4 Ways to Use Variety to Attract New Subscribers

Could you imagine a restaurant that had one meal on the menu? Even if it was the greatest dish in the world, you’d get sick of it after only a few visits.

Just as a great restaurant has many selections, a quality blog gives its audience many different kinds of posts.

Here are four ways to bring variety to your blog.

1. Long vs. short posts

Both long and short posts can attract new subscribers and also make currents subscribers happy.

But if every post you do is either long or short, you’ve prevented the benefit that comes from incorporating various lengths.

Not only is it sometimes nice to read a long or short post, but many ideas that demand one length or the other will be excluded from your blog if you’re too rigid in what length of post you’re willing to publish.

2. Vary your format

My general advice is to make every post as entertaining as possible.

But sometimes I’m not in the mood for an artful essay and just want the goods straight up.

Daniel does a Q A segment every Friday which I love because they’re so to the point and highly educational. Incorporating Q A Friday really mixes things up, bringing wonderful variety to his blog.

In addition to the above, here are some other methods to vary your blogging format:

• Incorporate both list and non-list posts
• Do face-offs where you ask two bloggers their opinion on various subjects
• Incorporate posts with diagrams and pictures that help illustrate your point
• Write personal or fictional stories to get your point across

3. Expand what you write about

I believe everyone can expand what they write about regardless of how seemingly narrow their niche is.

That said, some niches are easier than others to widen the scope of what you write about.

Here’s what Leo Babauta of Zen Habits says on why his blog outgrew other blogs he was competing against:

“They limited themselves to a smaller niche, and thus limited their potential readership. Once they had most of the potential readers in this niche, growth slowed . . .”

Be careful not to become too narrow on what you write about because of your niche. The more subjects you can successfully incorporate into your niche, the more of an audience you can attract to your blog.

4. Repeat yourself skillfully

All bloggers repeat themselves. There’s no way to escape it, and there’s also nothing wrong with it.

After all, repetition is the mother of all learning.

That said, you certainly don’t want to repeat yourself consecutively. Allow some space between posts that cover the same subject.

Moreover, when you do cover the same ground, always do it with a new angle by using techniques such as new metaphors, quotes, stories, or data.

One great benefit of repeating yourself in new ways is that people will pick up new distinctions that they didn’t last time when you explained the subject in a different way.

The saying ‘variety is the spice of life’ applies to blogging just as much as it does to life.

What other ways can you bring more variety to your blog?

About the Author: Bamboo Forest created Tick Tock Timer, an online timer designed to help bloggers increase their focus and get serious work done.

Sign-up To The Newsletter And Get A Free eBook

10 Responses to “4 Ways to Use Variety to Attract New Subscribers”

1. repeat yourself skillfully that one is really interesting …

   • The thing is we ALL repeat ourselves.

     Part of the art of repeating yourself is conveying the same message but in a new way.

     The new way should be compelling and worthwhile.

2. Thanks, some food for thought in there.

   There are other ways to introduce variety too, for example:

   1. Get in guest posters now and again – their style and topic matter will vary from your own
   2. Include videos and images now and again where appropriate to add colour and variety when illustrating a point
   3. Include quotes from other resources now and again or transcribe an interview or conversation you’ve had
   4. You might even get away with the odd ‘spoof’ post once or twice a year

   Just a few more ideas…., am thinking out loud….

   • Excellent ways to add variety. Thank you for sharing.

3. Thanks! It’s the videos my blog is lacking. … (I think. I think that’s what it is.) Good advice!

   • Video blogging, done on occasion, can be a nice spice to add to a blog.

4. Hi, nice post. I like your idea of variety. Though its good to remember there are exceptions. Viperchill.com being the most prominent. Glen just uses long descriptive posts to give excellent info. This busts your opinion on long and short posts.

   • Good point.

     Even I thought about Glen when I wrote this

     But if I’m not mistaken, some of his posts are far shorter than others. So there still seems to be a measure of variety in length with his blog (and I think that enhances his blog).

     Regardless, as with anything, no one method fits all.

5. Expanding on what I write about works best for me. I think every blog post can be expanded at least once and/or can be given a new perspective at least once. While writing such an expanded post, you always refer to the original post and engage your readers. That makes the readers stay long and explore more. This will kindle their interest.

   Thanks for the great article Bamboo.

   Cheers,
   Jane.

   • I’m glad you found value in it.

Leave a Comment