In this article, Ashwin from Thoughts Unlimited goes over the PDCA method and how that can help you treat your blog more like a business. If you would like to write a post for us, check our guest post page for details.
I am sure most of you reading this post are either actively running a blog or created a blog sometime, that sleeps elsewhere! One of the primary reasons that many blogs fail — is because they are not run like a business (and now you know the rationale behind the post title!). This post will help you apply the “famous” PDCA Cycle by Deming to run your blog and make it a success (and treat it like a business)!
So to begin — PDCA stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act. In simple terms — plan something, do it based on the plan, check the results and act accordingly. If you are interested in learning more about PDCA, then Wikipedia should help you. This is not the subject of the post either!
P– Planning your blog posts
You get most of the blogging ideas when reading other blogs, tweeting or taking a stroll in the park — don’t you? Did you ever realize that most of those get out of your mind in fraction of minutes (or hours)? Follow this simple but effective planning approach so that most of these ideas eventually make into your blog.
- Maintain a list of all blogging ideas that come to your mind (even if they are stupid or commonplace)
- Use a tool like Google Docs, Mindmeister, Evernote (or your Text Editor) etc., to make sure they are not lost!
- Don’t just note the ideas — but the “sub ideas” too that would eventually become the content
- Review the list, when you get time to write a blog post
- Strike off those (or tweak) that don’t go with your blog’s niche
- Also get rid off those you feel irrelevant, commonplace and you aren’t comfortable about writing!
- Choose the top one and write a post!
This has several advantages — your best ideas are not lost, you are never short of blogging ideas, you can stick to your blogging schedule and so on.
D– Do it right, the first time!
You have already done it (partially though), by publishing the post and making it public. But how do you make sure that the posts are read by people, who are inundated with millions of blogs and RSS feeds? Use these techniques to increase the probability(!) of your blog posts being read.
- Tweet about your posts on Twitter.
- Digg them (don’t be shy!)
- Share them on StumbleUpon
- Save them on Delicious
Make sure to promote only those posts that help your readers. Don’t go on digging posts where you breakdown what you had for dinner last Friday night (unless you’re readers are interested in that…probably not though)!
Just know that there are hundreds of sites out there where you can share your blog posts. The ones listed are just very commonly used ones. Also, just because you use these sites doesn’t mean you will get any traffic. There are processes you need to take, and traffic surges do not just magically come to your blog from these kind of sites, no matter how amazing your content is. Learn why you may not be doing so well on social media sites at first.
C– Check where your blog business is going
Now your blog business is up and running. Time to check where exactly it is going! Is it heading the same way you anticipated? Of course, there are tools and techniques to help you.
- Google Analytics is one tool that provides you with tons of key information — popular search terms, super hit posts, geographies with more readers, good days of the week and so on
- Comments in your blog indicate what people like and what they hate. Use this to see if readers from your intended niche are indeed reading the blog
- Retweeted posts also indicate which type of content are popular. Use a TweetMeme (or a similar button) on your blog, to check which posts are most retweeted
- Google Webmaster is another tool to get more technical details like sitemaps, crawl statistics and errors etc., to improve the SEO of your blog
Statistics gathered over a week or two never give you a clear picture. Follow the your blog statistics very closely and study the most valuable information. But, do not let these numbers control you, as numbers kill bloggers.
A– Act on the results
Once you have the data in hand, now is the time to act on them. Following are some possible action items using this data.
- Traffic sources and geographies indicate if you should start targeting a smaller group
- Popular search queries indicate if you should leverage such content or tailor your niche
- Google Webmaster statistics indicate if you need a SEO Consultant for your blog!
- Retweeted posts indicate what content are popular with the Tweeters and start writing more of them (if you love getting retweeted!)
This is a very brief list. Once you get to see the actual statistics, further specific action items based on your blog can be thought of.
Believe it or not…
You most likely have been using this method in your blogging process for the amount of time you have been blogging. Whether you realize it or not, this post basically refreshed your whole mindset.
So, to conclude this post — using PDCA for your blog gives you a good platform to start treating it like a business. Rinse well and repeat this cycle for best results!
Share your thoughts on how to manage your blog like a business. What else do you think are the best practices in running a blog?
54 Discussions
Great advice….I keep a txt file on my desktop that is full of random ideas that pop into my head. Actually I have like 10 txt files on my desktop because I end up writing half a post and want to keep it separate from my last idea…..soo disorganized :/
Matt – Zero 2 Hero´s last blog ..Hiromitsu Agatsuma (LIVE) with Lyrico
Great. Ya I understand that the number of files increase in no time, when we get more ideas to blog.
I also use the Darkroom text editor (http://they.misled.us/dark-room), a glorified version of Notepad (for Windows) to write – distraction free. This makes sure that I complete the post in one shot and it becomes an entry in my Blog!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
That’s not so good, is it? I mean you clutter up the desktop and then the mind becomes cluttered too!
I think once you start writing, its better to complete it and then save it, rather than doing bits and pieces. I used to be the same before and I ended up with so many files and I have even forgotten the train of thought in some aritciles. So now as soon as I am inspired, I jot down the points. Then its easy to expand on the points and produce a post!
There are two things: The topic and the content. The content has to be quality.
Good post, Ashwin!
For Bloggers Who want to Stop Writers’ Block
First of all great guest post Ashwin! It’s funny how you are right… I have been using this similar method without even knowing it, and I am sure others have been doing the same. Personally I think the best thing you can do is work on a blog that you enjoy working on. A topic that your heart can warm up to. Then… every day, and every work day will be an enjoyable experience.
Till then,
Jean
Hello Jean,
Yes many of us have been using it as if ingrained in our mind – experience is a wonderful thing! Also, I find many bloggers struggling without this basic plan in mind. So it’s good that we all get a refresher!!
Thanks for your comment! Appreciate that.
Cheers,
Ashwin
Ashwin´s last blog ..Why should you try Readtwit?
Great post. I think the point to analyize a blog with Google Analytics is a very important point. After analysing my blog post I can see which post delivers nice traffic and then you can see what your visitors are searching for.
Cheers,
Volksphone!
Volksphone´s last blog ..Usability-Schnelltest für die eigene Firmenwebsite
Thanks a lot. Yes Google Analytics helps you take your blog in the right direction, combined with a sense of accomplishment =)
Ashwin´s last blog ..Why should you try Readtwit?
Hi Aschwen,
Appreciated the post.
I have a question. How can Google Analytics help me to perhaps focus on a narrower group of readers, besides by geography?
Thank you.
Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..Review: Living in Lanzarote.
Hi Gordie,
Thanks for taking time to comment on this post. First – my name is spelled as ‘Ashwin’ (I know it is a little non-English!)
I can think of couple of other statistics that can help you focus on a narrower group:
- Traffic source like Twitter, Facebook etc. If Twitter is driving you most of the traffic over a period of time you might have something to target these users etc.
- Browser source can tell you if it OK to have some browser specific features in your Blog Design (remember IE Problems!), so that you target Firefox/Chrome users
I think some of the stats like these may not be direct, but indirectly help you improve the blog.
Regards,
Ashwin
Ashwin´s last blog ..Why should you try Readtwit?
Also, there is one more Stats on Language of the visitors which might help you to have translation features on your blog (may be!)
Ashwin´s last blog ..Why should you try Readtwit?
Good post! Regarding Goggle’s Analitics, sometimes I get weird numbers that are hard to believe. Anybody else having the same problem?
KalibreOnline -Games, Life and Ent´s last blog ..Game fatigue and Machinima!
No my numbers are still correct. But sometimes GoogleAnalytics count a hit when the keyword only is beeing typed in google and a user search for. Try it.
Take a keyword like “fagafghaf” place it on a non public site and put analytics on it. Now if you search for this keyword and did not enter the site. Google count it as a hit.
Best regards,
Volksphone!
Volksphone´s last blog ..Usability-Schnelltest für die eigene Firmenwebsite
Hi Ashwin,
My apologies for spelling your name wrong the first time. Thank you for your answer in regard to using Google Analytics.
Gordie
Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..Review: Living in Lanzarote.
No problems at all. I have many friends of mine who got my name wrong the first time.
Nice to know you.
Regards,
Ashwin
Ashwin´s last blog ..Why should you try Readtwit?
PDCA, I would surely keep that in mind. Great post, Ashwin. I love how you break the organic blogging process into a measurable system.
Andi | Web Marketer Depot´s last blog ..6 Clever Keywords Optimization Tricks Worth Knowing
Great, Andi. Yes breaking things up and associating an abbreviation lets us remember things better – don’t they? =)
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
It’s great that you wrote out these step by step. I do many of the steps that you just said but reading it really refreshes my understanding that i need to have a better system.
Another thing that i do is get the best ideas and put them into a bulleted list. That makes the article great and simple to write. It’s great because I united all of the best ideas in one article. And it’s easy to write because i made each idea a paragraph. Voila i have my outline.
So thanks again,
Eren Mckay
Eren Mckay´s last blog ..Overcoming obstacles & failures – instilling a positive mindset
Thanks Eren. Yes bulleted points is a great technique to use. In addition to helping you, they make it easy for the readers to go through the post and understand the central idea. Wonderful!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Great post. All the tips would be very useful to all bloggers out there. They can improve their sites using these techniques. Blogging need dedication, not just the desire of earning money.
Nicolas´s last blog ..Cheyletiella Mange
Thanks Nicolas. Appreciate that!!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Writing list is the most powerful method to refresh your blogging process, I think. I already did this and it works perfectly,
Reza Winandar´s last blog ..5 Tips to Increase the Number of Subscribers for Beginner
Wonderful! Great that you are already using a powerful technique.
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Great post. I particularly like this point:
Don’t just note the ideas – but the “sub ideas” too that would eventually become the content
Something I need to do to get all my points into content. I have so many blog titles/ideas but they’re just not turning into content at the moment.
Sarge´s last blog ..How I Set Up Google Analytics To Track My Blog Stats
Yes. When I first started, the blog titles piled up in a week and when I tried to write a post out of them – mind was virtually blank. So, I make it a point to note the sub ideas too, so that I am equipped to write a post.
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Ashwin,
I got to learn a lot from your article.I have been using mostly “manmade” techniques til now with little success and due to this got disheartened at times and even discontinued occasionally.But for a person like me who loves blogging I would say that one should really follow what you have explained.Thanks
Wonderful Harrison. I am really happy that this post helped you with your Blogging and hence a major objective accomplished. Great!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
First of all i like the name “blogussion’ .
do it right the first time. Sometime we choose a niche for blogging which is not of our interest , but if you realize that after filling your blog with say 100 plus posts than i must say its not the right way to go on with blogging.
I agree completely with you, there are certain things which you must make good since first time you are doing.
-Shanker bakshi
How to Make Money with blog´s last blog ..Cartoon Yourself
Yes – doing it best the first time is always wonderful!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Hey Ashwin…great post especially for bloggers who had just put their hand in blogging…Like you have said everything is worth considering while start a blog…
Once again nice read…
Thanks Jack. Ya new bloggers are the primary target audience for this post but sometimes it even helps the experienced ones, when we forget some basics!! =)
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
Sometimes expercienced blogger know this kind of stuff but didn´t do it because they had a lot of things to do. So these posts are useful for both bloggers beginners and semi blogger. For new blogger to learn and for semi blogger to keep back in mind.
Cheers,
Volksphone!
Volksphone´s last blog ..Volksphone Update
Sometimes expercienced blogger know this kind of stuff but didn´t do it because they had a lot of things to do. So these posts are useful for both bloggers beginners and semi blogger. For new blogger to learn and for semi blogger to keep back in mind.
Cheers,
Volksphone!
Sorry, pls delete the comment before!
Volksphone´s last blog ..Usability-Schnelltest für die eigene Firmenwebsite
Great post here Ashwin! I am very proud of the work you put into the article here.
Anyways, I have been trying to get more involved with my Google Analytics account and trying to figure out how to use it. Luckily, Seth knows it better than me and has been giving me some pointers, but Analytics is a very important tool and it is vital to any blogger to use.
Alex´s last blog ..New Design, New Content – Asnio Back in Full Swing
Thanks Alex! Blogussion is a very good blog which I have been following for sometime now. Good that I am part of the team =)
Yes Google Analytics can get a little complicated for starters – but definitely people can find their way out (as with any other google product). Sometime back GA was obscure to me but now I have even been using their PHP API in one of my projects =)
Looking forward to work with you on Blogussion!
Note: Facelift of Asnio.com is good…
Regards,
Ashwin
Ashwin´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
I like the part wherein you suggest mining your comment section for posts that click with the readers. I usually do the same. Some readers are vocal about what they want, expectations and problems. Some you have to really analyze to get the clear pulse of their sentiments. It’s valuable to pay attention to this part of your blog. It can be your treasure trove of blog post ideas if you look hard enough and listen carefully.
Of course, I like the other points as well. Great points to consider. A must-have checklist to keep your blog going.
jan geronimo´s last blog ..How Blogging Affected My Offline Interaction
Thanks Jan. Yes it is pretty hard to understand the readers’ sentiments. So it is something that has to be analyzed and evaluated over time.
Nice that you found the list useful =)
Ashwin / Thoughts Unlimited´s last blog ..Thesis Theme : Setup Pagination on Home Page
This is a nice refresher for any blogger that has gotten caught up focusing on too many things, and may have lost sight of the basics. It reminded me to bookmark my posts on Delicious more often as well.
~ Kristi
Kristi´s last blog ..Akismet, Spam Filters and Comment Moderation
Thanks Kristi. Yes saving in Delicious is a very handy tip – especially if your post is something that teaches something to the readers.
~Ashwin
Ashwin / Thoughts Unlimited´s last blog ..5 Quick Ways to make your Blog Extremely Popular
One of the major problem I have when I started my blog is how to write unique content and post on the blog regularly, I got lot of ideals by reading other people blogposts and make point from there. That is how I resolved the problem and I also developed interest in blog comment as well.
This was a great guest post.. really liked the concept of PDCA. Will use this technique soon !
Many thanks.
Enk.´s last blog ..15 Premium Portfolio Wordpress Themes
Thanks a lot for your comment. Good luck with the PDCA and your blog
~Ashwin
ashwin´s last blog ..5 Quick Ways to make your Blog Extremely Popular
You´re right. This is a really nice concept.
Volksphone´s last blog ..Volksphone Update – Preis 1,00 Euro (Rabatt)
Good advice. I have been keeping a list of post ideas for about 6 months, but have only managed to do about 3 of them. Most of the posts I manage are out of the blue.
One thing I would add is modifying the title tags of old posts based on incoming terms from Google Analytics to increase traffic on existing content.
David Hopkins´s last blog ..Writing for Search Engines and People
I think a lot of us have a hard time coming up with ideas to blog on, and to blog consistently. I like your idea of making a note of everything that comes to your mind. I don’t know how many times I have had a great idea for a blog post, only to forget about it because I didn’t make a note of it.
To get blog topics I like to use Google Alerts to send me a daily email on my blog related topics. I can often find news, or another blog post I can write a post about.
Analytics is a must use on your blog. You may find golden nuggets, as far as keywords go, that people are searching on to find your blog.
Mike
Mike of Rotator Script´s last blog ..Why to Host Your Own Rotator Script
Google Alerts is one good idea. I will try it out sometime.
Yes Analytics provides valuable information about your Blog’s current status and future directions!
Ashwin´s last blog ..Create a Newsletter from your Blog RSS Feed using MailChimp
Yeh just keep blogging. Keep adding posts. The more you do the more searches people will find you for.
Sell Your Mobile´s last blog ..Sell Your Mobile on Facebook for Cash
Great wealth of information here. The first thing I do after i am happy with my post is use socialmarker.com and bookmark it will all dofollow sites. This gets it indexed fast and traffic as well.
Free Phone Calls´s last blog ..Top 10 VOIP Phone Call Providers
As you indicated at tghe end, I am already doing most of what you mention except for possibly the most important…keeping track of my ideas.
Nice to see it all laid out in a nice list and I’ll be bookmarking it to refer back to.
The PDCA concept is nice also.
Cheers,
Rod
Rod Macbeth´s last blog ..The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee
Great Rod. Keeping track of ideas can come in handy some time when your energy is at high levels. =) Keep visiting us often for more such tips
Cheers,
Ashwin
ashwin´s last blog ..Create Newsletter from your Blog RSS Feed using MailChimp
Very nicely said, most people will write a blog and they let it grow old. I try to update my blog every week and then I ping it in several directories. Getting as many backlinks is the key to heavy traffic.
Joseph Mancia´s last blog ..Acme-People-Search Endorses Wealthy Affiliate University
wow Ashwin,
How many times i have missed so many great keyword and post just due to not note it down. I hope your this post will keep me updated about what i thought so many time and can’t post it on my blog. Be ready google docs and my notepads i am going to write down every single thing.
Cheers
Free International Calls´s last blog ..Google Voice with your existing Mobile Or Landline number
Hey Ashwin I liked your formula of PDCA. I have been following most of these steps except digging. I will stat that soon.thanks
Well first of all thanks for explaining it step by step I really appreciate that someone find a time out of his busy schedule to make people understand the relevance of blogging & carrying it in a professional way.
As we all are aware goggle analytics play a significant role by giving us an exact picture of your blog as how many people have viewed it, in which all areas .
At the end I shall say that this post is very useful for people like me who have a keen interest in blogging & looking forward to make a start in this. Thanks for all your time. Keep writing!
Thanks Michelle. Great that you found it useful.
It is comments like these – that help us keep writing
Ashwin´s last blog ..Attributes of Third Tribe Marketers – Are you there yet?
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