Blog level up or taking blogs to the next level is something we need to consciously do. Either we look for opportunities to do it or we recognize them when they come our way and respond accordingly. The second option was made available to me when an online friend requested me to read her personal letter during a family event. The idea came about when she thought it was a good idea for me to use my “Letter Writer” persona for the specific task. That night, the Letter Writer became the Letter Reader, bringing the blog itself to an entirely new level which takes on a personality that the public can identify with.

The author aka Letter Writer

The author aka Letter Writer

Why Blogs Need to Level Up

The competition among blogs is stiff. A blog needs to have the so-called X factor that will accomplish the purpose of making such an impression on the online audience that will make it stand out from the rest. It is quite difficult to find an entirely unique niche that readers will willingly follow.

We can be sure that many blogs will be vying for the audience attention in popular niches like technology, parenting, food, fashion, travel, and many others. This would necessarily mean stepping up or leveling up the blog in a way that will make it impossible for online readers to ignore the blog. Choosing an unpopular or relatively unknown niche always present the possibility that the blog will not have an audience to cater to, allowing it to die a natural death. This is not to say though that it cannot be done. It would all depend on the writer  and how he or she chooses to present articles for public consumption.

How Can Blogs Level Up

By Creating Unique and Updated Content Always

This is possible and doable even in the most common niche. Many topics have been attacked in so many ways but there is always a fresh way of doing it. Uniqueness in writing style is usually the reason why an author would be able to create unique content using the same topic written about by a hundred other writers. Blogs must always be fresh not only in terms of publication frequency. It greatly helps that the content nature is  current as well. Of course, this needs to be done while remaining faithful to the concept of the blog.

By Continuous Reinvention of the Blog

Granting that a blog has already captured audience attention, it would be necessary for the blog to take steps that will keep  them coming back. This task is a combination of physical layout, search engine optimization, and positive audience interaction through social media and face-to-face encounters. There is always the need to be aware of existing trends and apply those that are applicable to a blog.

By Sharing Skills, Knowledge, and Time

There are bloggers who have already chosen to share by making themselves available as speakers either on the subject of blogging or their particular area of expertise featured in their blog. Physical presence in related activities such as mommy bloggers in parenting events or travel bloggers in tourism events is one way of walking the talk. Rather than simply writing about it, bloggers get the chance to be part of concrete moves towards achieving goals.

Letter Writer as Letter Reader

The Letter Writer is a persona created in the blog “A Letter Writer”. The blog primarily seeks to revive the lost art of letter writing which appears alien specifically to the younger generation of today given the advances in technology that has provided for more convenient forms of communication.As someone who uses the letter platform to send across messages of varying nature, the author is able to assume a different identity for every letter.

The arrangement was simple. The debutante’s mother will write an open  letter to her daughter on the occasion of her 18th birthday. My task is to read the letter as a backdrop of a video presentation about the celebrant. Why not the mother? Because she thinks she is far too emotional to be up to the task. Why the Letter Writer? Because of the clear association with letter writing.

While the proposed specialization is letter writing, the debutante’s mother saw the logic of having the established persona of Letter Writer acting as the Letter Reader for her letter.  Although the friendship factor was the main reason why I agreed to do it, I also saw the chance of exposing my blog’s cause to a younger audience who may not have had ample exposure to the joys of letter writing.  And so that is how the Letter Writer found herself  “performing” for an audience one night in a debutante’s ball.

My Say

I actually enjoyed doing this. In fact, I am looking forward to having more opportunities of this nature. Leveling up a blog from merely a platform for a writing hobby to something that can be truly appreciated by the reading public is a real challenge. How about you? In what way are you willing to “perform” in the name of leveling up your blog?