I stopped writing a blog for a long time because Google Analytics and Search Engine Optimisation seemed like two challenges I was never going to crack. I was scared that, if I was writing for the algorithm, I wasn’t writing for me. I was scared that I would try and change my blog and style of writing and it would still sit on the 16th page of Google never to be read. There are a lot of things I need to learn about analytics and SEO and I’ve finally decided it is about time I start trying.
Sitting, wanting to write but not writing isn’t failing anyone but myself and, writing and it ending up on the 16th page also isn’t failing because at that point at least I’ve tried.
I have spent time offline considering where I want this space to go and how I want to use it. What will make me want to write and what might draw other people onto my small page. I believe that’s called your “unique selling point” or “USP” in the world of analytics but to me it was my hurdle. I am someone who in any interview or performance review finds it
incredibly daunting to tell you the good things about myself – the things that might help other people and keep them interested. I know I can do things, I just don’t know how to say that and I forget almost every life experience the
second you ask me to recall them. Working out my unique selling point therefore, was a challenge.
I used to be a teacher so I could write about Primary Education, my experiences in the classroom, and tips and tricks for parents but, I left teaching for a reason, and that would just make this feel like work. Maybe I will occasionally share antidotal stories, but that won’t be my USP.
I enjoy reading but, when I write a review, I struggle to be anything but kind. “This book wasn’t intended for me” is generally my view point if I even slightly dislike a book. I can’t be constructive when I am concerned there if a one in a million chance the author will see it and be even slightly
offended. I also wouldn’t want to be untruthful if I genuinely did not like a book, or even part of it, so book reviews are out the question. Maybe I will also occasionally share a review or recommendation of a book I enjoyed but again, not my USP.
So what is there? I love to write and have a Masters in Creative Writing so perhaps that is it? I enjoyed the physical aspect of teaching and would love to do a PhD and maybe be a lecturer one day if fates allowed so could I share tips and tricks for creative writing? Would people want to read them? I Google tips and tricks every time I have writers block so perhaps sharing some of my research and own writings from those tips is the way to go? I already do that here just focusing more on my writing than on the writing techniques and practices which created the work so maybe I take those to the forefront?
I’m not sure if this is my unique selling point, no doubt I need to add more uniqueness to my USP, but for now it feels like a good place to start. It got me writing this at least!
If you got this far then thank you and I guess, keep your eyes peeled for some tips and tricks coming soon!
I never know how to sign these things off…
Bye for now,
Jen x
Jennifer Pickering 