Successful Blogging, Promoting WordPress – Performancing Stream of Consciousness

Chris Garrett is running a global blogger survey, and if you participate, you’re eligible to win one of 10 copies of the ProBlogger Book that he co-wrote with Darren Rowse of Problogger.

Darren wrote an inspiring article, 12 Traits of Successful Bloggers. It’s inspiring, at least to me, because I think I have many of the traits (either at present, or have had in the past and thus can recover). The short list:

1. Creative and playful.
2. Innovative.
3. Connectors.
4. Community Enablers.
5. Information Mavens.
6. Communicators.
7. Interest.
8. Entrepreneurs.
9. Originality.
10. Perserverance.
11. Focus.
12. Curiousity.

Now to work on my weak areas, the biggest of which is “Focus” What about you? Which traits do you have? Which do you think is the most important? (I vote for “Perserverance”, because if that’s all you have right now, it’ll carry you through while you build the other traits.)

Every successful blog is built on a capable platform. My favorite is WordPress, and even though I don’t like the latest version, 2.5x, because Custom Fields (an advanced feature) do not work properly anymore, I still evangelize about WP at every opportunity. If you like WordPress as much as I do, you can contribute directly or indirectly to its continued existence. For ideas how, read Jeff Chandler’s 24 Ways to Contribute to WordPress [via Xfep] – strangely unnumbered. Many of these ways are non-coding efforts. If you do decide on #20, Create a WordPress Centric Podcast, check out past Perf articles on podcasting/ vodcasting:

1. Can a Podcast Help Your Blog Succeed.
2. 9 Podcasting Tips.
3. A Beginner’s Podcasting Guide.
4. How to Podcast Using SplashCast or YouTube.

If anyone wants to work on a long-term weekly podcast/ screencast about WordPress for Performancing with me, drop a comment here or PM me. I don’t want to compete with what’s already out there, merely supplement it. My preference is to do a screencast that gives all kinds of tips about WP – including advanced features – shows new themes or plugins, and gives general news.

Even if you just co-produce with me (planning, scripting, editing, feedback) and don’t want to/ can’t screencast, I’m game. You’ll get credit and a link to your blog from here, in each edition. My preference would be for someone who is willing to occasionally co-host in audio, via Skype – but it’s not a necessity. I’m opening two spots for partnering. (This is a non-paying opportunity that could lead to future opportunities and would build your profile.)

If you are going to do voice work, record a snippet of you talking about WordPress and post it somewhere so that I can listen to it. (Read article #4 above.) Accents are fine, but your voice must be clear and understandable.

Oh by the way, you do not have to be a WordPress guru. In all honesty, I’m open to anyone that can help me come up with ideas about what to cover in each episode, and sometimes a non-guru is better for that.