This may not work for everyone in every situation, but it could work well for some of you. Once you’ve established a loyal following of readers, and you have some kind of relationship with them, you could successfully pull off an extended “watch while I do something” exercise. What does that mean? Let me explain.

Are you overweight, or just want to get in shape? Do you want to quit smoking? If you have those are similar problems and you’d like to do something about them, you could blog about your progress as you attempt to make the changes. If you are using products to help in your quest, and those products also have affiliate programs, you could also make a little extra money while you lose the weight, get in shape, quit smoking, etc.

Again, this won’t work for everyone, but if it’s something that you might be considering doing anyway, it would be a great idea to share the progress with your readers. Millions of people struggle with these issues, and watching someone else tackle them is both interesting and motivating. In addition, you are forming an even closer bond with your readers than ever before, as you share such intimate details of your life with them.

If your blog or site is totally unrelated to these things, as most would be, you would need to work these updates in to your schedule, without sacrificing your normal content. Your users want what you normally give them, so don’t make them lose any of that. Just add a little extra, on a set schedule, to let them follow along with your personal quest.

(from Smash Mouth. "AllStar" Astro Lounge. Interscope Records, 1999.)

Posted on October 27th, 2007 by DazzlinDonna
Filed under: Forming Connections