Is Your Blog a Ghost Town?


So you’ve got a spiffy new blog set up… and then your heart sinks because nobody seems to care.

An SEO guru would tell you to do something with keywords to drive traffic. A designer would have you change your layout. Someone else might suggest you do more with video.

And all of those could have dramatic results… but what do you do when those tactics don’t work?

Could it be something more?

What I find missing, more often than not, is a sense of knowing why you’re there.

What purpose does your blog serve?

Who is it for?

How does it play an essential role in the lives and businesses of your ideal clients?

How far are you willing to go to make your blog engaging?

How will you personally get out there and drum up interest?

What You Need

If your blog is a ghost town, then something’s not working. It turns from a great marketing idea to a waste of time.

For your blog to be successful, of course you want to have a great layout and use keywords for search engine optimization. But you also need to have great marketing that includes an emotional hook. You need to exude confidence and know that your information is amazing and valuable.

No matter how many bells and whistles you have, without a strong sense of knowing exactly why you’re there, what you have to offer, and why YOUR offer is perfect for your readers… then you’ll stay invisible.

(These are some of the core principles I teach in my program Discover Your Profitable Essence - starts August 18)

So go look at your blog… what can you do to add a stronger sense of confidence?

How can you showcase your expertise better?

What changes do you need to make in the way you market it?

Share your thoughts below, and be sure to check out the transformational possibilities when you join me in Discover Your Profitable Essence.


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About Nancy Marmolejo

I'm a soul-driven strategist who teaches entrepreneurs how to turn followers into fans and fans into clients using social media and heart based marketing. My approach integrates proven strategies and intuitive hits so each client finds her special way to stand out and sizzle in the spotlight.

  • Qatharms

    I blog on the subject of living a life of faith as a Christian. I think the empty areas on this subject are the places where our convictions cross swords with our realities. I try to write on subjects that have some connection with things that are actually happening. I apparently do not come up when people search on terms that occur in the news, or I don't rank high enough to appear on the first page of results. I am not sure how to change this situation.

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Try finding people on social media who match your convictions and reach outand ask them to comment. That would be one place to start.:-)

  • http://www.naturalmigrainereliefnow.com Shila

    Wow – excellent post and really gives you food for thought. I think you've hit the nail on the head: clarifying your mission for who you intend to serve and speaking out loud with confidence are really how you get from zero to hero! Thank you Nancy!

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Thanks for leaving a comment Shila!I always find blogging to be more effective when that connection is made.Glad you see it that way too.:-)Nancy

  • Amethyst

    Yikes Once again Nancy you are SPOT on – I began blogging almost 2 years ago – because someone told me I should blog – however I really didn't have a clue – other than that it was a space for me to pour out my writing and an opportunity to share energy and information with people. I have since gone all around the mulberry bush with video, twittering and other shiny bells and whistles and the truth is I wore myself out in a lot of ways trying to figure out how to GET returns on what I was giving out. Then this spring I broke my arm and that put a screeching halt to a lot – including the writing of my blogs. I'm just starting to figure out now what the true purpose of all of these things are – and how they all fit together – and more importantly which ones are ESSENTIAL – not only to my business but to my own need to creatively express and how best to balance the giving and the receiving so that there is an appropriate exchange going on and so I and my business are nurtured rather than drained. Only when we are full are we able to fully serve others – so this year for me has been about getting re-filled again – Spiritually, emotionally, and financially. My blog might be a ghost town at the moment – but there are signs of life that are popping up again and this time around – my plan is to be much more purposeful about all of it! Thanks to you and your great work for helping me to see that I can be aligned with my essence AND be profitable too…. Keep bringing it like only you know how girlfriend!! Love lights us…. Peace is in you!Amethyst

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Thank you Amethyst! Your story is a perfect example of what happens when "logical" solutions (such as blogging) flop because there's no big personal WHY to give a sense of purpose and motivation. I'm looking forward to watching the blossoms emerge from your blog. You have a message people need to hear!;-)

  • Bakets Byconsuela

    My first few blog posts were me opening up personally on what I was feeling and thinking. I did get some readers and they even commented a few times. Gradually, however, I kept hearing people say that you should blog as a part of branding your business. I noticed that the change in direction has not gotten the same kind of results. I'm still trying to navigate my way around. Thanks Nancy for this article, eventually my results should change. Consuela

  • http://www.melaniekissell.com melaniekissell

    Great insights, Nancy. You can blog into oblivion! But if you don't have a clear understanding of why you're blogging and who you're blogging for, you'll be constructing a ghost town — definitely not an attraction people would care to visit.Your blog, on the other hand, attracts people to it like a fun trip to Magic Mountain!

  • http://www.DiscoveryBeachouse.com Evelyn

    The line between my blog and my newsletter is fuzzy. Do I need both? I want to keep my clients connected to paradise and the nature experience they enjoyed during their stay at my vacation villa in Costa Rica. I have Tip Sheets, videos, photos, guest comments, and 14 articles published on ZineArticles.com I'd like to repurpose but what do I put where?

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Evelyn, just like the rainforest you live in, get out there and cross pollinate! You never know how or where people will find you. I use my ezine as a place to get people to my blog (I use social media for that too) and you just need to keep out there so people will see you. Rotate your articles from your blog to the ezine articles to the article directories.

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Thanks Melanie, and I've put a lot of intention into creating community here so this blog is a win-win for readers and for me. Most blogs I see are just reprints of ezine articles and there's no invitation to engage. That's what will keep the tumbleweeds blowing through the ghost town.

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Consuela, do you ready Kathy Murillo's blog (http://www.CraftyChica.com) She tells the story behind the crafts… and it's so much fun and makes people want to buy.

  • Qatharms

    You might be right. I feel a little silly, however, writing to people and asking them to take time to read my blog and then comment. My experience suggests that there are a lot of them who will then not want to hear from me at all lest I ask them to take on another task. I really don't want to be a pest to my friends. I want to connect with people who like to read and discuss blogs. Isn't there some way to make that happen?

  • http://www.katannutadiamonds.co.za Clare Appleyard

    Great post Nancy – especially as I've just started a new travel blog, so I'll certainly be putting your advice into play.

  • http://www.DiscoveryBeachouse.com Evelyn

    Guess I need both. Is a blog interactive while a newsletter is more informative? Hope you had a great vacation. Thanks, Nancy.Paradise awaits!Evelyn

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    Exacto. Get your blog readers to join your list and get your list to read your blog. Consider every interaction 1 step closer to them staying in your paradise in Costa Rica.

  • http://www.VivaVisibilityBlog.com NancyMarmolejo

    That's a good point, so let me reframe it:If you have something of value, then how can it be pesty?You want to find ways to communicate the value to your friends, and not see it as a self serving act. good luck, I know it can happen.;-)Nancy