Getting people to read a blog can be hard. Really hard. When a blog is new, it seems like there’s an endless amount of stuff to write about. Even the ordinary can be made extraordinary.
After a while, though, you might find that you’ve written enough about your daily runs around your neighborhood. You simply can’t post another picture of the food you ate at a fancy restaurant last night. You’re bored. When you get bored, your readers get bored, and before you know it your page views are down and there’s nothing but crickets coming from the comment section.
It can be tempting—oh, so tempting—to spice things up by taking your posts in a wild new direction. It’s true; variety can make the old seem new again. But there are some things you just shouldn’t write about (unless, that is, your blog is actually about these topics).
1. Anything involving the bathroom.
Fitness and health bloggers may be particularly susceptible to writing about bathroom-related ventures. For example, every runner knows what it’s like to get stuck a mile from a restroom with a digestive attack. Nobody really needs to know the details. There are ways to set up funny anecdotes about sprinting to a Port Potty, but when the door slams shut, let that scene fade to black.
If you absolutely must let your audience know about an illness or digestive-system breakout, tell the story without getting too personal. If you find yourself using color or texture descriptors, step away from the keyboard.
2. The nitty-gritty of an argument you had.
Inevitably, things go awry with our family members, spouses, and friends. Resist the temptation to parlay these episodes into entertainment for your blog audience. If it’s relevant to your blog (i.e., your blog is about your family life) keep the description brief. Only share details if you can use them to give your readers a unique insight, and be sure to conceal identities if necessary. The best option is to stick with your feelings about having a difficult time with someone close to you and not the exact phrases you screamed at each other.
If you decide to write about an argument, keep it short. Many arguments end in laughter; let your audience know about what cracked you both up.
3. Gossip.
You never know who might read your blog, and the world is much smaller than we know. There are few blogs (even the most personal) that have any place for gossip whatsoever, but we all know the temptation to share something juicy about someone from our past or present. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should refrain from mentioning important events from your past and perhaps even the people that played a part, but stay away from vindictive comments about others. For example: If you write frequently about eating at restaurants and happen to see an old frenemy (or actual enemy) on one of your nights out, it might not be in your blog’s best interest to write about how much fatter they’ve become or how bad they look.
There are some blogs that focus on gossip exclusively, but if you have a different theme, this is one thing that can derail your post and turn off your audience. Some of them may know the person you’re gossiping about, and others may not appreciate that kind of information.
When things get a little routine and repetitive, it can seem like the best option is to try new topics to boost readership. However, most people visit blogs for a specific reason—they like the theme, they like your writing, etc. They likely won’t keep returning if you suddenly throw off-topic and overly personal content on the front page. Try to find a new angle for your theme instead. It’s a much safer (and more professional) bet.
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