What makes hordes of people stampede to a blog, and then come back again and again?
Lots of different subjects appear to interest readers, on the surface…
But when you boil it down, the most successful blogs have articles that focus on one of three primal themes. They:
- Help their readers make money
- Teach their readers how to save money
- Inspire their readers to feel happier
That’s it! Now let’s go into more detail.
Why Money Matters
The bulk of your time is spent earning money, and then you spend additional time trying to hang onto your money. And chances are, if you don’t have much money, you’re trying to figure out how to earn more, right?
Guess what? You’re not alone, either. As a society, we have money on the brain.
To help you understand why, let me take you back. Waaay back to when humans lived in caves and foraged and hunted antelopes for dinner. Back then, our primal fear was starving. If someone discovered a new way to make it easier to hunt those antelope, you can bet that their campfire was packed.
Money, of course, is the modern-day equivalent of antelope, because like antelope, money is essential for our survival. After all, how else can we get food, water, shelter, and entertainment?
Now you may be wondering, “what if my blog isn’t about making or saving money?”
It doesn’t have to be. You can relate almost any blog topic to money in some way.
Personally, I help my blog readers earn more money as freelance writers. By contrast, there’s another successful blog that talks all about herbal remedies and how it can help save money on doctor bills.
All in all, if you write about earning or saving money occasionally, you’ll be sure to attract new readers and impress existing subscribers.
Happiness Is a Serious Problem
While we, as people, are healthier and live longer than any of our known ancestors in history, we are often miserable. It’s quite sad, too. We have more time for joy and happiness, and yet, we spend our extra time feeling unhappy.
Some think the modern era brought about this unhappiness, and while that could be true, Dennis Prager, the author of Happiness is a Serious Problem, says “the greatest battle for happiness is with our own nature” and he’s right. Happiness comes from within.
As a blogger, you can attract tons of new readers by uplifting, inspiring, and increasing the joy of life for people.
Not convinced? Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project has 27,000 subscribers who’ve joined her in the quest to enjoy life here on Earth a bit more.
Again, you’re probably wondering, “what if my blog isn’t about happiness?”
Don’t worry. Like with money, you can bring happiness into almost any blog niche. All you have to do is discover what potentially makes your audience unhappy and show them how to solve it.
Combine Primal Topics for Maximum Effect
These three primal topics—making money, saving money, and feeling happiness—are inter-related. It’s what everyone desires in life, so when you combine them, you create an appealing blog.
For example, Leo Babauta, author of the hugely successful blog Zen Habits, incorporates aspects of all three primal topics in his writing.
- He teaches you how to be more productive through simple living, so you may well make more money.
- You also learn how to be happier with less stuff, and
- When you buy less stuff, you potentially save more money.
Bingo! He hits the trifecta of meeting human beings’ 21st-Century primal needs. No wonder he’s got more than 150,000 subscribers.
Bonus: How These Primal Themes Help You Sell Products
Let’s say you stumble on an information product. Wouldn’t it seem like a bargain to spend a small chunk of change if it could transform your earning power, drastically lower your monthly bills, or unleash your inner peace?
Absolutely!
So, bloggers in these niches also become more successful because they’re selling what people want to buy, knowledge of how to be wealthier and happier.
Now that you know the power of these primal triggers, how can you design your blog to capture this big, highly motivated audience?
It’s simple. Provide really clear, useful information that addresses readers’ fears, a bit each day. On Monday, teach them how to save money. On Tuesday, teach them how to make more money. And on Wednesday, show them how to be happier.
Rinse and repeat.
Before I close out this article, I have a word of warning…
When people are scared, you can’t wander off-topic, deliver lame junk people have read dozens of other places, or ramble because you’ll lose your readers.
However, if you provide quick tips that help your readers alleviate those fears, as quickly and effectively as possible, you’ll win them over forever and you’ll be well on your way to building your very own cult-like following.
If you’d like some help relating your blog topic to money or happiness, please feel free to leave a comment!
