Creating a steady stream of new and engaging content for your blog can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve been blogging for a while. As bloggers, sometimes we feel like content-producing machines, as we face the blank screen of our laptops day after day.
If you’re ready to shake things up a bit, consider launching a challenge on your blog. Challenging your readers to learn something new or make a change in their lives is an effective way to build community among your readers, as you get to engage more directly with them.
A challenge can be as simple as taking your area of expertise and creating a set of actions readers can take that will improve their skills in that area. Â Celestine Chua successfully challenged the readers of her personal development blog to take 30 Days To Live a Better Life. She offered some tips on how to make your challenge as successful as hers on Problogger.
Here are some highlights I found useful as I brainstormed ideas for a blog challenge for a client:
Build a Community Around Your Challenge
Challenges present a great opportunity to engage your readers and get them talking to you and each other. Communication tools, such as Twitter hashtags and dedicated forums, can enable discussion around your challenge.
Don’t underestimate the power of blog comments. Be sure to read and reply to as many comments as possible – and always answer questions readers may have. These channels of communication will also provide insights on how your challenge is being received. Use this feedback to make tweaks along the way as your community works through the challenge together.
Use Bite-Sized Tasks
Be sure to create tasks that are manageable and effective. It’s best to present tasks that can be completed on a daily basis so participants can make progress and remain engaged. Use layman’s terms and keep it simple. Your role should be to teach and encourage, not to dazzle and intimidate. If people feel they are gaining ground through your challenge, they are likely to continue.
Keep Time on Your Side
Provide enough lead time so people can learn about your challenge, prepare to join, and spread the word to their friends and colleagues. A week should be enough time to get the word out and allow people to make some time in their lives to complete the challenge.
The duration of the challenge is also important for keeping momentum going. Two or three months may be too much of a commitment for busy people; 21 or 30 days is more reasonable. Even the busiest people will likely devote this amount of time to achieving an important goal or learning a new skill.
Have you ever challenged your blog readers? Leave a comment below and let us know how it went.
Image by Flickr user Eva (Creative Commons)
