More than 2 million new blog posts are published each day.
Let me say that again: more than 2 million blog posts are published each day!
2 million. That is more than 83,000 an hour, 1,388 a minute, or 23 every second. That’s a lot of freaking blog posts!
To keep your visitors coming back to your website again and again, it is vital that you are memorable in some way. You need your visitors thinking about you and your blog while they are away, eager to come back and read your next post.
In order to do that, you need to stand out and become memorable in your reader’s minds. While most bloggers blend in with the millions of others out there, it is fortunately not difficult to stand out and become a memorable blogger. Nor it is hard to create a memorable blog. By following these 7 techniques, I assure you that you’ll be on the minds of your readers far more often than you ever have been before.
1. Be Exceptional In Whatever You’re Doing
Nobody remembers average.
Burn this into your mind.
Nobody remembers average.
People who are remembered for something do that thing exceptionally well. They are the exception. They are greater (or worse) than the rest, and they are remembered for it. Why?
The quality of being rare makes something valuable. Average is in such high supply that it’s practically worthless.
Imagine you’re watching a 7-person footrace. 6 of the runners are decent, but there’s one guy that’s sprinting way ahead of the pack.
Tell me who’s going to be remembered? Tell me who’s going to get all of the attention, the new opportunities, the advancements?
It’s the guy who was the exception.
Now look, we’re not just talking about content here. We all already know that exceptional content is what gets the viewers, the social shares, the backlinks, and all of the exposure. Yes, you need exceptional content. But if you want to truly be memorable as a blogger, you need to be exceptional in whatever it is that you’re doing.
Writing a blog comment? Make it longer and more valuable than everyone else’s. Forum posting? Show up consistently every day and that community will start to recognize and remember you. Selling something? Follow up relentlessly, or another marketer will get their attention instead.
This isn’t hard. It doesn’t necessarily take more skill or some secret knowledge for this to happen – you just need to put in greater effort than most people are willing to do. Which brings me to my next point…
2. Take Greater Action Than Others Are Willing To
A lack of action is the only reason one can not become memorable as a blogger and the only reason one can not achieve success in life.
There is a sickening growth of people thinking that it’s ok to do ‘just enough to be comfortable.’ Whatever the hell that means. That’s an average way of thinking and I assure you that those who do ‘just enough to get by’ will have exactly that – just enough to get by.
In other words, you will never prosper, you will never truly be comfortable (because you risk losing it at any moment) and you will never be remembered because you’re just like everybody else.
Quit lying to yourself. You do not want to be comfortable. You don’t want a ‘moderate level of success’ with your blog. Everybody wants to fit their image of extremely successful. The problem is that they are not willing to take great enough levels of action to achieve that level of blogging success. Not only that, but many bloggers underestimate the amount of work it will take to get to where they want to be.
Working for the sake of working isn’t a smart idea, but it’s always better than doing nothing. Find out what types of action you need to take to move towards your goals, and then take those actions in much greater quantities than you previously have been. Maybe it’s sending out more 1-on-1 emails to leads. Maybe it’s investing more in your education. Maybe you’re already doing a lot of the right work, but you’re just not doing enough.
One thing’s for certain – do nothing, and you’ll be forgotten. Do more than what others are willing to, and you’ll be remembered for it. It’s that simple.
3. Hold Strong Opinions – And Make Them Known
I like to say that if you aren’t pissing somebody off, you aren’t holding strong enough opinions.
Here’s the thing about making your strong opinions known. Some people will love you for them. Some people will hate you for them. Either way, they’re still thinking about you.
Want proof of this? Look at the politicians – particularly the more outspoken ones. These people are focusing on attracting the right type of people rather than everybody, and are very vocal about what they believe in. This spurs an intense emotional reaction in people of one of two extremes – they either strongly agree, or strongly disagree. Either way, these people go on to advertise their message for free.
Go on any social media website and you’ll see what I mean.
We all have opinions, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Try to appeal to everybody, and you’ll end up truly connecting with nobody. You’re not going to stand out. People will find a blogger that does connect with them, and they will visit their site regularly instead.
4. Find Out What Bloggers Aren’t Doing – And Then Do It
I’m sorry to say it, but most bloggers aren’t doing this whole ‘blogging thing’ correctly.
There are millions of blogs out there. How many do you remember? Be honest. I read many different blogs each day and I can’t name more than a hundred off of the top of my head.
Most blogs are abandoned less than a year after they are started. Most blogs never make more than $100. Most blogs never reach the goals the bloggers had set out for themselves when they originally started.
Why is this?
It’s because they are not only taking enough levels of action, but they aren’t taking the right types of action either.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.
Most people are afraid to try something new because they fear loss. They fear taking risks – losing time or money. However, doing the same thing over and over again and hoping results will improve is a far bigger risk than making changes.
Here are a few things I’ve personally noticed many bloggers refuse to do, that is hurting them:
- Failing to invest in their education.
- Failing to utilize PPC advertising.
- Failing to create their own product.
- Failing to pick up the phone and call people.
- Failing to reach out to other bloggers and personally network.
- Failing to promote what they offer for fear of being labeled as pushy.
- Failing to make their own rules and try new things out.
The list can go on, and on, and on.
But really, what’s the worst that can happen? You end up turning a little bit of time and / or a little bit of money into a valuable learning experience. And hey, the upside potential is huge.
5. Let Your Personality Shine
The most unique thing about any blog is the blogger that’s behind it.
You are a unique individual with your own unique ideas, stories, and experiences. Nobody in the world has experienced the same thing you have.
Storytelling is used so frequently in marketing because it’s so effective. Stories are easy to connect with, they make the reader more relaxed, and they are unique – and thus, memorable.
You need to take advantage of the fact that there is only one of ‘you’ in this world and milk it for all that you can.
It is so important to be your authentic self when writing online. You may feel like you have to form some ‘image’ to give to people, but this is actually a bad idea.
Be yourself. Be honest. It’s easy. And like any interaction in life, those who like you will stick around, and those who don’t will leave on their own.
6. Be Everywhere At Once – Achieve Omnipresence
McDonald’s. Apple. Starbucks. Nike. Coca-Cola.
I guarantee you know what all of these companies sell.
Why is this? Because these brands are freaking everywhere. Everybody knows who they are, and everybody knows what they sell.
These companies have achieved omnipresence in their field, and the product they sell is almost synonymous with their name.
Why wouldn’t you want this? It’s incredibly powerful.
The only problem is that it isn’t exactly easy. It takes work.
You need to be posting on social media multiple times a day. You need to be active on the forums available in your niche. You need to show up on new blog posts that are being published with a valuable comment. You need people seeing you everywhere, until it gets to the point where people are thinking about you even when they aren’t seeing you.
Show up enough and in people’s minds, you will become the ‘go-to’ person for your niche. This can take a long time to achieve, but when it does, you are now unignorable.
7. Want Success More Than Anyone Else
Everything stems from this.
When you truly want success and it becomes a real priority for you, you will do whatever it takes to make it happen. This simple fact is going to be make you far more memorable than your competitors.
You’re going to take far more action, you’re going to take far more risks, and you’re going to rebound from failures much more quickly because you are so driven to succeed. Failure is no longer an option and you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.
This rubs off on people and has a positive impact on your memorability.
I remember back in January of this year, I was looking over last year’s numbers and realized there was a huge change towards the end of the year. My growth had been relatively linear until July, when it started accelerating rapidly.
Why was this I wondered? It turns out, this was about the time I started getting really close to Jordan. If you don’t visit here often, let me use this excerpt from an interview I did to share with you who she is, and how she transformed my business.
During this period of my life, I had less time to work than ever before, yet I was growing at rates I had never seen previously.
Why? I wanted it more. Most people have no idea what they are truly capable of when they are actually driven. When you put yourself in the right frame of mind, you can achieve things that you had never imagined possible.
I’m not saying this to sound ‘guru-y’ or make you feel good. I’m telling you this because I know it to be true. I believed for a long time that I was operating at my maximum potential. Clearly I had no idea what possibilities were there. When that switch flipped, I became a freaking maniac. I went into overdrive mode and you had better believe that I woke up every day looking to dominate.
I want to help you flip that switch.
The truth is, nothing in life will have a greater impact on your success than your mindset. Without the proper mindset, it doesn’t matter how much technical know-how you have, you’re never going to put it to use in a way that will lead to results.
Likewise, with the right frame of mind, you can take any situation you’re in and make the most of it. You can get to wherever you want to be, and find happiness in any area of life – whether it be financial, personal, familial, or even spiritual. Success is there for the taking.
Sign up for my Success Simplified course and I guarantee you will come out it looking at the world in a completely different way. The ideas presented in this course are unlike anything you’ve ever heard before and I promise if you take them seriously, your life is going to change in monumental ways.
But you’ve got to want it.
Conclusion
Think of a few bloggers you know, and analyze why they’ve come to mind.
What was it about them that caused you to remember them?
Know the answer to this question, implement the techniques shared with you in this article, and you’ll find more and more people will be coming back to your site far more often – and spreading the word about you as well!
– James McAllister
Hi James,
Great advice once again! I do believe the best way to stand out and be a memorable blogger is to be real…never fake anything. Show people who you are and what you love to do in business. Write the best content you can. And yes..write whatever the hell you want!
I do get most of my content from people asking me questions and if I see a pattern there, I will address that issue in a blog post.
When it comes to goals…we all have to be mindful to raise the bar. We grow up and live a life with expected amounts of money. But when we are entrepreneurs, it is a different lifestyle and we have to raise the amount we thought would never come to pass, because it will.
And we have to work…we need to always be learning and being everywhere online. Sounds crazy? Not at all if one develops a system for themselves and sticks to it. The best thing I believe to be memorable is to bring unique qualities to the table.
When I think of different bloggers, I associate them to what they do. One of them I visit all the time because she writes about wellness. We all need that! Others, are marketers. Some are so darn unique, I cannot wait for a blog post to come out…errr that would be you under that category James…Really.
All the best,
-Donna
Donna Merrill(Quote)
Hi Donna!
Right on. Far too many people think they need to conjure up some fake image for people to see. Not only is it a lot more work, but it’s pointless. If you be yourself the people who connect with you will remember you and come back again, and those who don’t will leave on their own. It takes no effort but it’s far more effective.
You make a good point about systems. This is where the real value in my businesses is. I am crazy about developing a system of systems that all work together which each other to handle tasks effectively. Not only is it more efficient if you’re working by yourself, but then you can outsource parts of this system to other people to free up even more time, which you can then focus elsewhere.
In the end it’s all about doing something unique – whether it be having unique qualities, a unique story, a unique set of actions. Blend in with the rest and you’ll never be remembered, that’s for certain.
Thanks Donna and I feel the same way!
James McAllister(Quote)
James, LOVE this advice.
I am really struggling with #5 though 🙂
Hahahaha…..I love 5. You become memorable by playing your personality to the hilt. You do this damn well man. I do my best to create a 1 of a kind experience each time folks read my blog. It’s so fun to take that route too. We were designed to shine, not hide away.
I’m learning about a powerful, persistent follow up from you James. Doing it with my eBooks regularly and wouldn’t you know, I scored 37 stellar 5 star reviews in a week by being persistent, by asking, by sharing and just by being dogged, as you advise.
Thanks dude!
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph(Quote)
Hahaha what a joke Ryan.
You’ve got branding, voice, and personality down more than most other people out there and you are incredibly memorable for it. I could read a few paragraphs of your writing and know it’s you without ever having seen you rname on the page. There are very few people I could say that for.
And hey, make that 38 because my review is currently pending. Not sure when it’s going to go through.
Always nice to see you Ryan!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hey James,
Great points here but the one point that really resonates with me was number 6. I first heard of this a few years ago when I was in network marketing. The past few years I only focused on blogging and it did get me to a certain level. But as you said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting change and this is what me and many others end up doing. We’re afraid to try something new or taking a different route to change for the better. Thus is why I been squeezing more time to be everywhere and less on just my blog.
Great post James! Have a great week!
Sherman Smith(Quote)
Hey Sherman!
Sounds like a good idea. Far too many people spend far too much time on their own site and not enough time on other people’s. When you show up everywhere it’s hard for people NOT to remember who you are.
I think that many businesses do not put enough value on this sort of marketing because the results aren’t always directly measurable. But there is a lot of value of people seeing your name, your brand, and your message even if they don’t buy something right away.
Of course, you do need a plan in place to capitalize on those people, but it doesn’t always have to be right then and there. Since using social media simply to build brand awareness and show up more often on people’s computer screens, my sales have increased dramatically. And of course, this is only going to improve over time.
Good to hear from you Sherman!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James
Love this one, especially the first point.
Being exceptional is something we should all strive to become. Two days ago I recorded a short video featuring (and interpreting) a success quote from actor/comedian Steve Martin. When asked about the secret of success his answer was simple:
“Be so damn good that people can’t ignore you.’
And it doesn’t matter what field of endeavour – sports, music, arts, culinary, business including blogging – the spoils go to those who stand out. Sure there may only be room at the top for one person, but there are still plenty of other spots for people who excel at what they do.
You don’t need to be the best in your field. Often – at least in the marketing arena – perceptions count for more, than actualities. Creating the impression in the minds of the audience that you are the best, will mean in effect that you are indeed ‘the best’, even if you’re not! Figure that out.
When I was a teenager, I wanted to become a pro jazz musician. One day I said to my guitar teacher that I didn’t think I was as talented as some other players. His response floored me:
“Most of the top players are not geniuses when it comes to playing the guitar – there are others with more talent than most of the top guys. What often separates the top guys from the also-rans is not just raw musical talent. The key difference is often to do with the way they market themselves. Firstly, they make sure they’re seen all over the place, and network with the right people. And secondly, they create an aura about themselves that makes them SEEM better than they are.”
I never forgot that.
Finally, point 7 – the Why. You’ve found yours with Jordan – brilliant. One of my why’s is to be a hero to my sons. Another is to support poor families in Asia. Having a big why is essential because it gives us the motivation and drive to push forward and strive for excellence.
Great post, James
Kim
Kim Willis(Quote)
Hi Kim! Sorry to take so long to get back to you.
They say you are underpaid until you’re overpaid.. I don’t know if that’s true but it’s clear the big money goes to those who are exceptionally well at whatever it is they do.
The crazy thing is that you and your guitar teacher are so right. I see bad blogs doing well, I know artists and musicians that are crazy good yet receive no recognition, and I know often people don’t get what they deserve. However, instead of whining about how ‘unfair’ it is, those who do go on to do well embrace reality and do what they need to do to thrive. So many people in the arts in particular focus too much time on their work and not enough time marketing their work. Writing a book is easy, but I see value when I see that book being successfully sold.
I was running testing with different packaging for the same product. One was designed to portray quality. I ran a survey to test what people would guess the product was priced at based on its packaging. No surprise that people thought the one with quality packaging was more expensive, and were willing to pay more for it.
Your ‘why’ is a good one. I always think those of us with one that’s bigger than ourselves are going to be the most driven to succeed, and yours most certainly is!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James
Lots of great points here – and I’m thinking I must take this course of yours 🙂 Although I have achieved some success with my online business – it’s just given me the taste for more, so some tips will help me on the way.
Some of your points I already enjoy doing – some I struggle with.
For instance I enjoy telling stories on my blog. At first I thought I should keep my family and personal life out of my blog, but one day I was pretty down and didn’t know what to write about – so wrote about dogs and my Dad’s visit. I was overwhelmed by the supportive and encouraging messages I received. Now my family life features regularly on my blog.
And, as you know, I love hearing about Jordan.
As a part-time online marketer I struggle with “being everywhere” but as I find tips and shortcuts, I add them to my blog to help others.
I’ll be sure to let you know how I get on with your course – I’ve always enjoyed previous courses / ebooks from you, so I’m sure this one – on a different/but related topic – will be no exception.
Joy – Blogging After Dark
Joy Healey(Quote)
Hi Joy!
Yes, you should definitely take the course. 😉
You tie your personal life into your blog very well and it always makes for an enjoyable read. I think the types of stories you share are something we all value so it makes it easy to connect with, and of course, unique stories are always very memorable.
I don’t watch many movies but it’s clear that those which do really well have great character development, you feel a connection with them, and it causes more of an emotional impact during the course of the movie as well as when it’s over. It’s almost the same thing with blogging – only even better because the events are actually true, and our image in people’s minds is always continuously developing.
You’re one of few people I feel like I would honestly be friends with even if we had never met through blogging. The fact that you’re so personal with your writing I feel is a contributing factor to this.
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James
Great post.
You certainly don-t pull your punches, do you? Then again sometimes a good straight left to the nose is just what I need to re-focus the world into perfect clarity. That is what this post has done for me. Especially your punch in in point number two was as close to a knockout blow as they come.
I have been working hard without results. Why? Because I did what was necessary so that I could move on the the next necessary action. It does not work that way.
You have opened my eyes to the fact that you should give more, in fact give all you have. Do it with blogging, with promoting and with every action on your schedule. Do it your way and if you are good enough good things will happen. The recipe is so simple and so easy to overlook.
There is a lot of solid gold in this post. It pressed the right buttons and flipped the right switches for me. I needed it.
Igert(Quote)
Hi Igert! It’s great to meet you.
I’ve always believed it’s better to look at things how they are and base our decisions in reality rather than what we think reality should be. And the reality is that becoming memorable is more important today than it ever has been.
Taking large amounts of action is one of the best ways to separate yourself out from the rest because most people become complacent. Even bloggers and entrepreneurs who are naturally driven people suffer from not taking enough of the right sorts of action. Worse yet, they underestimate how much success requires, so when they aren’t reaching the levels they’ve expected, they tend to get discouraged and retret even further.
I’m glad you found this post helpful and I’m looking forward to talking with you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Yeah, man!
Awesome advice, James. Thanks for that. 🙂 udaman!
Standing out in the crowded blog space is I guess now the most important thing, huh?
I never really thought of that…hmm.
Guess that’s why I’m pretty much unknown, eh!? Lol
Well, thanks for the tips, dude.
You rock!
Julian
Julian(Quote)
Hey Julian! Good to see you here.
So many people out there, so many places people can be spending their time these days, we’ve got to make sure we’re the ones that our visitors are thinking about. Otherwise they’re going to end up thinking about something else, and that doesn’t do us much good hahaha.
I say the more we’re on the minds of our visitors, the better. Especially when they wouldn’t otherwise normally be thinking about us.
Good to talk with you Julian!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James. I like how you tell it like you see it. I agree that most people don’t act like they really want success. The biggest thing that I have noticed is that most people don’t engage on their blogs or on social media. On Facebook and Twitter I have only found a handful of people who are interested in creating anything close to a conversation.
The biggest thing that I could improve on is sharing my strong opinions. Everybody has strong opinions about something but very few people are confident enough in themselves to share them with the world for fear to ruffling someone else’s feathers. It’s easier to keep your head down and go unnoticed, but you aren’t going to make any money, or cause any other change in the world, if nobody sees you.
Thanks for sharing the list. That has given me some things to think about.
Ben(Quote)
Hey Ben, you’re absolutely right!
They claim they want success but they don’t want it enough to really work for it, and they often underestimate how much work it takes. It’s too bad, and it’s why I’ve worked so hard in my success mindset course to change the way people think about goal setting.
It’s definitely a good idea to be more outgoing when sharing your opinions. Not everyone will agree with you and that’s fine, but this strategy works. If you need proof of it, just look at US presidential candidates – many people love them, many people hate them, but everybody knows who they are and what they stand for. And that right there is power!
Thanks Ben, looking forward to talking with you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Very good point about the US Presidential candidates. I told someone else the very same thing on Facebook a few days ago. They don’t care if you love them or hate them as long as you feel strongly enough one way or the other to talk about them.
Share your opinions and get people talking. That’s how people will know who you are. Thanks for pointing that out.
Ben(Quote)
Hey James,
Great points here but the one point that really resonates with me was number 6. I first heard of this a few years ago when I was in network marketing. The past few years I only focused on blogging and it did get me to a certain level. But as you said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting change and this is what me and many others end up doing. We’re afraid to try something new or taking a different route to change for the better.
Zara(Quote)
Hey James, great article! This is a great point you make:
“Here’s the thing about making your strong opinions known. Some people will love you for them. Some people will hate you for them. Either way, they’re still thinking about you.”
I couldn’t agree more. As you say, when you do everything you can to be a nice guy and not offend anyone, you end up connecting with nobody. Good writing!
Rob Powell(Quote)
Hey James. thanks for sharing your expertise. I believe that if you know yourself to be an interesting person, you will definitely be interesting to others. It’s all about learning HOW to write about yourself. Thanks again for the post, looking forward to your other blog entries!!
Patrick(Quote)
I always tell people to make your site known for something. Make it about something you do, or something you have. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a huge, time-consuming task either.
For example, a monthly contest that gives away $100. Or a weekly theme such as “The Monday Question” — in which you post a survey/poll and invite every blogger to participate.
Eventually these things become a “signature” of sorts, as your blog becomes known for doing them consistently. This leads to word of mouth, engagement, becoming more memorable, you name it.
Good stuff, James.
Elvis
Elvis Michael(Quote)
These are all great ways to promote your personal brand, and they are all very true ways to get yourself known, how many runners up in American Idol have gone on to become successful, more than a handful I’m sure all because they were noticed. Putting yourself/brand out there time and time again, in the proper channels will get you noticed, you just have to know where to put yourself for maximum exposure.
sagar nandwani(Quote)
this post is very nice i’m very impressed
It’s definitely a good idea to be more outgoing when sharing your opinions. Not everyone will agree with you and that’s fine, but this strategy works. If you need proof of it, just look at US presidential candidates – many people love them, many people hate them, but everybody knows who they are and what they stand for. And that right there is power!
Govind Shastri(Quote)