The 3 C’s of Blogging

February 13th, 2009 / Blogging Tips, General Blogging

How to blog? How to promote content? How to attract readers? How to keep them coming back? The are hundreds of blog offering blogging tips, and Blogsessive is only one of them. But, while running back and forth through the abundance of information, most times we forget about the basic principles of blogging.

Most times, we focus so much and invest too much of our time doing only one thing (ie: writing, promotion etc.) and we forget that blogging is actually a 3 step process, and all 3 steps should get the same level of attention.

These 3 primary steps of blogging are what I call the 3 C’s of blogging, or the 3C process:

Create
Communicate
Collect

Step 1: Create

Create

There is no choice but to create something new, when starting from scratch. Without it, there are no other steps.

Invest everything you’ve got in this single moment in time. Focus on creating something valuable, timeless, helpful.

Create content. Create relationships and connections. Create resources. Create a brand around yourself.

Step 2: Communicate

Communicate

There’s no point in keeping secret what you have just created. And obviously, no results (or ROI if you wish) from it. Are you proud of what you created? Then let the people know about it.

Communicate. Use the relationships you built to communicate. Communicate through them to those further away (just like the Twitter retweet). Use social media. Be proud and secure about the quality of your work, but don’t go over the top. People love successful people, but hate boasters.

Step into the conversations on your blog. Encourage them. When the 3 step cycle is complete, they’ll help you create again.

Step 3: Collect

If you’ve did everything right, now it time to collect the results. It’s time to collect awareness. Time to collect feedback, to collect income.

The better the creation and communication processes, the better the results.

Not a matter of ‘OR’, but a matter of ‘AND’

Remember:

There no point in hoping for results without creating anything;
Without creation, there’s nothing to communicate;
Communicate well and attract better results.

With blogging, the 3 C’s process is a full circle. You cannot choose what to do better. You must do everything, the best way you can. Start to finish.

Photo credits: SXC.hu and altemark

Tags: blogging, Blogging Tips, communication

This article has 9 comments

Helmi Asyraf
February 13th, 2009

I think most of the bloggers hardly have the second point – communicate aka marketing.

They tend to create something new and hope to get the result as soon as possible.

The communicate point tend to be not enough to get what ever they expect for the 3rd point.

For me, the second point is the most important aspect of blog success.
fas
February 13th, 2009

Fantastic post there, i think connecting is very very important, you have to connect well otherwise your content is not of much use.
diane bourque
February 15th, 2009

Dear Blogsessive,
I will hopefully find time to quote you on my blog on this one. I could not agree more that effective blogging and web presence are a combination of the 3 Cs: Create – Communicate – Collect. I will translate them to French as follows:
1. Créer
2. Communiquer
3. Collecter

For French purists, “collecter” will be considered as an “Anglisism” and that’s fine with me!

Love your blog.

Diane
Alex, Blogsessive
February 15th, 2009

Thanks everyone for your comments!

Diane, it’s good that the french translation preserves the 3C concept.
Shirley - Velvet Blues
February 16th, 2009

Very good tips. All too often, bloggers just regurgitate something that they’ve seen elsewhere. And while there is nothing really NEW online, there is always a new stance to take, or a new analogy, or a new list to make. This is what creating is all about.
Johan Nilsson
February 17th, 2009

Great post. Thank you for reminding us of the basics, which is so easy to forget.
krissy knox
February 17th, 2009

Being creative, communicative, and collecting results! What a great way to remember how to get results blogging! Thanks for the post!

krissy knox
my main blog: Sometimes I Think
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy
Mayank
February 27th, 2009

Ah! that is interesting. You’ve actually given the real formula of success in blogging. If someone can do this over and over then success will surely be in their hands.
Adam
February 9th, 2010

I have to say this is an almost perfect formula, that has worked for my blog and I’m sure many others time and time again. I’ll be sure to keep this on hand in case I ever need a refresher!