You!
If you look up top you will see a much skinnier me after I got sick and lost 20 pounds in India.
But this was me. This was my story AWAY from blogging.
Watch as I explain a little bit more about me and 5 memorable travel experiences I had in India:
Don’t you feel like you know me just a little bit better after watching the video? You see my human side. You see me as a traveler, a digital nomad, a guy who does stuff beside churning out guest posts like some blogging machine.
Some readers see me in a 1 dimensional light; a blogger. This error is my fault. If I do not share my human side, or my interests away from blogging, you can only see me in 1 dimension. It is tough to connect with bloggers who never share of their life away from blogging because these folks feel less human, less genuine and less authentic to you.
Human beings see the world. Human beings have wives or husbands, and children. Human beings may work full time jobs while blogging part time. Human beings face struggles, have wins, and experience a wide range of stories throughout their lives.
This element is missing, big-time, in the blogging niche.
You!
The you element. The rest of the story. The gal or guy away from the blog.
Blogging Error
Sometimes I submit guest posts to blogs that cannot be placed unless I rewrite in a 3rd person perspective. I do respect how some blogs have a different voice focused on a 3rd person point of view yet taking this tact is a big mistake for most bloggers.
The split second you take yourself out of your blog you tend to create a bland brand. Nothing makes your blog stand out from the millions of other blogs in your niche covering the same old practical tips in the same old, ho-hum, rehashed 3rd person voice.
Unless you become hyper clear on this strategy and build an eye-popping blog and brand, taking you, your story, your personality and your offline activities out of your blog is a major league error that can lead to years of blogging struggle.
The solution: adding you to your blog and brand.
Add your offline interests here and there. Talk about your hobbies sometimes. Share your vacation photos. Be human. Let your readers relate with you.
I related to Zac on a deeper level when I found out he was a big basketball fan, like myself. If he hid that aspect of his personality I’d never have found and made that connecting point.
Serve your readers. Help your followers. Be generous. But don’t forget to differentiate yourself by being you and by working aspects of your personality and offline life into your blog. This is what truly makes you stand out from the blogging crowd in your niche.
Connecting the Dots
I have been told that I seem to be fearless, or bold, or courageous, with the way I blog. I wrote over 1000 guest posts, I wrote and self-published 126 eBooks and I also have appeared on hundreds of sites. But after watching the video above you can connect the dots. You can understand why I may appear to be more fearless then some bloggers. I faced death in India. This experience helped me see virtually all of my online fears were small potatoes. Ditto for my offline fears too.
Now you know why I weave colorful travel tales. I have seen wacky things on the road but spending a few months in a fascinating place like India gives you a new perspective on life plus it sure as heck stokes your creative fires.
By learning just a little bit more about me, and my story, you get to know me better, you can relate to me and you see that I am more than some guy locked away in a cyber cave, blogging all day long.
Can’t you see why this benefits you, to just be *you* through your blog, and to share the rest of your story sometimes?