Building a Platform for Other Bloggers

Blogging is a type of profession that no matter how much experience you had (writing, marketing, web design, etc.), you learn more and are able to reproduce your results month after month.  New bloggers are constantly looking up to you, seeing what you bring to the table that they do not, and from there, they adapt their blog with the tactics that you have used.

When you think about the leaders in the blogosphere, they have effectively captivated their reader group and have allowed other bloggers to take in the skills and “secrets” they have already learned, in hopes that they grow their own experience (and profits) from doing so.  Even if you don’t agree with their systems, the platform that they are creating has a huge influence on the way others and yourself blog.  

The platform, or combination of services, features, posts, or inspiration that the bloggers convey to readers are the leading characteristics of creating a “power” blog.  When readers visit your blog, can they see that you offer services beyond blog posts – forums, directories, e-books, consulting/reviewing, a job board, and so on?  Or, are they greeted with a cut-and-dried blog?  

Each day you blog, prepare a method for tackling the problem of keeping visitors on your site and maintaining your readership.  If at all possible, invest some money into “premium” plugins, site additions, or other types of services available which will allow your readers to take more away from your blog.

Create a sidebar area that showcases the services you offer or add a few to the header navigation bar.  The main purpose of this is to place your services (whether paid or free) in front of new and demanding visitors.  

Getting back to the idea of a platform, essentially what you are trying to achieve is building a community within your site that will allow others to adapt your ideas and methods on their own blog.  Although this notion may appear like copying or reproducing someone else’s thoughts and work, it is done everyday, or there wouldn’t be any successful people left in the world.

Your “Platform” Will:

• Show others that you are devoted and willing to spend time creating content that was primarily designed to help readers (and not solely benefit you).
• Allow others to partake in these services and adapt them to fit their own needs/incorporate them on their own blog.
• Help connect your blog and services as an internal network of services.