Ever since I did my guest post at FamousBloggers, I have taken a serious look at when to shut up and listen to my readers. As I reflect on how to start a conversation with someone, I realized that I wasn’t really doing that myself. Creating long enough content is important. However, knowing when to stop talking and listen is just as important.
One thing that a lot of the comments said was that they disagreed with how long your posts need to be. Upon reflection, I see where everyone is coming from. Perhaps I do tend to get a little long winded. I am figuring out when to stop talking and let my readers have their voice.
When you engage in a conversation with your friends, who dominates the conversation? You don’t want to ramble on and on for ten minutes. You get in, make a statement, and then shut up and listen. You let someone else talk, and then you may jump in and say something else. However, you have to know when to shut up in order for the conversation to flow.
As I am reading some of my previous posts, I realize that they sound more like a speech than a conversation. It’s time to quit preaching and learn how to engage people.
It will all come down to two things.
First, you have to know your audience. Do they want to read a long post, or are they looking for a quick read? Some people are in a big hurry, and don’t want to read a long drawn out post. On the other hand, some people want to read an in depth post that really gets into the groove.This will do more to draw them into the conversation.
The second thing to look at is how you are writing. Every time you write for your blog, read through it. A long post can be effective, if it is necessary. A lot of people proofread their articles for grammar and spelling, but do you ever look at it to cut out the fluff? I haven’t really done this up until now. Don’t be too lazy to write less. Go back through your post, and take out anything that is not necessary. You can cut a 1000 word post down to 700 or 800 words, just by killing the extraneous filler.
It will take a little time to get used to the flow, but you can if you take the time.
The funny thing is I have been writing about communication in relationships. Until this, I didn’t really apply it to my blog. but that is what the blog is all about. You want to build a relationship with your readers, and draw them into the conversation. If you learn to listen to your readers as much as you talk to them, you will find that you never run out of things to say, and you may even find yourself with more than just a reader. you may wind up with new friends.
I want to know what you think.
How do you cut the fluff? How do you tell when to shut up and listen?
This post was written by...
James Pruitt – who has written 234 posts on IMRelations Media.
I Started my internet marketing journey in 2008, as I began building simple affiliate sites. Through the years I have worked as a freelance writer, publishing my own blogs and websites, written several ebooks, and now work mainly to help others build their online business through my marketing consultations, personal coaching, and relationship building.
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Good point. I know Glen at ViperChill likes to analyze post length. I don’t follow him that closely, but I believe his philosophy is long = good.
I don’t agree with that. I think quality = good.
There is no length limit to quality. Haikus can be incredibly profound despite the fact that they are rather short. You can also have very long posts that are top-notch too (ever try reading War and Peace?–I haven’t, but I’ve been told that 1500 page monstrosity is rather good).
As far as how to cut the fluff… I guess that’s just an exercise in empathy. Put yourself in your reader’s shoes and ask yourself if they’re looking for a quick fix or a detailed explanation.
When I’m writing articles on a topic that demands a quick answer, I try to give the answer as soon as possible, and then offer an explanation of why it’s the best answer. That way I have a better chance of actually offering the reader what they’re looking for.
Anyway, I’d better shut up. I feel like this comment is becoming rather long…
Thats Ok Clayton. you can get long winded. Sometimes, I find that my comments are longer than the post that I just read.
It all comes down to how you connect with your readers, and knowing what they want. I know some blogs that get hundreds of comments on a 2000 word post, and some that get them with a 200 word post. it is all in how you engage your readers, and also, what they consider too long.
I saw one post the other day that started off saying it was a short post for the day. it was almost 2000 words, but for that blog it was short. Length is all relative to what you normally do.
Great article James! This is for those bloggers who always do the talking and don’t even accept corrections. I know some. Thanks for posting this!
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