Are You A “Teacher’s Pet” Blogger?

26 | Posted In Blogging by Guest Author

This is a guest post by Laura Roeder.

Remember what it meant to be the “teacher’s pet” in school? The term describes a kid who is sucking up to the teacher, a kid who is more interested in pleasing their teacher than their peers.

Being the teacher’s pet may have gotten you ahead in school, but it can be hugely detrimental to the success of your blog.

When I switched gears to social media consultancy, I decided I wanted to start a weekly newsletter as a marketing vehicle for my business. Knowing the important of consistency, I was fully committed to never missing a single week so I decided to plan out an editorial calendar ahead of time. (You should do that for your blog as well, but that’s a whole different post!)

As I started to plot my calendar, I quickly saw that generating content every week was going to be no easy task! How could I come up with some kind of novel, innovative social media strategy every week?

Walking along the beach (my favorite thinking spot) it suddenly came to me – the answer to my problem was NOT to focus on the innovative and cutting-edge. Instead, I should focus on the basic, the boring, the totally elementary.

At first, when this idea hit me, it made me uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be winning any social media awards explaining what a retweet was, or how to send a message on Facebook. No one would invite me to their conference to speak about that.

But who was I really writing for? The conferences and award committees? No. I was writing for my customers. And what seemed “basic” to me and my fellow social media gurus was EXACTLY what my customers wanted most!

This is a huge mistake almost every blogger makes. They want to be known, they want to be innovative, they want to be daring. The problem with this is what is most exciting to you is likely WAY over your reader’s head! Of course this depends on the industry. If you’re a heart surgeon blogging for other heart surgeons, have at it!

But if you’re a heart surgeon blogging for patients, the most brilliant theories will leave your patients bored and confused. Your peers won’t be too impressed by your entry explaining in layman’s terms what a heart attack really is, but your patients will love it.

Blogging for your peers is being the teacher’s pet – you might win industry awards, but will it gain you any customers? Will it speak to the people that you really want to reach?

Here are a few tips for making sure you’re not a “teacher’s pet” blogger.

Run your posts through the “jargon checker”.

Ask a friend outside your industry to read your posts. Are there words they don’t understand? My favorite example of this is a friend who had a blog for business owners to become better writers. She had a headline about writing better “copy”. The problem with this is that “copy” is a writer’s word – some of her readers though she was talking about photocopies! It’s hard for us to see our own jargon because we’re so used to it. Go to someone who is unfamiliar with your topic to get the real story.

Stop thinking your ideas are too simple.

The topics that are “too obvious” to experts are often the topics that no one else has written about, because all the experts assume everyone must know them already! This is excellent fodder for your blog, the questions that your audience is afraid to ask for fear of looking dumb. To find these topics, start looking for the steps or concepts that come BEFORE what you’ve already written about. If you’ve written about how to set up a chart of accounts in QuickBooks, what about writing about how to open and save a new file? It sounds super basic to you, but I promise you people are out there Googling it, thrilled to have found your blog post.

Remember who you’re speaking to.

This is where you go back to the goals with your blog. If you’re blogging to promote a business or digital product, who are your customers? Chances are they’re coming to you to learn more about a topic that they’re new to. So try to remember when you were first starting out, before you knew all the terms, before you knew all the theories. Embrace the “beginners mind” in everything you write, and your audience will thank you for taking the time to explore topics everyone else has glazed over.

About the author: Laura Roeder is a social media marketing expert who teaches small businesses how to create their own fame and claim their brand online. She is the creator of Zero to WordPress Website and Zero to WordPress Blog.

Free eBook!

Like what you read?

If so, please join over 12,000 people who receive exclusive online business and blogging tips, and get a FREE COPY of my eBook, Six Figure Blogger Blueprint (PDF and MP3)! Just enter your name and email below:

  • Batman

    So, I guess the first step would be to have actual goals for the blogs I write for. I wrote those down once actually. Can't remember where….

  • http://twitter.com/mikeatqazam Michael Senchuk

    Interestingly, I just got through setting some new goals this morning, as upon reflection of the last couple of months had achieved most of what I had set out to do in this quarter.

  • http://www.tissotweet.com Tulip1810

    And the point is…can I be a teacher's pet? Do I have the stuff to communicate with the right people?
    Do I get my point across? I am making myself understood? Ok….I would just like once in my life to be a teacher's pet! Never was….how about now?

  • http://www.tonyclingan.com Tony

    Laura is right, if we try to be clever it really doesn't get results, I get the biggest number of clicks on my blog from a conversational post, far more so than when I try to directly sell from it

    We lose sight of that at our peril!

  • paulpiotrowski

    Amen. Brilliant post. My only confusion is that in your “About the Author” at the end of the post you label yourself as a “social media marketing expert” and someone who teaches businesses to create their own “fame” online, but your article kind of points out that the newest marketing tactics are not always the best and that you shouldn't Blog to be “famous” but to actually connect with your audience.

    I know there is no contradiction here, but my brain is kind of confused. Could you clarify. Very good article though.

    I'd also like to hear more of what you have to say about consistency in Blogging. That is one thing I haven't been very good at with my Blogging in the last 4 years. I only write posts when I'm inspired to write them, I can't seem to schedule a post to be written on any specific day of the week or every day etc. Also, when I do write two posts in one day I can't NOT post them, LOL. I'm way too excited to share what I've written so I want to post them both on one day and not schedule release them.

    *sigh*

  • http://mttoolsonline.com/blog Kathy Nicholls

    This is timely

  • http://mttoolsonline.com/blog Kathy Nicholls

    Well I sure meant to say more than that but somehow hit the wrong button! This is timely as I am evaluating goals on my blog. I am in the process of doing a reader survey and it is pointing out just what you say about the readers really wanting the basics. I appreciate your insight here.

  • http://twitter.com/yolandafacio Yolanda A. Facio

    The “Teacher's Pet” term actually got me to the article, so great headline! I admit I have been guilty of writing about intermediate marketing concepts on my marketing blog. I once did a video post and asked some marketing types to look at it for comment, their first responses were that it wasn't beginner enough and that I should explain USP and target market. I admit was a little dismayed at having marketers ask for a definition (subject for another day) but have since realized that the majority of readers are looking for basic, helpful information. And they are also looking for the right voice. Not every blogger “speaks” to you but when you find one that does, even if they tell you something you've read before, they are more likely to connect and, therefore, become a customer.

    Thanks for the great post.

  • Brigitte

    Absolutely spot on, Laura. Just yesterday I read one of David's posts about changing the homepage of your blog. It mentioned copying a file, then editing it. And that's where I got stuck for quite a while. Copy, yes. I get that. But from where…. to where…..??? It's often the little things that everyone with experience just takes as a given, but freshly hatched newbies like myself get stuck on. We need the idiot's guide to blogging please.
    Thanks for pointing out the obvious. A great post.

  • bruneiandollar

    Ok, now I'm confused about myself. Am I a Teacher's Pet Blogger? I used jargons but they are understandable. I sometimes write topics that are too simple. Heck, they are also quite unique because I'm hitting my local market. The articles impresses both my customers and peers (not many but some). So where does that leave me? Anyone?

  • http://robbiejjohnson.com/rockstar Robbie

    Great advice! Don't want to talk over anybody's head.

    Robbie Johnson
    Home Business Revolution Underground

  • CarlBurke

    I would have to totally agree, I asked a friend of mine what he thought of my blog post and his answer. I sounded a little mundane, he said that it was like you were walking past a poetry reading and you look in and turned and walked the other direction. Also added that he could see that I had done the research, but felt that I was talking above the readers head. Adding the facts that most people that surfing and searching the internet, are looking for things that catch their eye. May it be funny, strange or something that they can relate too, and the last thing you want to do is pull out a text book. So lesson learned, I have taken a new direction in my post and trying to make it a little more personal and fun and work the data in.

    Carl Burke

  • http://www.cachandochile.com Margaret

    So true in many fields. A fellow winewriter once said that we were all just writing for each other, that the “real consumers” didn't really care about the technical stuff, they just wanted to know if it tasted good and how much it cost.
    Same can be applied to blogging… first rule always- give your readers what they want- and what comes before the first rule? knowing who your readers are!

  • michael somers

    I think ,where you find true personal success is where you'll find someone who will tell you, i never lost sight of where i came from. That seems to play a a huge part in who we really are. one of your want a be's

  • http://bradleydurham.com Bradley

    It seems as though there are 1,000 different blogs covering the basics in most categories. By only writing for the beginners, you are pandering to the lowest common denominator. Not to mention, it has to be incredibly dull to always talk about the basics.

    While I want to have readers and give them useful information, I have to write for me a little too.

  • Mark Mobley

    Know thyself. Know thy reader. We are at the beginning of a big wave for blogging. Those like Laura who do not forget the new people coming on will have a much stronger ride than those that just write for the cutting edge. Thanks Laura and David. We beginners appreciate you.

  • Aabigmack

    Thank you David

  • http://davidrisley.com David Risley

    I think it depends on your niche and your intentions. I know, on my tech blog, Laura's advice is very pertinent. Its all about target audience.

  • http://www.simplehomeorganization.com Melinda

    You are so right. I've just recently realized that the articles I think are so simple that probably everyone always knows the information…end up being my more commented and popular articles. Blogging is a strange experience some days.

  • skrahn

    Thanks David (for sharing Laura's insights) and Laura (for reminding me that simple is really where I need to begin!!) It's so easy to start thinking about making your blog topic more “technical”, so that your peer readers wont think you're not that educated. I needed to hear this, thank you very much!!

  • http://evengrounds.com Tom

    Right on. This recognition just doubled my readership recently. When I started writing about issues which I would think were common knowledge, people started interacting with me much more. Then, I asked my audience what they wanted to know about. Almost without an exception, things which I would have never posted. But I did, my newsletter subscription doubled in four months, and even when I don't post I get a higher daily readership than I used to get for a more popular post a year ago.

  • http://www.undergroundelephant.com/undergroundelephant_network.php ConnorBringas

    Great post, I enjoyed the guest post. People like things simple. Maybe they know the information already so what why not read it again if you make it personable. Complex articles take to much thought to read. If people are skimming the net they want simple

  • http://buzzmedia.com.my/ David Wang

    It took me a while to come to Laura's conclusions on my own too, and so I see your concerns Bradley. I find that my audience are mainly people I connect with personally or through social media. And since the audience are also my potential customers, I want to make sure that I can provide them relevant (if basic) info. Despite Google and social media channels the chances of individuals serendipitously finding your blog *who is also a potential customer and will become a loyal reader* is kinda low. Laura's strategy is great to build yourself a name and platform to go on to bigger things. My 2 cents :)

  • http://www.LauraRoeder.com Laura Roeder

    “but your article kind of points out that the newest marketing tactics are not always the best”

    Hmm I think you're assuming that getting famous involves some whiz bang techniques, but this post is exactly in line with the other strategies I teach for small businesses to become known as #1 in their field.

    Blogging is one of the most effective tenets of social media marketing, and this post is all about how to use a blog to connect with your audience and therefore become well-known. Maybe not well known among your peers, but well known among your customers which is much more important! And really you'll probably get well known among your peers as well when all of your customers can't stop talking about you.

  • http://blog.flyingcows.co.cc Flyingcows Digital Blogger

    I couldn’t agree more, thanks for putting this into perspective, it stirs up the brain juices.

  • http://www.womanzworld.com/ Natalie Sisson

    Really timely thanks David. I always aim to provide value in my newsletter and have worked it into a schedule along with my blog editorial but I often forget that what may seem simple to me now that I know it through and through is not to someone else and that basic, useful how to and tips and tricks are really well received.