Show #18: What Makes a Successful Blog Post?

In show #18 of the Faithful Bloggers Podcast I make a very exciting announcement!

Not only is the podcast back with a new weekly schedule but I now have a co-host! Help me welcome Andy McClung from ChristianCampPro.com by leaving him some encouraging comments on his website.

In today's show Andy and I discuss our most successful blog posts and what made them successful. Some key points we talk about are:

• How we discovered which post was our most successful
• How we can improve the post
• How to leverage leverage the traffic we receive from those posts

Links mentioned in episode #18:

Seven tips on how to write a devotion
The 5 best christian youth camp themes this year
Google Analytics

Make sure to join us next week as Andy and I talk about bringing life back to old posts!

If you have any question about what we talked about leave us a message here!

AFter you have listened to the podcast, go check your analytics program and find out what is your most successful blog post and leave us a link in the comments!

Why Do I Blog?

The last couple of days I've been thinking about writing this post but I just wasn't sure what to write. Whenever I would think about creating a post this topic would always come to forefront of my mind making it almost impossible to write about anything else. So I figure this is what the Lord wants me to write about.

Why do I blog? I know why I blog. The Lord knows why I blog. However when planning this post out, I just couldn't come up with the words to express my reasons. I started blogging in 2008 after my 2nd child was born and I quit my full time job to become a stay at home mom. At first blogging was just something new to learn and something that was just mine. Not my kids, not my husbands, just mine.

Quickly I discovered the world of work at home moms and began trying to build a work at home business. It took me a while, but I have finally found my niche. Looking back at all that I know now, I understand why the Lord had me go in the direction He did. Without experiences those wins and loses there is no way I would be here now doing exactly what the Lord intended all along.

So what am I doing? I'm praising the Lord. I'm helping other Christians get started in their online businesses and blogs. I am able to use my WordPress and web design skills to help other Christian bloggers and entrepreneurs. I'm able to do what I love while serving the Lord at the same time. It's an awesome thing. If you would have asked me 2 years ago where I would be today, I would have never imagined where I am at.

So when I am asked, "Why do you blog?" I answer to serve the Lord.

Discover Your Blog’s Purpose: To Equip

Have you discovered your blog's purpose yet? This week we've talked about ways your blog can encourage others and educate others.

Today we conclude with ways your blog can equip others for ministry.

How Can Your Blog Equip Others for Ministry?

• Know your audience. Survey your readers. You can create a free, simple, and functional survey using a website such as Survey Monkey. Ask general demographic questions and questions about why they read your blog. In what ministries are they engaged (these can be as vast and varied as overseas missions to writing children's curriculum)?

• What's your area of expertise? Do you have a particular area of knowledge about which you can write? Think about how your audience's needs match your skills and experience. Your entire blog doesn't have to transform into "The Blog About _____." But you could begin to devote one post a week to this goal of equipping others for ministry.

• With each post you write, answer the question, How does this equip others for the good works God has prepared for them? Writing with the goal of equipping others will give your posts new depth and breadth.

• Frequently feature meaningful and important Scripture in your posts. When you do, you help others:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. --2Timothy 3:16-17 (emphasis mine)

How does your blog equip others for ministry?

image: crestock.com

Are You Blogging the Bible?

photo credit: khrawlings Are you a Christian blogger that is blogging the Bible? You may be asking what exactly does “blogging the Bible” mean, so let me explain. As Christians we are instructed to show the love of Jesus to others in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” and to teach others about Christ as noted in Matt 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Blogging is a great way to show people Christ's love. You don't even have to blog about your faith or post biblical devotions to do so either.

It is estimated that 346,000,000 (source*) people read blogs. Of course a number of blog readers are Christians. I imagine a large portion of those blog readers are not Christians and have never even heard about the love of Jesus. That is a lot of people we can be witnessing to. You never know who may be reading your blog so it is imperative that you write about your faith and the Bible in a way that even non-Christians will be able to understand and see the love you have for Christ.

Of course incorporating Bible verses in your blog is a great and easy way to show the love of Christ. After all the Word is God according to John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” You could even add a Verse of the Day widget your sidebar. But what if you don't have a blog in which you can easily add scripture into where the topic is not faith related?

Having a loving attitude towards others is another way we can show the love of Christ on our blogs. Do you help a reader or fellow blogger when the need arises? Jesus is known for helping others. He is the ultimate good Samaritan. Do you live hurtful or hateful comments on other blogs? Leaving rude or hateful comments is not following the commandment given to us in John 13:34, to love one another. How you deal with people goes along way in showing the Jesus' love for others and this applies in the blogging world too.

Another way to tell you readers about Christ is to use personal examples in your posts. If you are writing about the power of prayer include a story in which you asked for something in prayer and then how you saw the Lord answer your prayer one way or another. Showing how God has worked in your life is a great testimony for others to to see and hear. Maybe even consider creating a video instead of writing a blog post. A lot of times our words can be misunderstood and at times Christian principals can best be explained by speaking. When quoting scripture also consider the Bible version you are using. Some Bible versions explain a verse more clearly than others. Just remember not to choose a Bible version that changes the meaning of the verse.

No matter how you write your posts or interact with your blog readers just remember that you are representing the King of Kings, your Lord and Savior. Pray before you write and always write the truth and you can't go wrong.

Is Your Blog "Established?"

"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." -Psalm 90:17

Recently this verse especially spoke to me while I was reading God's word. You see, I have a problem called tryingtodoitonmyownitis. Perhaps you can relate? I see something that looks interesting and I start making plans and lists and goals. I set my sights on achieving my goal and away I go. As I am going on my merry way I usually stumble and fall. Picking my bruised self up I attempt to try again. As always I fall again and soon I am complaining about why everything is going wrong.

When this happens it is usually because I have forgotten something: my attempts and goals and dreams must be established by God. Going at it on my own will never be a successful venture. He created my life, and He ordains it and sustains it. Everything is guided through His hands and I can either willingly follow or muddle up my journey with human attempts.

Now since this is a web site dedicated to blogging I will speak specifically about that. However this is a godly concept that needs to be applied to all of life so keep that in mind. And just for a little background we'll go ahead and look up in Noah Webster's handy-dandy 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language just what "establish" means.

"Set; fixed firmly; founded; ordained; enacted; ratified; confirmed."

Do you remember the podcast with Sarah Mae? She touched upon in an eloquent way how our blogs need to be given over to Him. And what she said was plain truth. If you have not dedicated your blog, your words, your posts and pictures to Him what are you truly trying to accomplish?

We must give our everything, including our blogs, over to Him. He will direct you where to go with your blog. Read His word daily and make sure you are writing according to how He would have you write. Pray about it. Pray about it some more.  Ask our heavenly Father if your blog is accomplishing what He wants it to accomplish. Talk to Him. Give your blog over and say "Here it is, Father! You can have it! Show me what to do."

I would go so far as to say that each and every time you write a post you need to pray that God will give order and foundation to what you are about to write. (And yes, I am doing that with this post. Promise!)

In the end, this is all for His glory.

Photo credits: djweitzner

Not Popular

Blogging is an exciting, challenging world.  One can learn much from those who write about experiences.  You are also able to share and encourage and shine for Jesus in a way that has the capacity to reach people all over the world.  I don't know about you but I find that pretty exciting!

Something that might quickly come to your attention is the fact that there are bloggers who are more popular and those who are, well, not popular.  This is an unfortunate consequence of living in a sinful world.  The good news is that you do not have to be popular in order to spread the Good News!

We are called to be different.  As Christians we must reject worldliness and change our sinful desires to holy ones.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2

This should be reflected in blogging.  Our faith should be evident whether or not we are writing specifically about God's word or are just sharing stories of our lives.  Our blogs will be different because of this.

So what does this have to do with being popular? (Yes, there really is a correlation!)  Simply this: strive not to be in the popular crowd.  It may feel good to be a blogger who everyone wants to meet.  A blogger in which companies are scrambling to get your attention.  A blogger in which a crowd follows whenever you are at a blogging conference.

But in the end, that is not what matters.  Being a Christian blogger will probably put you in the category that will not get all of the attention.  And that is okay.  God says that we belong to Him.  Wow!  I don't know about you but that is all the reward I want.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." -1 Peter 2:9

Photo credit: lusi

Using Your Blog for Good

Reasons for blogging are varied depending on who you ask. Some blog to help build their businesses, some for monetary gain, while still others blog just because they like to write. As Christians we are called to do good in all things – “Trust in the LORD and do good. . .” –Psalm 37:3a -  however I will specifically be talking about how we can benefit others through blogging. I will be covering for areas however there are many more ideas that are included in this scope. Do not limit yourselves but be creative on how your blog could be used to shine for Him. I encourage you to seek out His guidance through prayer and to discuss with your husband before you jump into anything. I bring this up because some avenues of serving through our blogs may be very involved. Do not over commit.

Speak out on a certain subject

Whether it be on food allergies, addictions, personal struggles, share with your readers and guests what you have learned. There are times when I have personally benefited from those who have taken the time to research and share on their blogs on certain topics. Two of my children have issues with food allergies. I do not personally have the time to weed through every bit of information out there yet I am able to pick up knowledge from those who have “been there, done that.”

This extends beyond health issues. If you are great at recovering a couch or chair why not make up a blog post tutorial replete with photos? Do you homeschool a child who has problems learning to read? Share in a blog series what has worked and has not worked for that child. What about cooking? Share recipes!

Other ideas might be:

Crafts (with fall and Christmas coming up, now is a good time to share those “how to” tutorials!) Baking Gardening Blogging tips For older women I cannot stress enough how much being a Titus 2 woman and sharing your wisdom with younger wives and mothers is a must. Blogging is a perfect avenue for this.

Get involved!

There are many lovely ministries set up today. One way you could help them out is by writing about them. You could become a Compassion blogger, or write a post about ministries that seek to serve. This must be done with careful and prayerful consideration. Search out the ministry fully before you advocate it on your blog.

Feature Others

Many of us remember what it was like to start up our blogs. There are many new bloggers out there who just do not know how to start. Showcasing them in a blog post would be a way to bless them and introduce them to new friends.

If you see a blog post that has touched your life be sure and share it in a link. I often see links to posts by “popular” bloggers but it would be wise to search out those who may not be considered “A-list” but still have words of wisdom that are just as beneficial. Cliques are rampant in blogland just as they are in real life. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find if you take the time to look outside the box.

Speak in Love

Lastly, always write in love. I know I seem to write this often on my posts for Faithful Bloggers but I feel it needs to be stressed. There are rampant instances of petty quarreling and hateful words thrown about by women bloggers. Remember who you are and to Whom you belong! We are called to shine, to be different. Doing good to others may be as simple as just being quiet and meek when others are yelling and shouting. People will notice and it will bring glory to Him.

Have any ideas on other ways to use your blog for His glory? Please share!

Photo credit: sraburton

I Won't Water Down My Faith

I love watching Christian music videos on YouTube.  I find myself doing it on my iphone when the kids are playing at the park or we are stuck in traffic.  Watching the videos help to keep my mind focused and not lingering on ungodly things.  I personally am a big fan of southern gospel music.  I guess that comes from growing up in Texas in a Baptist church. :) So the other day when I was watching videos on YouTube I stumbled upon the song For Future Generations by 4Him.  I haven't heard this song in a long time!  I think the last time was at a concert I went to in Maryland where 4Him was performing about 3 years ago.

So you might be asking, What does this have to do with blogging? Well, I'm getting there. If you pay attention to the lyrics there is a line that goes like this:

So I wont bend and I wont break I wont water down my faith I wont compromise in a world of desperation What has been I cannot change But for tomorrow and today I must be a light for future generations

It can be so easy to "water down" our faith on our blogs.  We might not want to offend anyone or to turn away readers.  But by watering down our faith are we truly giving God the glory He deserves?  Psalms 115:1 tells us, "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth's sake." (King James Version)  It is God we are to give glory to, not ourselves, and we do this for mercy and truth.  Don't our readers deserve the truth?

Do you "water down" your faith on your blog?  I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on how not to "water down" your faith.

I Won't Water Down My Faith

I love watching Christian music videos on YouTube.  I find myself doing it on my iphone when the kids are playing at the park or we are stuck in traffic.  Watching the videos help to keep my mind focused and not lingering on ungodly things.  I personally am a big fan of southern gospel music.  I guess that comes from growing up in Texas in a Baptist church. :) So the other day when I was watching videos on YouTube I stumbled upon the song For Future Generations by 4Him.  I haven't heard this song in a long time!  I think the last time was at a concert I went to in Maryland where 4Him was performing about 3 years ago.

So you might be asking, What does this have to do with blogging? Well, I'm getting there. If you pay attention to the lyrics there is a line that goes like this:

So I wont bend and I wont break I wont water down my faith I wont compromise in a world of desperation What has been I cannot change But for tomorrow and today I must be a light for future generations

It can be so easy to "water down" our faith on our blogs.  We might not want to offend anyone or to turn away readers.  But by watering down our faith are we truly giving God the glory He deserves?  Psalms 115:1 tells us, "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth's sake." (King James Version)  It is God we are to give glory to, not ourselves, and we do this for mercy and truth.  Don't our readers deserve the truth?

Do you "water down" your faith on your blog?  I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on how not to "water down" your faith.

Using Your Posts for God's Glory

Let's face it, becoming a Christian is not an easy path to choose.  The Bible itself says: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14 NKJV As Christians, we are called to be set apart, to be holy.  It only goes to follow that what we say, or write, is an extension of our lives and therefore must be holy as well.  In view of this, there are a few important questions to ask yourself while you blog.

Before You Hit Send

• Do your words accurately represent the One whom you serve? Because we belong to our Savior our words are essentially not our own.  They should be indicative of our King.  I am not saying that each and every word should be a Bible verse – though it would be wonderful to repeat His precious words to your readers.  What I am saying is that our words should be “laced with grace.”  No vile or foul words should appear in our posts.  “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. . .” Ephesians 4:29.

• Are you writing in haste?When we get passionate about something we feel strongly about it is very easy to write a post and hit send before we stop and think.  If the post you are writing is controversial, it may be wise to walk away for an hour or two and come back to it for review before you hit that “publish” button.  Perhaps your spouse or a trusted friend could read it before you post it for your readers.

• Can your words be misconstrued?

One obvious negative aspect to the online world is that words cannot express our body language and tone of voice.  While you may write with one view in mind, a reader could easily interpret it to mean something else.  Look at your post from all angles and make sure that you have done your best to avoid confusion.

• When you respond to a reader, are you using a loving tone?Questions and comments from those who seem to be rude are a fact of life in blogging.  Our replies do not have to be in like turn.  Instead of firing off an answer telling that person just what you think, temper your reply with a level head and loving words.  Turning the other cheek plays an important role.

In the end, let us make sure that our words are pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  As children of the King, we want to represent Him to a watching world.

-Kelly

Photo courtesy of: zizzy0104

Using Your Posts for God's Glory

Let's face it, becoming a Christian is not an easy path to choose.  The Bible itself says: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14 NKJV As Christians, we are called to be set apart, to be holy.  It only goes to follow that what we say, or write, is an extension of our lives and therefore must be holy as well.  In view of this, there are a few important questions to ask yourself while you blog.

Before You Hit Send

• Do your words accurately represent the One whom you serve? Because we belong to our Savior our words are essentially not our own.  They should be indicative of our King.  I am not saying that each and every word should be a Bible verse – though it would be wonderful to repeat His precious words to your readers.  What I am saying is that our words should be “laced with grace.”  No vile or foul words should appear in our posts.  “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. . .” Ephesians 4:29.

• Are you writing in haste?When we get passionate about something we feel strongly about it is very easy to write a post and hit send before we stop and think.  If the post you are writing is controversial, it may be wise to walk away for an hour or two and come back to it for review before you hit that “publish” button.  Perhaps your spouse or a trusted friend could read it before you post it for your readers.

• Can your words be misconstrued?

One obvious negative aspect to the online world is that words cannot express our body language and tone of voice.  While you may write with one view in mind, a reader could easily interpret it to mean something else.  Look at your post from all angles and make sure that you have done your best to avoid confusion.

• When you respond to a reader, are you using a loving tone?Questions and comments from those who seem to be rude are a fact of life in blogging.  Our replies do not have to be in like turn.  Instead of firing off an answer telling that person just what you think, temper your reply with a level head and loving words.  Turning the other cheek plays an important role.

In the end, let us make sure that our words are pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  As children of the King, we want to represent Him to a watching world.

-Kelly

Photo courtesy of: zizzy0104

Have You Given Your Blog to the Lord?

As I was driving home from picking up my children from Vacation Bible School a song became stuck in my head.  That song was “Is Your All On The Alter?”  Many of you probably know this song as it is often played during a church invitation or alter call.  It is really a beautiful song and when I got home I immediately did a search on YouTube for it.  I hoped that by listening to the song I might have some chance of clearing it from my mind.  But no luck – it continued to stay in my mind asking me “Is your all on the alter?” This got me thinking.  Is there something in my life I have not fully given over the Lord?  My house, my children, my finances, my blog?  There is room for improvement in all these areas of my life.  While I may have initially given an aspect of my life to the Lord over time I discovered I was taking it back.

One verses of the song goes like this:

O we never can know What the Lord will bestow Of the blessings for which we have prayed, Till our body and soul He doth fully control, And our all on the altar is laid.

It just hit me!  How can I expect the Lord to answer my prayers if I have not given everything to him?  Or if I keep taking it back.  It is like giving a child a toy, letting the child play with it for a while, and then telling that child he or she can no longer have the toy.

The same principal applies to our blogs.  One of things I highly advocate for a successful blog is to pray for your blog.  But if you have not given your blog over the Lord you are not reaping the full benefits.  So what are the full benefits of giving your blog over to the Lord?

1. The Lord will bestow blessings on our blog as just as He would if it were you life you were handing over.  Some of use may even feel like we are handing our life by handing over our blog.
2. You will have less worries.   There is no need to worry about something if you know the Lord is in control. You don’t have to worry about your blog.  See Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Your faith will grow and not only will this benefit your blog but it will also benefit your personal life as well.