I want you to finish the sentence, “Wouldn’t it be nice if the Battle Ground Buzz…” I’ll tell you why I want you to do this.
I’ve learned it’s not good enough to just create good content for your readers. For a website or blog to really succeed you need to know what your readers like and don’t like. Then write with that in mind.
No, this doesn’t mean you can’t write what you want to write about. It simply means every now and then you need to unplug from your own self-induced thoughts and ideas and become interested in other people’s ideas. If you do this you’ll be on track to having an interested audience to speak to. Otherwise it may just be you and your cat reading your work.
Should you write only if you have an audience? Of course not! How else do you expect to gain one? But I do think after an extended period of time, say a year, if you still don’t have any readers then you’re doing something wrong. Yes, I said it…WRONG.
It’s OK. This isn’t the end of the world and it doesn’t even mean you’re a bad writer. There are many exceptional writers Online who know how to write well but don’t understand how to get a following or as Seth Godin terms it “a tribe”.
Interact with your tribe
Today, there are thousands of followings and tribes out there. You could be in the Apple tribe, the CrossFit tribe, the backpacking tribe, the Japanimation tribe or thousands of others.
And if you’re writing for a particular group then it would behoove you to ask questions and find out what people in your tribe or niche are talking about. What needs do they have? What problems can you solve for them? How can you entertain and inform them?
The more you are able to connect with your tribe the more likely you’ll be received by them. So again I ask you, tribe of Battle Ground, what would you like to see included in the Battle Ground Buzz? This site is only two weeks old at the time of writing this but I think it’s a perfect time to get some feedback. It’s easier to build on a solid foundation than it is to tear the concrete out and start from scratch.
So please leave a comment below answering the question, “Wouldn’t it be nice if the Buzz…”. Would you like to see a People section where we interview local citizens so you can get to know them? How about Classified ads with some accountability built into it for those who are tired of getting burned by Craigslist? How about a Jobs section or Housing section? Do you like blog posts and newsletters every day or once a week? What about a weekly treasure hunt where you read a list of clues and then you have to find the hidden prize?
I have lots of ideas but I want to know what you’d like to see.
And if you’re not comfortable leaving a comment for everyone else in the tribe to see then send an email to me at josh@battlegroundbuzz.com.
About Joshua Monen
Josh is the founder and editor of the Battle Ground Buzz. He started writing online in 2007 and hasn't looked back. He left his "safe and secure" job in corporate America in May of 2011 to pursue writing full-time. Feel free to email him at josh@battlegroundbuzz.com.
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I’d like to see what others have to say about this. Get a conversation going by posting the comments as they come in (maybe you’re already doing that, just haven’t got comments yet).
Great job, Josh. Can’t wait to see where this goes.
Jane, you’re the first to comment! Thanks for starting the conversation, hopefully others will join in.
Great new website. I’m certain with Josh Monen behind it, it’s going to be very successful.
Hey Kathy! Good to see you found your way here! Lacie and I will have to come visit you sometime soon. Oh and you should sign up for my newsletter (on the home page) if you want to stay updated with what’s happening with the Buzz!