Like most of you, I often remind myself that ‘content is king.’ Sure things like design are important, but the life blood of a blog is the ‘professional’ content. Yet, when you’re trying to make your blog successful and have only a handful of readers, you begin to wonder. Does content really make your blog? The answer is no. Content is not King.
King of What?
Wikipedia defines ” king as a head of state, who may exercise monarchal powers over a territory, usually called a kingdom. A king is the second highest sovereign title, surpassed only by emperor. The female equivalent of King is Queen … A king or queen may wear a crown or carry other regalia (symbols of office).”
So how does that analogy carry over to your blog? It means the posts or substance of your blog trumps all else — not to be ignored or given lesser priority. The kingdom would be made up of readers (’subjects’). So if you have two readers, what kind of kingdom do you rule? As king, content has no real power over readers. It can not summon them to the blog, nor control how long they listen to his pronouncements. He may have wisdom and great gifts to share, but does anyone know where he lives in the infinite blogosphere?
Taking the analogy apart a bit more, are we talking about the sheer number of posts per week, the number of words per post, the depth of each post, the uniqueness of the thought… ? I think most people would say it means the overall quality of consistent and frequent posts.
Forget the King Analogy
Content alone can not make or break your blog.
- Mass communication – the King or Queen is not the only one with information access. If readers just want content only, they could watch TV, browse RSS readers, or look it up in the newspaper or search engines.
- non-Elitism – everyone can get into the game of blogging, especially teenagers who have few regal airs. Do your exquisitely composed words have more impact then those short burst of grammatically incorrect IM or text messages? Can they compete with the purposely incomplete ’stuff’ around a twitter or short urls linking to multiple blogs? Instant accesss is important. Readers want to feast, with a mix of things at their disposal. Many flit from blog to blog.
- Democracy – everyone starts out as a blogging king (or fool). Forums and groups like BlogCatalog thrive on short informal ‘posts’ and thoughts. Google Searches return more than readers need to know on a specific topic. How can your content compete?
- Competition – kings have emperors as protectors, granting territories to serve as their kingdom. SEO may seem like emperor but they don’t give out favors by birthright. SEO ranking and other magic is based on keywords, and individually indexed words without regard to how you string them together for a quality post.
- Allegiance – Readers may pledge allegiance by RSS feed, but can quickly cut the ties. Some readers comment on your wonderful posts not for quality but for what they get in return.
The King is Dead
If no one knows about your blog’s content, then the King is dead. And for all intents and purposes, so is your blog. Well then, who’s next in line? Who can bring your blog to life and to new heights? — the Answer is YOU.
You, the blogger. Only you can bring passionate efforts to present the blog in its entirety, including great content that is focused at your readers. You can tell if a blog is one sided: only design, only ads, only 65 word posts, no distinctive ‘blogger voice’ with a flavor on what everyone else is talking about. How many new bloggers feel they must publish (anything) daily. Readers need to feel you’ve sweat to push that publish button. On the other hand, how many feel they can only publish ‘pillar’ posts? Well, your readers are not going to wait around for that once a month special. One of your biggest jobs is to engage readers by mixing things up. In the process you define your readers and refine your content, without losing the essence of YOU.
Here are some things to focus on as the new King or Queen:
- Marketing or promoting your blog for real visitors to find it. Readers only arrive by hordes if incited by something really different in your blog — or if ProBlogger publishes your guest post! You need to drive them one by one to your blog, and that takes smart persistence. In the beginning you need to put a lot of effort into spreading the word. Often this can be done with the help of a few friends who support you. And of course, you have to support them if they are starting out. Friends offer to do a guest post, comment on fellow blogs, shout out encouragement and informal constructive feedback.
- Usability, usefulness is important. Before the first visit the need to fully understand what your site provides. Is the text legible, do you allow translation so as not to exclude anyone, can visitors easily find what they want. Use visitor statistics to see how different types of visitors navigate your site. Add a new feature and study the impact. Ask for reader feedback on forums and in your blog polls. The most honest feedback may come from the forum visitor who could care less about forming a relationship or alliance with you — he’s already carved out his kingdom. Live and let live…
- Reader conversations about post content can breathe life into your blog. Is a post really successful if no one reads it and talks about it. The talk can be in the comments, in a tweet, a SU review or just in passing with a friend. You may even discover a mention in a forum post. These act to define your blog’s space. So your content has to be focused to attract a concrete and loyal reader audience.
Your effort is the key ingredient. How badly do you want to be successful, since even non-professional blogging takes a lot of your energy. You have to want the whole ball of wax.
What About Content?
No don’t discard the goal of great content! Early on in your blog that’s one of the critical thing which attract powerful warlords who can help you succeed (read that as allies who have high page rank!) The fewer battles you have to do for subjects, the freer you are to effortlessly write those ‘on target’ posts .
You have my permission to speak up — Even though I have the power as Queen, I will not move your comment to the unapproved dungeon!
photo by Kaotiqua
SBA is a web designer and co-founder of BloggingWithSuccess.net. She publishes 
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{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
The King is dead!!! Long live the King!!!
Now, first of all, let’s just admit, it does sound good “Content is King”…
Regarding the truth of the expression, well, yes, I do believe content is King, and YOU, being the blogger, are the emperor.
And indeed, there are several kings and queens in your empire, as you mention in the article, all of which are more or less important.
Visitors are important, or even more, readers are… But no content, no readers
Links are important, but no content, no links…
SEO is important, but no content, then what is there to optimize?
Design is important, but without content, your design is just a pretty, but empty bucket…
I do think that good quality content is vitally important. You can spend all the time and money you want to market your blog but if you don’t have something worthwhile to show that visitor that you spend all that time and money to attract? They won’t come back.
However, I don’t think it’s the be all and end all, either. If you have great quality content but no one can find it for all the other crap you’ve got on your site, then what’s the point? So design is important too.
And marketing … that may be the king. Like the design element, if you’ve got great quality content but no one knows about it, what’s the point?
I’m redesigning my blog right now and the latter two are what I’m concentrating on, since I think I’ve got the consistent good quality content covered. At least, I hope so.
There is a fine line between the quality and the quantity. The is another fine line between sales and marketing. You can’t sell and Market crap. You can and so many people try – but eventually the people stop coming and stop buying. You need quality content to keep your readers coming. You need to focus on the quality and then if you want to market – spend time learning some SEO and Social Media… No simple formula but the article above will help you plenty!
Just as everyone else said, no one issue of blogging tops another. Awesome content is not real useful if no one knows about it. I think most bloggers think they write at least well enough for others to read. I would also imagine that most bloggers think they have a great layout. Bottom line – your blog is what you make it and your blog is as wonderful as you think it is. I love my blog!
I’m a believer that content is still king. Then the next step is to get the article out to reach the readers. Yeps! That’s about it.
In blogging, there is no king…
They are a family, the design, content, promoting all goes together…
None of it can stand alone or outstand other part, they complement each other.
Your content can’t reach reader if you don’t promote it,
your reader will get frustrated if the design is not navigateable…
So, no more king… but a family~
I think the 3 items you point our are extremely important–especially usability–for helping to increase your loyal base or readers and to differentiate your site from other great sites. And I really like your suggestion to incorporate yourself into your blog.
However, I do have to disagree with you and agree with some of the other commenters. Without compelling content, you can not engage people. Even a great marketing plan will not help keep interest in poor content.
But, you suggestions could help to predispose–or as Malcolm Gladwell says in Blink, “prime”–someone to be more engaged by your content. This may help to convert them, but won’t keep them if the content isn’t great.
Thanks for the post.
@ ‘all readers’ — My thanks go to the brave ones who’ve spoken so far! To the rest of you, I’m still listening, so speak up!
I’m right with you on this one. Success is a combination of the right ingredients in the right proportions at the right time in order to serve a meal that is savory.
Good stuff here, thanks for showing me.
George
Content IS king!!….
Well…. one of the kings…
TIME, Even though its a combination of everything you mentioned in your post. I would have to say time, patience, and want, Like you said “You have to want the whole ball of wax”. Original Content I might add to. Content is good, but if your just copying and pasting you might as well give up I suppose. I started a blog about 3 months back at http://gottv.blogspot.com
and after making about 40 bucks with adsense and learning, and posting about everyday. It wasn’t soon before I realized that all I’m doing is embedding other people’s content, which is the only way you can do one of these blogs, since its a bit iffy legally speaking. But still my point is if non of it is original, if non of it is unique then nothing separates it from the thousands and millions of other sites just like it. That’s why all of my hard work and effort was really for nothing. So that’s why I got to go back start all over and start writing original content. ?About what is the question?
I would also like to add MONEY if you type in blog, blogging or anything else similar. You can imagine the top results. Company’s with lots and lots of money “google,” but no real surprise there I guess.
p.s. adwords dropped me yesturday because “Since
keeping your account in our publisher network may financially damage
our advertisers in the future, we’ve decided to disable your account.” in other words not original. So if anyone actually reads this remember to keep it ORIGINAL
Sorry to hear that you were banned. However, you can start fresh again with original content!
Best of Luck for Future.
Yeah I know and I am working on this now. I’m going to keep whats on that site though and just start a new one GotTaxStories.com a new Community where you can post your stories about any problems you’ve had and help others get through what you already have in dealing with taxes! Hopefully we’ll be able to get the media’s attention (Eventually)
Would love to know what you think of this Idea? I’m working on the graphics now and hope to have it up soon.
And thanks for the comment about my GotTv sites graphics! Appreciate it, your the first to comment and probably one of the first one’s to see it! I don’t know about it though I’ll probably change it pretty soon, it looks kinda girly to me after putting it up and I’m not sure if I care for it.
Idae is nice. Make sure you structure the site well so that people are not lost.
Well, you want to change it, your choice! Although design was nice, very few designs make me say “Nice Design”
I write what I want, it’s especially important if I cannot think anything good of the moment.
But I have to consider the reader first, so when I want to ramble, I usually write something deep first and publish it. After that, I post two or so random posts, maybe telling readers about my life, my problem, my opinion, etc. Hey, the first point me making a personal blog is to record my life!~
In the end, even if King’s dead, there are Queen and Prince. >_<
The truth is that there are far too many no quality and low quality blogs that lack original content flooding the blogosphere these days. And anyone who has any experience at all in marketing or even in being a consumer knows that high quality products sell and low quality products don’t.
Unless you have the ability to write high quality original content on a regular basis, and the skills to structure your blog and posts in a reader and search engine friendly manner, as well as, what it takes to create a blog centered community, and promote your posts further afield, then you will never make a significant income from blogging.
Wrong.
It is true that there are a number of things that go into a blog becoming successful, everything from the layout and design, the quality of content, the marketing and promotion, the featured items, and the amount of advertising on the site plays into whether it is a success or not.
Just like any royal family, there are numerous princes, princesses, lords, ladies, dukes, etc… but there is only one king, and content is king.
A blog with poor web design, good traffic, and quality content can be a success to a certain degree.
A blog with good web design, poor traffic, and quality content can be a success to a certain degree.
A blog with good web design, good traffic, and poor content though has little chance at being a success.
I believe with much of what you said, and importance should be put on a number of features of a blog, but you failed to convince me that content is not king. Nice try though.
@ everyone who took the time to respond so far: You have added so much to the discussion. ‘Future generations’ will see the wisdom of your insights and admire your bravery! Seriously, I didn’t think I would ‘convince’ all of you, but I did want you to voice your thoughts. There is no right or wrong answer. It’s whether or not the discussion turns on any lights for you in viewing your blog’s future. Whether you can help a beleaguered blogger raise his head and ask even more questions and find answers. It’s all about how you look at things from where you stand right now. As Benny said, there are very few simple formulas. Blogging is a complex mix even before YOU are added to the equation.
As Dee said for some “your blog is as wonderful as you think it is” while others only want to please every visitor they can attract. Like it or not, readers need to see YOU as the major part of the blog, otherwise they can read article aggregators. Quoting TumbleMooose “Success is a combination of the right ingredients in the right proportions at the right time in order to serve a meal that is savory.” — unfortunately we have to toil in the kitchen, can’t order take-out! You want to have all invited guests seated and hungry before you serve. Agree, getting them there is only half the battle but a necessary part of success. Again, thank you.
For me, promotion is the king. No matter how good the content is, if there is no one to read them they are as good as rubbish. I remember how I used aggressive marketing tactics when I started out my blog. Now I am relying more on SEO or and posting less frequently to the same number of daily visitors.
Of course I remember your aggressive marketing and your outrageous (attention grabbing) post titles and images! Those techniques definitely worked to build your blog community. But you also backed it up with good content!
Good article. Quality content and helpful information is most important. Thanks for good information.
Glad you found it useful. Did you leave the wrong url — does not point to a blog. I’d like to visit.
I know this is true because most of my most visited posts are really not my best!
LOL. Yes, I have one on blogspot about Firefox’s ‘caret browsing’ and it gets lots of seach engine visits. By the way, you tend to omit the dot com at the end of your url. Wordpress is ubiquitous but not so much that browsers default to it… Also in your About me text. I’ve updated url you left in this comment. I know it easy when the browser prefill as you type — I still don’t know how to delete a bad one that pops to the top.
Hey SBA,
Thanks for updating me.
You just made me realize that there’s a wordpress.org too! My bad.
I wish one of my posts would be approved here because I might submit one sooner than later.
You’re welcome. Did you send us a post? Anyway for further info please use the contact form. Thanks.
Great title to this post! In the beginning, the reality is that your content does not even matter because nobody will find it unless you are picked up by a big website or heavily Dugg and the chances of this are slim.
Nobody will read what you write unless you promote it heavily. Of course, content then becomes important for return visitors.
For people to find you in the search engines, you need to not only write great content but do so with wanted, and non-competitive keywords that are presented with proper On Page SEO.
Overtime, this works.
Now, you will find some masters of SEO that get their pages on the top of Google with marginal or even downright horrible content. For them, they endlessly chant that “content is not King” with pride.
So, how do they get these pages to the top. Links, lots of links.
Who links to bad content?
They do–the owners of the bad content and their buddies with more bad content and zillions of relevant bad content pages
Oh! I guess I should stop chanting “content is not King” lest someone thinks I’m an SEO master with blogs at the top of SERPs…
But then we all know that the SEO master is KING, at least as far as clients are concerned.