 |
Finding your voice is essential to connecting with your readers. Your voice communicates what your blog is about. Your voice helps build community with your readers through content that speaks their language. Your voice expresses your unique style. Your personality and point of view is also expressed through your voice. A compelling voice gives you a competitive advantage. How do you find your voice?
As a blogger, your voice should be apparent in all elements of your website. From your graphics, typeface, layout, colors and most importantly in your words.
Before launching my first blog, I spent a considerable amount of time following other blogs in my niche. Several of the bloggers I loved to follow spoke in a different voice than I do. Their content; although, informative, professional and authoritative is also informal, playful and fun. I found myself constantly trying to speak in their voice.
After struggling to develop content, because I was pretending to be “someone else.” I soon realized that if I was going to become a successful blogger my audience needed to know who I was and they needed to trust me. This led me on a journey to find my own voice.
Based on my journey to find my voice as a blogger, I want to share with you three things to consider when trying to find your voice.
Your Brand – Surely, there are other blogs that exist that cover the same content. So why would someone want to read your blog? Your blog’s voice communicates the essence of your brand. Your brand is simply what makes you unique. It’s the reason someone would take time to read your blog posts or share your content. To find your brand, ask yourself Who am I?
When I asked myself this question, I learned that I am conservative, serious and formal. Yet, I am also sincere, passionate, sympathetic, trustworthy and authoritative. Knowing these characteristics, helped me to find my voice as a blogger.
Your Purpose - You must have a clear vision for the purpose of your blog. If the main purpose of your blog is to promote your products or services, then your content should be worded in such a way that motivates the reader to buy from you. If your purpose is to provide guidance on a specific subject matter then your voice should be informative and authoritative.
Your voice should always reinforce your blog’s purpose. To find your purpose, ask yourself Why does my blog exist?
Your Audience - Your voice should speak directly to your audience in their own words. Therefore, you should know who your readers are and what they expect from your blog’s content.
When I started my blog, I aimed to target women between the ages of 30 to 45 who wanted to leave their jobs and start a home based business so they could spend more time with their families. I knew exactly how to speak to my audience because I was once part of this group.
It’s not only important to write in the proper voice to address your audience, but also you must understand exactly who your blog audience is. A basic question you should ask yourself is Who is reading my blog?
But to learn who your blog readers are, you must go deeper than this! You can find a list of questions, to ask yourself to help determine who is reading your blog in my post “Who Is the Audience For Your Blog?”
Once you define your brand, your purpose and who your audience is now you can give your blog a personality by developing your unique voice. Once you find your voice you must translate it into words that speak to your readers.
One final tip - once you find your voice, remember to be yourself and remain consistent. There is no faster way to lose blog readers then by having multiple personalities!
Your Success Partner,
Yaisa Hagood
P.S. How do you use your voice to distinguish your blog from others blog in your niche?
