The Case for Reinvention

Last year was one of reinvention. When I started Freelance Writing Jobs three years ago, I was the only writing blogger on the block offering a daily list of leads for freelance writers. Three years later, blogs listing freelance writing and blogging leads and jobs are a dime a dozen. I know I’m not the only blogger experiencing this, either. While I do believe there’s room for everyone in the blogosphere, it’s also kind of frustrating to see everyone doing the same exact thing. What’s a blogger to do?

Refocus

Can you think of another focus for your blog while still staying on topic? The reason people visit my blog is to find work. Wouldn’t it stand to reason they’re also interested in reading articles about the best way to find said work? When I stopped featuring ONLY jobs, the numbers went way up. Now FWJ is more than just a “jobs” blog. It’s a writing community.

What can you do to set you apart from others in your niche?

What do I have to offer that the other guys don’t?

• Background – With over a dozen years in publishing, I know what editors look for and the mistakes many new writers make. As a former group editor for an Internet content portal, I know a lot about writing for the web, and getting web writing jobs. I also know many of the mistakes new writers make. How does your background set you apart from the other bloggers in your niche? Can you use it to your advantage?
• Experience – In addition to the aforementioned publishing and editing experience, I’ve been writing for the web on a freelance basis since 2000 and blogging since 2005. Is your experience such that you can use it to become an authority in your field?
• Community – By focusing on my community and writing for them, I managed to make it about the FWJ community and not so much about Deb Ng. Moreover, by encouraging group participation I made FWJ a place where people share ideas and engage in lively discussion. How can you include your others to make your blog more of a community?

The Result

Before my reinvention, my numbers weren’t bad. I had a loyal readership, but traffic stagnated. After changing focus traffic went way up and continues to rise.

New ideas are rare in this day and age. Every day thousands of new blogs are created, some just like yours. What are some of the things you can do to stay fresh and keep your readers coming back for more.