How to Find and Unleash Your Blog’s Voice

If your blog is a microphone and your posts are the lyrics then what is your voice?
I’ve been thinking about this question for three years. The answer is the key to explaining a situation that I see everyday.

It goes like this -

Two blogs start at the same time. They have similar designs, in fact except for minor differences in color they are mirror images of each other. Both blogs target the same audience. One does spectacularly well. The other fails within months.

If you were to question readers of the successful blog, they would swear that the blogger is speaking directly to them. Some would say that they could hear the author in their head. The successful blog had a distinct voice that gave it almost magical rapport-building power.

Voice, it seems, is the magic, the force, behind extraordinary blogs. The good news is that we all have a voice, the bad news is that few choose to use it. I hope this post will convince you to find, develop, and unleash your voice.

Blogs are getting more boring by the minute.

Three million blog posts are published every day. From my quick anecdotal, unscientific sampling, I’m willing to say that most of them are boring their readers to tears. Look a little closer and you’ll see variations of the same problem – a sterilized even clinical voice.

Their readers are treated to a homogeneous, bland, mishmash of soul-less blog posts.
If you want your blog to stand-out and succeed then you need to fight for your voice.

The Power of Voice

Your voice is your secret weapon. It’s more important than fancy techniques, platforms, or strategies. It’s what make you stand out, what makes you different.

Your voice gives you that swagger that readers come back for. It excites them. It makes them trust you with their time and money. It’s your true “you”

My friend the other day commented that he learned more about me through my blog posts than he did in real life. For some reason, I can be more transparent here on this page than I can in real life. It’s my voice that makes Pushing Social special because it’s uniquely me.

It’s time for you to find and unleash your voice.

How to Find and Unleash Your Voice

Forget your training

Most of us are trained in school and business to be boring. It seems that our institutions and corporations are dead-set on strangling our voice as quickly and efficiently as possible. The first step to unleashing your voice is to resist the urge to use cubicle jargon and aloof “King’s English”. Instead, focus on speaking to your readers as if they were your best friend.

Befriend Your Readers

Your voice becomes more powerful once you know your audience’s goals, desires, challenges, and expectations. Many bloggers to speak at their readers not “to” them. You can avoid this by visualizing your reader and writing your posts as a letter addressed to them.

Keep a journal on everything

Finding your voice takes time. You need to see your thoughts in written form to get comfortable with your tempo and style. The more you write the more authentic you will sound. So start keeping a journal. Record your thoughts and observations into it every day. Make this a lifelong habit. Soon your voice will emerge.

Write Your Boogeyman Post

Everyone has that one “dangerous” post in them. I bet you are thinking about it now. This post will push you out of your comfort zone and show your true self. If this post is authentic, true, and honest then write it. If it will hurt someone then don’t publish it. However if it turns out to be a manifesto on your unique outlook and big idea then take the chance and put it out there. The first time will be difficult, but each post after that will become easier.

Your Voice Is The Key to It All

Your voice can take you as far as you’ll let it. It can get you more comments, subscribers, sales, or speaking engagements. It can make you famous or sell more books. It’s your personal genie in the lamp. All you have to do is have the courage to use it.

Will you? Let me know in the comments.