Wayne Liew Dot Com was not meant to be a blogging tips blog. What I really want to do with this blog right from the start is to fill it up with daily rants, pull it through the first 3 months and start earning money with it via paid posts.
I slowly changed my style, in fact the whole direction of the blog is changed. I became interested in blogging and got fascinated by just replying e-mails to assimilate some simple blogging tips.
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A blogging style change can be of a minor change or a major one which I classify as below:
- Major blogging style change. This change can be a total change of niche. Wayne Liew Dot Com can be an example for this as I switched the blog from a personal blog to a blogging tips blog that you see now.
- Minor blogging style change. This can be a change of your writing style. You might be writing on a commanding tone before this and changing to a more interacting tone is thought by you as the better choice.
Today, I will be providing blogging tips on how you can properly complete the whole transition. Follow my tips below and you will manage to get a successful change of style for your blog without being disappointed. If you think I am disappointed with my decision to change the blog into a blogging tips blog in October 2007, are you of sound mind? 
The Complete Action Plan For A Blogging Style Change
Evaluate the need
Before the change, it is important to think about the need to change. Ask yourself the few questions below and you will find out is there a strong reason for you to initiate the move.
- Will my readers enjoy the new style more than the current style?
- Will me myself be comfortable with the upcoming style?
- Will the change bring in better results for my blog?
- Is the current style starting to bore yourself and your readers?
- Will your blog such as domain name, blog name and ad panels be suitable for something like a niche change?
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Make yourself really sure about going for the change. Once you are unsure about it after everything gets started, the inconsistent blogging style might chase away readers of both ends.
Plan the switch
This planning stage is where most people give up. This is the stage where they realize a change is too much for them and ought to abandon the whole thought.
Some elements that you must also have within your blogging style change plan are:
- Sustaining possible failure. I know it is stupid to think of failure when everything is not yet even started. Everything is not well-planned if there is no back up plan. If I fail in turning Wayne Liew Dot Com into a blogging tips blog, probably, I will just squeeze in tonnes of paid posts to make money (seriously, this is my backup plan).
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- Allocate time for backstage activities. When you have a style change such as a change of niche, you might need to provide time for a blog clean up, notifying advertisers about the change and answering queries from readers regarding the change.
Planning is also about where to start the change (contents, writing style or environment), longevity (will you only make another change after 3-6 months?) and competition factors (are you moving in to a niche with a blood war going on?). Of course, to fully go through this step, you might need your own observation, data analysis and opinions from experts.
Change slowly
Don’t give your readers a shock with an instant style change. The ongoing change must be done slowly as readers that are here for your previous style will need some time to digest or "test drive" your new blogging style.
If you prefer the instant change approach, I would suggest you to announce it to your blog readers as I am sure that sometimes, it is good to let them prepare for what is coming rather than criticizing you later for the decision that they might think was made poorly.
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The following three ways is what I recommend you to implement if you have decided to give your blogging style a change.
- Insert posts with new blogging style in between your current post schedule.
- If it is a writing style change, you can try to write with the new style for one or two paragraphs.
- Try commenting on blogs that you have close connection with the revised blogging style to show signs of the change.
Stay focus on path set
When you are three or four days into the change, you shouldn’t be thinking about reverting to the old style or a new change. It is hard to retain loyal readers if you keep on changing your style of writing.
Stay focus on the change that you have planned. You are now looking to improve your blog, not to mess around with it. Thinking of other changes at this time will only cause you to miss out some vital points about the change and reduce the enthusiasm in you for this change.
Track the results
This is always the important factor of any plans. When you have changed your blogging style, what is the response of the traffic and subscribers? If it is just a mere changing in writing style, the trend of your stats will not have a high differences compared to a change of niche.
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Remember, stats is not the only thing that you should be looking. Readers participation via commenting can be added to the results of a writing style change.
Improve the change
You will only arrive at this point when you are satisfied with the whole progress. Now, you can think of other changes that can go hand-in-hand with your blogging style change. A few examples of changes can be done are:
- Blog theme/template
- Sidebar widgets
- Tagline change (Wayne Liew Dot Com: My whines and rants about everything –> Fooling around the blogosphere starts here)
- Blogs that you read and participate
- Blogging network - Not necessary ditching your old blogging mates but it is time for you to introduce yourself to bloggers who shared the same blogging style.
A Change Or Not A Change In Blogging Style?
I have all the tips for a successful blogging style change. However, do you think a blogging style change will be a good idea for your blog? Are you ready to sacrifice some of your readers because of the change?
Have you did a blogging style revamp to your blog before? What are the results that you get?
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January 24th, 2008 at 2:13 am
I changed my blogging style one time… I started writing about lifestyle and business in general, and while I wrote some good stuff, I found that I was getting more traffic and RSS subscribers when I introduced blog tips and marketing tips to the mix. I know that blog tips and internet marketing blogs are pretty competitive, but I enjoy the way I’m writing now more than I did before, and my readers seem to agree as well.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:05 am
A blogging style change can be good and the only solution if your blog has plateaued. Ultimately, it all comes down to what appeals to a majority of your readers. Whenever you make a major (or even a minor one, for that matter) change, you are bound to loose some readers…
As for me, I haven’t really had a major blogging change. Only minor things like my writing style is better now…
January 24th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
@ Chris
There is something about blogging tips and the marketing niche. Traffic will not cease if you have contents that are solid enough even though these niche are one of the most saturated.
@ Ruchir
Experimenting new blogging styles can help to bring in new readers in a way that you might have never thought of. I will try my best to retain current readers but a large chunk of new readers that are potential loyal readers must not be missed as well.