We’ve been talking a lot at SPL and ASC lately about finding your voice for your blog. As you might have noticed there is more “me too” blogging going on than “me new” blogging. A lot of people are taking my frequent advice to look at what others are doing successfully so literally that they seem to think I mean to “copy” the successful, unique voice bloggers.
I don’t mean that, of course. Seeing what is working for others is one thing, but a blog that copies the look and feel of an A-List blog as well as the types of content and even the messages and writing style of the original – that’s just cheating and lazy. And completely ineffective.
Finding your voice and making a blog unique is a crucial step on your way to high traffic and lots of links. Until you can set yourself apart from the rest of the “pack” in your niche, people will find it easy to leave without subscribing. They will notice you’ve done about the same content as a favorite blog of theirs already, so why subscribe to yours?
Your “voice” is what makes people decide to subscribe and stick around. If you are too much like the current A-Listers in your niche they won’t have any need to subscribe.