractured Faith Blog

We are Stephen and Fionnuala and this is our story. We live in Northern Ireland, have been married for 17 years and have three kids - Adam, Hannah and Rebecca. We hope that our story will inspire and encourage others. We have walked a rocky road yet here we are today, together and stronger than ever. We are far from perfect and our faith has been battered and bruised. But an untested faith is a pointless faith. Just as a fractured faith is better than none at all. We hope you enjoy the blog.

69 thoughts on “The Four C’s Of Blogging”

  3. I totally agree, controversy is overrated. Consistent, quality content is what wins readers and grows community. If you are trying to steal clicks with flash, the foundation might need some work. Great advice!

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  4. Thanks. Great, practical advice. We all define success differently. I find your writing to be informative, entertaining and quite smart. We do share some common interests and seem somewhat comfortable with our level of personal geekiness. But more than that, the words and phrases you use to convey keen insights and perspectives keep me coming back for more.

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  5. This is a good and informative post. I struggle with consistency, among other things, so I put together a project outline to improve my blog, grow a following, and engage with people. While consistency is one area of struggle for me, the second is the tech side of things. I just can’t seem to get the blog looking quite right or get the different pages set up the what I want, but I keep working at it and ask God’s blessing over each message. Your perseverance is an inspiration for me. Thank you!

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  7. Uh… hmmm what about the point of the blog is to express how I feel about things… finding my voice…. that can encompass a million topics, yes? And posting daily… I hope to get there soon. Thanks for your tips. Any thoughts about my blog would be welcomed (privately) lol.

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  12. I’ve been blogging for, holy cow, has it been 10 years already?? And it’s essentially no different than writing in a private journal, unless I have anonymous readers. And I’ve often wondered if it was because I prevent reader engagement by setting the blog so that no one can comment. There are so many irrational “trolls” on the web now, do I really want to subject myself to that for… Following?

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  13. Great sound advice. Don’t sell yourself short you are a successful blogger at now over 13k following your exploits. I am struggling to get over 100! I do like your rules about controversy. I try to keep out of politics but am not afraid to share my faith. I do make a point to not be judgemental but I am sure I’ve crossed that line a couple of times. Case in point, I wrote what I feel is one of the best posts I have ever tried with my most recent about the shootings here in the US where I break both politics and religion in the same post. But my message is about being a dad and the challenges with that.
    Keep up the great work and don’t sell yourself short. It’s terribly unflattering and looks terrible on you.

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  15. Great advice. I am 36 days in and am enjoying the process. I think that is important too, you have to stay passionate about it and then it’s easy to be consistent. Thank you.

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  16. Thanks for sharing your insights… and yes, I do consider you a successful blogger. In fact, I suspect you could develop yourself a good little income-earning side business if you offered to critique some of our blogs and suggest improvements to them. Heck, I’d pay you!

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  17. Thanks for the advice, I found it to be very helpful. I wish I could blog every day, lol. Im struggling to get one a week out at the moment, as I have 5 kids and not much time. I am dedicated to making it happen though. Thanks for posting tips on how to reach the goal!

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  21. I like to blog to practice my writing, as I’m trying to be a successful writer. You’re 4 C’s is brilliant! I never thought of it that way…

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  24. I have different blogs for different issues. My political blog is now being quoted by other political bloggers! That makes me feel quite with-it & cool.

    I would like to blog more often. This summer has totally SUCKED. My son was supposed to move out & because of the terrible economy here (yeah, I know they say that the US economy is “great” but that’s a lie), he’s still at home. So that means I’m doing more housework, laundry, shopping, cooking, cleaning up after each meal, and on top of all that, I simply can NOT concentrate when he’s hanging out. I can’t concentrate when anyone is in the house. Which is why I have always wanted to be alone.

    BUT … I hang in there. Thanks for all your great inspiration! I love you & your blog & your wonderful family!

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  26. Excellent post which I have found very helpful. It is hard for me to post everyday but I do believe it is a great idea. Being focused also important and your Four C’s has me thinking I may be to scattered. Thanks a lot for this input. Your also right about what a wonderful and supportive community we are part of and I can’t believe all the amazing talented writers I get to discover through blogging. Have a great week. Hugs J

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  27. Thank you for this insight! I am new blogger, and you liked a post that recently wrote. I found it encouraging! It definitely shows that you have integrity when you suggest for blogger to encourage fledgling bloggers because I am one and you did that for me! Keep up the great work!

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  29. Very helpful, thank you. Your writing has a nice balance of intellect and everyday “Joe”. That makes for readable prose.

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  34. Thank you so much for such an informative post 💕 I absolutely agree with all that you have written about the 4 C’s of blogging. I’m new here and as of now, I’m just doing book review posts, so not into controversy and I’m very much working on improving the reviews I write. I’m trying to keep it consistent by posting atleast once a day. And I’m definitely gonna try conversation, because I’m an ambivert 😅

    Thanks again 🤗

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