It is hardly something many of us want to do but just about any successful person will tell you that if you want to constantly improve your content (as well as your personal being in some instances) you have to learn how to critique your work, not doing this will land you in complacency and when you're offering a product/brand/service, that is not a place you want to be. There is a common misconception that in order to critique your work you have to be hard on yourself however the two are not inclusive. Critiquing is about learning, it is about improving, it is about shaping and/or adding to a winning formula. When others are critiquing your work, they do it not to shake your confidence (for the most part), they do it because they see potential in the service you offer so you should look it that way when critiquing your own content. Now, here are a few tips:
1. Question your content. This task is often done before the content is published, however I find that it is an extra aid when you question your content even after publishing it. I'm" not talking about grammatical errors or the like, I'm" talking about asking questions such as "Does this content effectively convey the message I'm" trying to present at face value?" or "Is this content easy to understand?" or "If I am searching for this content, how likely am I recommend it over others in my area of interest?" Asking yourself questions like these will help you shape and tailor your content post-publish for maximum effectiveness. 2. Actively engage others. This is one of the more common methods in that you actively search out others to critique your work. This is a form of self critiquing since you're the one engaging the audience and this helps desensitize you to that feeling of disappointment when someone is not satisfied with your content. It is important to remember however that, the idea is not for your audience to simply say yay or nay, you want detailed critiques of your work so typically approach with open ended statements. 3. Post draft Another unique way that I find helps sometimes is creating a post-draft of your published work and using it for comparison. Look at some of the differences you made in the original in relation to your post draft; the idea here is minimize the quality gaps between your articles and this strategy will help you hone your communication skills as you create new content. Remember, the idea is to tell yourself "this can be better" even when it "can't" since this attitude will eventually become second nature as you build new and better content with each progressive project. If you have any additional tips that you'd like, feel free to leave a comment below. A very important factor that many miss when starting their online website or blog is leveraging their networks. For a multitude of reasons this can be understandable; fear, ridicule and other demoralizing actions can put a real damper on wanting to pursue your passion(s) but as a self-starter adversity is part of the game. Don't let that hold you back from realizing your potential and doing something you're genuinely interested in. For all those who may ridicule you for pursuing more, there are also others out there who will support you so take advantage of that. Now, you want to leverage these networks; if you have done your research then you have a good idea of your brand and the content you'll offer so you want to make sure to get your voice out there and let your personal network keep an open ear if anyone they know is interested in what you offer. Then you can branch out, find other like-minded people and build support networks that'll help in pooling resources as well as trading ideas.
Social media is a great tool for this, especially in this generation where people are so interconnected with each other. There's a variety of platforms at your disposal and the larger your personal network is, the more potential traffic you have access to from the get go. As always it is important to keep your target audience in mind so don't go after anyone for the hell of it, you want to go after people who will be the most receptive to your content and then slowly work your way back to the more casually interested folks. As you build your following always keep your networks and contacts up to date; work with the idea of constantly building relationships which will aid you long term and may open up even newer opportunities down the line. Remember, don't underestimate the power of a support network. If anyone has any experience in relation to a support network helping them, be sure to leave a comment. If you're thinking about starting your own personal brand, website or blog online (or e-brand), odds are the first thing that many think about is where to start. Before you start thinking about building your website or blog, you first want to lay the groundwork and make starting your brand online as seamless as possible. Take your ambition and shape it into a plan. Here are a few small tips to lead you in the right direction:
1. Experiment with your ideas to find what you really want to do. While a good number of people have ideas that they want to execute or talk about, more often than not people typically have multiple likes, passions or experiences that they wish to share. Play around with different ideas and jot them down (brainstorming), when done take note on the most constant terms on your list and odds are that interest is what you should direct most of your energy too and branch out to other things later. I say this because first you don't want your subject to be so broad that it gets washed out in comparison to more target-oriented competition and second, content is king and consistency is his rule; building and running your e-brand is a dedication and content is the clearest indicator is someone who is invested in their work. 2. Research This goes without saying but is still important; always make it a must to do your homework. This means researching your area of interest, your competition in that area, demand, what tools you will use, how you can reach and build traffic, support networks, etc. Correlate this back to your own e-brand and shape it accordingly. There is a mass amount of information out there readily available to you so don't be shy about taking advantage (they want you to). 3. Temper your expectations. This falls in line with researching; while it is possible, don't expect to become a mass success overnight. Typically it takes elbow grease and baby steps to get people invested in your website, service or blog. Don't ever set your goals too high because you don't want to shake your confidence or motivation. 4. Focus on what you can offer, not what you can gain. The Internet presents vast opportunities to monetize your offerings (with no ceiling) while doing what you love but as much as you may want to, try not to focus on that particular aspect. Make it more about the service you're providing and the support will come to you; people appreciate service, they appreciate help, they appreciate being entertained and are not stupid when it comes to what they're spending. As long as you're honest with yourself, your content and with them, then they will have no problem donating to your brand and/or purchasing your offerings. I hope you take these points into consideration when looking to startup your own website, blog or service online. Afterall, it'd be a shame if your ideas went to waste. If you have any extra ideas or things to consider, then please leave a comment. Hello everyone, just wanted to start off this blog by saying welcome and thanks for taking the time to check my new site out. I have a lot of different interests in things I like to blog about and maybe you'll find a blog post or two that you'll enjoy as well. Keep in mind that this is my personal blog and has no bearing on the services I provide; this is merely a hobby a mine.
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Frank Sheppard
NOTE: all opinions/views represented here are my own and do not reflect on any third party that I am affiliated with. Archives
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