The 5 Characteristics of Successful Bloggers

Call me a snoop or a blogger stalker, but I’ve been known to spy on a few blogs and bloggers to see what they are up to now and again. My curiosity was piqued when I started to notice that some had gained an increasing amount of attention in the blogosphere. Surprisingly, it’s not necessarily great design or title that did it. Instead they all had something special, an “it” factor, if you will, that raised their popularity.

Here are five common characteristics I noticed of successful bloggers:

1. They were helpful. From design bloggers to freelance writers, bloggers who did their best to anticipate problems and offers solutions to their readers scored BIG with readers.
2. They were consistent. Bloggers who posted regularly, not necessarily the most frequently, were popular. Why? People can expect when they’ll show up. I know I’m guilty of this one and will definitely try to stick to a more consistent schedule.
3. They were clear and focused. This blogger talked about it and so did she. Sometimes finding your focus takes time. I think after your thousandth blog or maybe less, you’ll realize what you really care to write about and what you feel less passionate about. The closer you get to your niche or the purpose of your blog, the closer you will get to finding followers who are interested in what you have to say.
4. They created goals. Maybe you want your blog to divert attention to your business. Maybe you want to try to make a living as a blogger. Maybe your one goal is to increase your subscribers to 1,000. Whatever vision you have for your blog, write it down, say it aloud, then do whatever it takes to get there. That’s how this blogger reached her goals!
5. They were persistent. Do me a favor. The next time you visit your favorite blog, look at when they started blogging. I’ve been noticing a trend lately, that all of my favorite bloggers have blogged for at least three years if not more. If you’re just starting, have patience, keeping going. Blog until you find your voice, your purpose and your passion and you will eventually find what you’re looking for!

Did I miss one or two or three? What characteristics do you notice about your favorite bloggers?