Star Tech

They've Got Their Act Into Gear


Among the emails for my `Blog Cabin' column in mX newspaper, published in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, was this request from two Brisbane students.

Can you tell us if this blog is a good concept and how can we improve the site. Thanks, from John and Andreas.

I'd never heart of a DACOL until I reviewed Rags to Race Cars. But commit this acronym to memory. A deftly-named DACOL is a Dear Awesome Car Owner Letter. Baffled? Don't be. It's exactly what it purports to be. Bloggers see awesome car. Bloggers slip standard letter under windscreen wiper, introducing themselves to the owner in the hope that he or she will get back to them.

It's a great idea and a feature that is characteristic of a good start to a funky site. John and Andreas have given themselves five years to become millionaires, but at the moment they're $999,880 short. Nonetheless, it could be irresistible to follow their progress.

The stated intention is to share innovations, motivating factors and business ventures along the way to financial nirvana. Excellent idea, but all those editorial streams will have to be encompassed into a coherent flow.

The blog has started on the right foot, but there needs to be a conscious balance between text and illustrations. Slabs of text, no matter how well written, are just downright boring. Since both authors are design students, it'd be fairly simple to put theory into practice. There is no shortage of images to ilustrate posts on an automobile blog, and the ``look'' of the site will improve greatly once there are design elements on the pages.

Car-related blogs are great because they transcend state and national boundaries. There's huge potential readership in a blog like this, because you don't have to be a rev-head to read and enjoy a blog of this nature. That's something to keep in mind, when determining the editorial mix as the blog progresses.

I'd strongly advise the installation of a hit counter to show the reader stats. If you want to increase your readership, you have to know who's reading your posts. Auto bloggers, unlike us mere mortals, should be, ahem, driven to succeed.

Star Tech

The Graph Is Greener On The Other Side

In the past couple of weeks, I've been exchanging thoughts about growing a blog's audience with some people who write very lively blogs, including OzLady, Confused Sam, TCOs Garage, Pijush, Bart and Ak-Man. And I guess the common thread has been: how does a blogger ensure constant reader growth?

Let's put this in perspective. Has your readership decreased recently? No? Then you're already a winner. Next up, pay attention to the basics. If you want people to visit your blog every day, you need to post every day. Be lucid, be coherent, be honest to yourself. You don't have to write a 1000-word editorial on world peace. People read blogs to be entertained, to be stimulated.

Many bloggers suffer from ``writers' block''. There is a simple solution, however. If there is a subject you'd discuss in animated fashion with your friends, post it on your blog. Chances are it will engage your readers. And if people comment on your blog, reply to the comments. This is not simply good protocol, it also builds a bond of loyalty.

There are two types of readers. The first category is regular readers who visit your blog irrespective of what you're posting. The second category is casual readers, who might follow a link or a Blogger NavBar update. Check on what they are drawn to - and if there is a pattern, then use it to your advantage. If you find readership increases every time you post about technology or about Paris Hilton or Ron Paul, then that's what will drive your readership higher.

There is one other crucial element if you want to increase readership. Check the stats on your hit counter regularly. This ain't a vanity thing, believe me. Not only are you the editorial director of your blog, you are also the marketing manager. And if you want more readers, you need to know why they're reading you in the first place.

Every blogger needs to be resilient. Don't get discouraged if you get 10 hits a day. As you can see from this Site Meter graph, I only had about 10 hits each day in October. But I persisted ....