I started my blogging career in a big way. I had NO readers. I lived in a new province and city. No one knew who I was. No one had ever heard of me before. And I shared my story. I shared my truth. That in 2003 I was sexually assaulted. The year was 2014. I didn't expect anything to happen. But the relief that I felt when I hit the publish button was instant. This weight lifted off of me. I no longer felt like I had to keep this secret inside. This secret that was slowly rotting me from the inside. Because now the world knew even if the world didn't read it.
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At the end of 2019, as I sat creating my goals for 2020, I knew that I wanted to create more meaningful connections. With my children, with my husband, and through my business and all the women that I worked with including my blog readers.
I believe that we are all craving deeper connections in our everyday life. Whether that be with our social media friends, our real-life friends, or our personal family; now is the time to nurture these relationships.
Blog writing has been a way for me to create connections that I wouldn’t have had any other way. Allowing myself to share my story, my truth, my struggles, and my life has helped other women know that they aren’t alone. I hope that my honest view of everything I have gone through and continue to go through helps those who come to this blog.
Your readers want to know who you are. They want to see real-life. The struggles, the joys, the moments when life is raw and unfiltered. This is how you allow your audience in. Allow them to see their OWN struggles, joys, and the moments when THEIR life is raw and unfiltered. This is what connection is all about.
When you look at someone’s social media for example. Depending on the platform, it is their highlight reel. We all want our lives to look picture perfect to the outsiders who are sneaking a peek inside. But why? That doesn’t truly build a community. That is allowing only the shiny parts of your life to be seen and no one has only shiny parts.
The true key to growing your audience is to allow them inside. Give them a look at the real person behind the blog. Allow them the truth to get to know you.
Everyone is always wanting to know how to build their readers and build their audience.
THE TRUTH TO BUILDING YOUR AUDIENCE
It isn’t always easy to build up your audience but the truth is that all you need to do is BE YOURSELF. Show the world who you are. Show them what your story is. Show them how you are truly doing in life. Let them in on the shadows. The parts that aren’t highlighted on your social media. (Even though I truly believe they should be.)
Your inside world is what your audience craves. They want to feel less alone. They want to know that what they are going through, someone else is also experiencing. They want a connection. They want to be drawn in by your story of triumph, of failing, of overcoming the obstacles to become who you are today.
Give your readers a piece of who you are. Show them what it is truly like to be you and watch them stay. Watch them come back and read what you write. Watch them begin to change THEIR lives because they have watched you change yours. There is power in community and with that power lies the truth. The truth of who you are, what you are fighting, and who you are becoming.
HOW DO YOU START BUILDING THAT CONNECTION?
You have to decide how much of your story you are comfortable sharing. Not everyone is going to have the same comfort level. There is no right and wrong to how much of your story you truly share.
The truth is that the amount you share will change. You may start small and begin to share little pieces of your journey. Or you may start big and share everything you have already been through. Or you may start small and add to it as you go. Be you. Be you for your audience.
You aren’t going to build connections overnight. It takes time. It takes patience. It happens over a period of time as your readers begin to watch your journey.
If you want readers to keep coming back to you, you need to share who you are. Be honest because your readers will instantly know when you are being fake and that is the worst thing you can do to build connections. Be real and watch your blog grow through real and meaningful connections to your followers.
If you love following me to learn all about blogging, come and see me on my Facebook page. I go live and teach my followers as well as share other bloggers. I'd love to have you there!!