Do you know why successful bloggers post about topics that are not the focus of their site? Simple – More Visitors. It brings variety. Do they all stay? Of course not, but it adds some spice.
I recently wrote a post about Boise State’s chances to goto the Sugar Bowl or the Rose Bowl. It has brought a different type of visitor to this site. By my tracking it is a type of reader that clicks ads.
Will they come back? Most of them no. Some of them do. It isn’t brain surgery to figure out why John Chow posts about food and Shoemoney posts about the UFC? Does John like food? Evidently. Do I like Boise State? Of course! That is why I am hoping that Boise State cleans up against Hawaii and comes to the Sugar Bowl where I will be picking up a handful of tickets for myself and marketing purposes.
So, spice up your blog and do some posts on what is interesting to you.
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I always kind of wondered about these off topic posts. Especially those John Chow posts where he shows you what restaurant he ate at recently and a pic of what he ate! Who cares, right?!
But now that you explain it, it makes perfect sense.
it might bring you more traffic but at what expense? alienating your existing readers?
not for me
I was actually writing about off topic posts when I saw this post.
I’m not a fan of football so that post was really way out there.
45N5 from my stats I do not feel that it loses any longtime readers. I don’t know for sure, but it seems there is a net gain in the long run.
Readers want to know who I am, what I like and when they do they are even more loyal.
“Readers want to know who I am, what I like and when they do they are even more loyal.”
I don’t think my readers care what football team I like and don’t think it ads to my blog any.
Certainly there can be a balance however when you specially start a “niche” blog the tolerance for off topic posts is little to none imo.
Of course it’s your blog and feel free to post about mismatched socks and the tooth fairy but that’s not why I’m subscribed. That’s my point.
It is like sales. If I can make a personal connection my odds of closing on the sale go up tremendously.
It is taking it to an all new level.
If you do to many OT posts is this a problem? Of course. I don’t read or look at the food on John Chow’s site. I do look for new posts so he hasn’t lost me, but they do irritate me if they are there too often.
I guess it doesn’t hurt your visitorship to occassionally deviate. But it would sound strange if engadget does a non-tech blog post.
It makes sense, If you have more variety, you will in turn have a variety of visitors.
Hoping that the variety will bring more and not turn away more
Dale
Makes logical sense, will be giving it a try. Thanks for the post.