If you think back to someone you dated, I’m sure you can find that person deep in your memories that was more about themselves than you. Maybe even once upon a Valentine’s Day your chosen lover made grandiose plans in which every detail was sketched out to the nth degree. The only thing missing from your day of mutual love was, well, you!
When you are supposed to be an important part of an experience and yet your wants and desires are overlooked, then you are left a bit let down or even perturbed to a point of simmering resentment that tarnishes all of those involved. Not a good thought if you consider that this is a possible outcome of your next blog post.
Funny enough, when listening to the Dom Morning Show on the radio yesterday this exact conversation came up and the winning answer of the issue posed received 50 Shades of Grey movie passes. Of course, it made me wonder how this might apply in a broader sense and help bloggers worldwide get better tuned in with the value they bring to their audience.
To find out if your blogging has lost its way by staring too deep into its own reflection, go through the following questions…
50 Shades of Your Blog
- Who is at the chewy center of your next blog post? You or your audience?
- Does your blog consistently cut others down?
- When you find a great resource do you give credit to the original source?
- Does your blog tend to only present a single perspective?
- Is the voice of your blog screaming superiority?
- When people comment on your blog do you take time to answer?
- If a point in your blog is found to be incorrect, do you thank then address the issue?
- Is your blog “right” to a fault?
- How many Is are in your blog and how do the YOUs fair out?
- Does your blog brag about the importance of the information in it?
- Is your blog filled with opinion primarily or fact?
- Does your blog research what your audience cares about or needs?
- Is your blog mistrusting of other content?
- Does your blog fail at building any level of rapport?
- Does your blog pick fights?
- Is your blog written in a depressed way one post then overly enthusiastic the next?
- How often does your blog not connect the dots, but instead throws out endless advice?
- Are your blog goals reasonable or grandiose?
- Is your blog success given by its doing or earned by its action?
- Does your blog have set values it stands by?
- Has your blog been thanked by others for its content?
- Does your blog talk about outside issues that its audience may need answers around?
- Is your blog done on a whim to fill a quota or done with forethought?
- Does your blog have an intimate understanding of its audience’s characteristics?
- In the call-to-action of your blog, do you straight out demand a corresponding action or do you share the value of contributing?
- Is your blog unwilling to look at whether it is narcissistic using these 50 shades?
- How often does your blog “tune-in” to the trending out cry of your readers or is it written in the void?
- Is the purpose of your blog done in a pursuit that involves the interests of others?
- Does your blog know its WHY?
- When your blog is distributed is it merely posted or does it interact in the mainstream through relevant conversations?
- Does your blog take the time to develop relationships with readers and influencers?
- Has your blog ever told a lie?
- Is your blog guilty of ignoring the opinion of others?
- Does your blog tend to rigidly follow your editorial calendar?
- If a key influencer does not support your blog’s content, does your blog hole a grudge?
- How often does your blog place itself in listening mode?
- Is your blog all show and no go?
- Does your blog assume everything is related to it in some way?
- In its comments, does your blog continue to pull the conversation back to itself?
- How often does your blog ask questions it truly wants a response to?
- Does your blog skip topics that doesn’t pertain to its own interests?
- Is your blog broadly built on fantasies?
- Does your blog cop an attitude that is self serving?
- Out of the millions of blogs out there, does your blog think it is completely unique?
- Can your blog only be understood by great minds?
- Does your blog make statements that reap havoc without taking accountability?
- Is your blog one that demands admiration?
- How often does your blog name drop without a point, but just to position a link?
- Is the majority of time spent on dressing up your blog vs quality content?
- Does your blog make excuses for its actions in the name of “hey, it’s the brand of my blog to do what it does this way?”
The point is that blogs shouldn’t put themselves self first during creation. This is the sharing economy, skirting the edge of the “me, me, me” millennium. Let’s actively keep from falling off this dangerous ledge into pure selfdom.
What will you change in your next post that will show you’ve evolved off these 50 shades? Maybe flipping helpful resources with your related articles is enough of a start.
Resources:
- 18 Signs You’re Dealing With A Narcissist, Huffington Post
- Narcissism Checklist: Am I a Narcissist?, The Narcissistic Life
- Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms, PyschCentral
Related Articles:
- The 4 Laws of Blogging: No Immunity for Bloggers
- Why are you Blogging?
- 2015 Blog Editorial Calendar Strategy Ka-POW!!!!
- 55 Ways to Share Your Blog and Grow Your Audience
