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You may have the best content, but nobody is reading it. There’s a reason. Let’s start with the mechanics.
If those two things do not tell your story in a way that captures the reader’s attention, you will lose them.
Welcome to the world of online blogging.
There are three main parts to any blog article. They are the title, photo, and content. The most important part is the content, of course, but not initially. It’s your title that tells the story first—in concise written form, while your image continues the story in pictorial form.
A good title and photo lead the reader to a place they want to go. If the title and image are vague or inconsistent with the content, the reader will move on to something else.
If your presentation stimulates, they will read (or scan) the content. It’s like the tried and true evangelism method: you have a thirty-second speech, a five-minute speech, and if the person still has an interest, you sit and talk about Jesus over coffee.
Unfortunately, too many Christian writers do not understand this, and they do not have the gifting to write good content, including their titles and images.
It is an incremental process that introduces the reader to something special while holding their attention to the end.
Part of what I’m talking about, of course, is a gifting that comes from God, whether common grace gifting to the unbeliever or mercy to the believer.
Arguably the greatest gift is being interesting.
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man (John 2:24-25).
Insight into the human mind, which all Christians have access to, is an absolute must. Jesus was the best at doing this. Nobody needed to tell Him about humanity because He already knew how people thought.
Most bloggers come up with titles they like, but it does not relate to the reader. Rather than immersing themselves in the reader’s psyche, they map what they want to say over them the reader, hoping that concept will resonate with them.
Result?
Few readers because they are talking about themselves rather than the reader.
People are not interested in me but in themselves, so I have to write with their interests, needs, and desires in mind.
Steve Jobs was one of the best at doing this. He knew how to focus on what the customer wanted. He had a remarkable other-centered worldview. Though his real motive was probably to create stuff and become rich and famous, he understood the key to success: have an other-centered point of focus.
Amazingly, he could create something that nobody wanted (the iPad) and make it ubiquitous. He knew how to “think like them” (the customer), which enabled him to give them what they wanted, even though they did not think they wanted it.
Our most vital need is for financial supporters. If you can help us, will you? We are doing more, and people are asking for more. To keep up, we must hire more while developing the resources to meet the demand.
Main Photo: © Milan_Jovic from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com
Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.
In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).
