The Bloggers Creed

November 9, 2010 - Last Modified: November 9, 2010 by Steven Aitchison

What makes a great blogger? What makes the likes of Seth Godin, Katie Freiling , Darren Rowse, Leo Babauta, Naomi Dunford, Chris Garrett, , Yaro Starak, , Brian Clark and Sonia Simone great bloggers?

That question should be on every bloggers mind when we first start thinking about blogging, with every post we publish and with every interaction we have with our readers. In this article I wanted to give you a creed to blog by.

The Bloggers Creed

I will..

Respond to every comment on a new blog post within 24 hours.
Have a regular posting schedule so my readers will know when i am going to publish a new article.
Respond personally to every email I receive from readers, even if they are derogatory.
Write at least one guest post per week.
Never promote a product on my blog unless I have used it or read it personally and feel it is genuinely useful for my readers. I will also vet any paid advertising to make sure it fits with readers expectations.
Never delete a negative comment, unless it is abusive or offensive. I will respond to the comment politely and then let it go.
Allow new bloggers who have had a blog for 6 months or more to guest post on my blog. I will judge a blogger by the quality of their writing and not by social proof.
Produce 3 new products per year and get feedback on each of them, and make the new product better than the previous one.
Use social media often, as a way to communicate with other bloggers and readers.
I am not afraid to say ‘No’ to something I don’t feel comfortable with and will never feel obliged to help readers for free, if they are asking too much of me.
I will treat my blog as a business from the outset. I will ask myself ‘If this was my business, would I put this on my blog?’
I know that blogging is about interacting with readers and will make sure I interact with other bloggers, both online and offline by attending events, meet-ups and training.
I know that blogging is about communicating and will not get frustrated when my readers don’t get it, I will just show them in a different way next time.
I will learn as much about myself as I can when blogging, such as discipline, writing style, communication methods, fears, and seek to make each area of my life better and lead by example.

If you the the list is missing something, what not let us know?!

About Steven Aitchison

Follow @StevenAitchison

I am a long time blogger at Change Your Thoughts a freelance writer and blog coach. I've written many guides in the personal development field and on blogging at CYTGuides.com

{ 72 Responses }

Vic says:

I love the list. Any blogger, if will follow all the blogging creed, will sure achieve blogging success. However, they still need patience, diligence and lots of time and energy, and even money to do those things.
vicky says:

Great awesome post, love all points you have posted, and i guess i have applied all
Darran says:

I don't particularly agree with #1 - Respond to every comment on a new blog post within 24 hours. We should engage with our readers but only on those which demands a reply or has the potential to be turned into a discussion. What would you say to a comment thanking you for the wonderful post you just written? I can only think of thanking them for the compliment. And what if you have say 40 similar comments?
TJ McDowell says:

Some pretty good principles to blog by. Is this the standard that you set up for yourself? How well have you stuck to it?
Kimi says:

Hi Steven, Great awesome post, love all points you have posted, and i guess i have applied all, except of "guest posting" I don't know why, i still haven't done it, i have no time i guess LOL. Since my English isnt that good, means i will need probably double the time than a native English speaker would. Thanks. PS: Comment template somehow appears weird and so tiny?
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Kimi, I think the comments section has been fixed now. Guest posting must be harder when English is not your native language. Some of my best guest posters at my blog have come from bloggers first language was not English, readers are very forgiving.
DiTesco says:

Interesting and a very good checklist, although I have to admit that I myslef am guilty of not "exactly" following through all of them. Some points may probably go un.noticed depending on certain cases, but all in all, it is a good "todoable" list.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks DiTesto. I think it's important to have some sort of 'blogging creed' and get it written out so you can stick to it. I used to hate having to do 3 posts per week, but now I get anxious when I don't hit my deadlines for posting on a Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
  - DiTesco says:
    
    You got that right indeed. No point of having a "creed" and leave it somewhere it either occupies space or gains dust. The key here is "stick to it" and execute. In other works, plan and take action.
    - Steven Aitchison says:
      
      Sorry DiTesco, I got your name wrong before :oops:
Chadrack says:

Ok, I'm printing this out for better referencing. I hope to really put this a profitable use.
- ZK says:
  
  Well did not get your point of printing. If you have your own computer than simply copy it or save this page. In this way you can save this earth.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Chadrack, thanks for your comments on this, and glad you liked it enough to print it out.
bryan says:

Hey Steve, Great tips there. Just a few things, I think some of the probloggers don't really comment to every single comments made. If you noticed, there only reply to some. Also, some bloggers don't actually treat their blogs as business.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Bryan. You're right most pro-bloggers don't respond to all comments as it would take way too much time. But if you're getting around 100 comments or less I think it's good practice to respond to every comment. that way you build a community and readers know you can have a conversation, of sorts, with them.
  - ZK says:
    
    Well maximum bloggers reply to their first few comments and after that they slow down.
Ardorm says:

Thanks for these great tips! Right now I am going to try out hit number 4 and it takes pretty much time to do it the right way. So, I would add another tip, something like "You should remember that success needs time, a lot of time".
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Ardorm. Guest posting is really important when you are looking to grow your blog in the beginning. You're totally right, success does indeed take time and you should plan for that.
Jeevan Jacob John says:

Hello Steven, Great Post ! These 14 points are the most important, sacred rules of blogging. Following these rules would result in gaining a successful blogging career. Thanks for the wonderful read, Jeevan Jacob John
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate them.
Kathi Rabil says:

This is a great list and a good self-examination tool for those that are blogging. My fave is #7.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Kathi, glad you enjoyed this one.
  - ZK says:
    
    Though all points are great but yes few of them can be backbone of our blogging business.
Mani Viswanathan says:

I would say it's a perfect list. I used to have these creeds, when I entered into blogging; later realized that doing all those is just not possible when you need to manage a big blog.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Mani, yep if you are the likes of Tim Ferris who gets hundreds of comments and emails it would be difficult to keep up, but the lesser mortals, like us :), would be able to sustain this.
Usama says:

Nice set of tips. Certainly would try to follow them. Especially connecting through social media as it gives a huge edge in knowing people.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Usuma, it's all about connecting with readers and fellow bloggers and social media is the perfect way to do this.
David says:

Steven. Great insights you made. I'm glad I found your post as I'm just getting my blog started. I'm printing this out and keeping it posted next to my computer to make sure I follow the Creed. Thanks again! David
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi David, thanks for your comments. I hope you stick at the blogging as you learn so much about yourself and others if you keep going with it.
  - ZK says:
    
    I am not getting why people are taking print out of it when they can easily read on their laptops or ipad and even iphone.
Stacy says:

Great list, Steven! This is definitely print-worthy! My next goal with blogging is to start guest posting now that my blog is going well and not so new. Have a great day! Stacy
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Stacy, great to see you here. Your blog is not so small anymore, you should have been guest posting for you once per week :)
Devesh Sharma says:

Hi Steven, Awesome post man. These are amazing tips. I love the point 10 and 13. Thanks for sharing this amazing stuff.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Devesh, thanks for your comments I really appreciate them.
ZK says:

I would like to call this as great check list ... Though if you are in initial stage than all are not applicable to you but however keep this in mind.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hey ZK. Thanks for your comments. You're right they won't all apply when you are starting out, but if you keep blogging most of them will come into play at some point.
  - ZK says:
    
    Yes totally agree with you. You should divide them according to the stages of blog ... what do you think ?
Henway says:

Commenting on every new post within 24 hours, and responding to every email sounds like a lot of work... As is writing 1 guest blog post per week. I would add: - Never write a fluff blog post just so you can give readers the impression you're updating daily.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Henway. If you treat it as a business that you love I don't think any of this feels like work.
Susan says:

Wow this is a great bloggers creed to live by. #6 is the most difficult. #11 is the most practical and important. Makes me think that I should put my own creed or mission statement together!
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Susan. #6 is difficult, but if you remember people write negative comments usually because they are lacking something in life you get on better, so rather than taking it personally you start to have a whole new persepctive on them.
  - ZK says:
    
    Yes we noticed in many blogs that people do not delete negative comments and owner of blog add the right answer and make the conversation more fruitful and enjoyable.
Extreme John says:

Excellent blogging creed. Anytime someone can come up with 14 self driven promises to hold themselves to it shows exactly what type of person, and blogger they are.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi John. I think we've all got to hold ourselves to the things we do in life. Lots of mini manuals to keep our lives in order :)
Hung says:

Wow! That's like a check list for bloggers
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks for your comment Hung, much appreciated.
  - ZK says:
    
    Yes I do feel that this is certainly a good check list for us.
Barbara Ling says:

Love number 7 and number 10! I think tremendous respect for your readers has to be there as well; they're what makes or breaks you. And always stay true to your own moral compass.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Barbara. 7 & 10 are really important. It's easy to say yes to everything becasue you feel obliged as a new blogger, but when your own commitments take over you learn to say no, you have to :) Yep, always staying true to your moral compass is a great one.
Jhong Medina says:

I really love this..... Fantastic Post. I will take note of this. And hope to do this things religiously. Thanks for the tips Steven.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks Jhong, I appreciate your comments, and glad it helped in some way.
Vernon says:

Great post Steven, There is so much to ponder, I could almost write a post length comment just from what popped up in my head while reading it. I love your point number 14. I'm understanding that really well for the first time over the last few months. I do like the idea of screening new bloggers when you look for guest posts, but I'd say a 6 month rule is probably not such a good idea. If you are going to measure it by blogging, rather say 100 posts. But it also depends on what your blog is about. For example, if you can get experts in a field to guest post, so long as they are reasonable writers, it shouldn't matter that they haven't blogged. Anyway, I realize that your point was simply to set a standard - just thinking 'aloud'.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hey Vernon, thanks for the comments. I think, by default, you learn a lot about yourself when you have been blogging for any length of time, which is a great for personal development. You've made a good point about vetting guest posters. Getting experts in the field is a great way to grow your blog, and yes they don't have to be a blogger per se.
  - Vernon says:
    
    The thought came up because I have written a lot of nature related stuff, and I'm always trying to get experts to write stuff for me. Anyway, I enjoyed your post.
Patricia says:

Hi Steven This is the first time we have met so I will go check out your site after I have commented here. All good points you make in this article. As a fairly newbie blogger I am doing most of them. I especially feel it is important to reply to all the comments my readers post on my blog. I also encourage other bloggers to join in the conversation to promote community and interaction not just one-on-one comments. I have just started guest posting...yay. Was asked to guest post on a blog of someone I respect so was easy to say yes. He seems happy with the content and my readers are over there visiting so he's getting new traffic to his site which is great. Thanks for sharing. worth a RT
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Patricia, pleased to meet you :) Replying to all comments is the way I have built up a good community and encouraged tyre kickers to comment on the post so i think it's a great idea to do this. Thanks for the RT
Sandra Lee says:

This is fantastic, Steven. I plan to print it out and look at it frequently. The only "gulp" I had was the idea of writing one guest post a week!
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks Sandra. I know 1 guest post per week is a bit daunting, but when you're starting out it's good to get into the habit, not so easy when you've got a decent following and writing your own products etc :)
  - Dan says:
    
    One post a week is not that big of a deal, even in the most boring niches out there :)
Melinda says:

Great list. I think also you could add to make sure you aren't trying to copy someone...in other words put your unique personality into your blog. Try to be a little different so you stand out from a crowd of related blogs.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hi Melinda, that's a good point. Like any art, most of us start off by copying someone until we find our own style and are able to stamp our personality on it.
  - ZK says:
    
    I would say ... DO NOT TRY TO BE DIFFERENT ... BE WHAT YOU ARE ... and represent yourself in same manner ...
Tinh says:

Great points listed, I have never considered my blog a business model, just for fun now and I think it is okie putting business on your blog too :-)
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Thanks for your comments Tinh. If you think of your blog as a business from the outset it'll be easier in the future when you grow it.
  - ZK says:
    
    If you will start taking your blog as business than believe me the way you are taking blog will change a lot. If you are not taking it in such manner than this is the time.
Isabel Rodrigues says:

Nice tips. I do follow most of them. Its time I start doing the others too.
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hey Isobel, thanks for your comments on this, I appreciate them.
Ryan Biddulph says:

Hi Steven, Wonderful tips here. I just started following your blog and enjoy your writing style. You have a firm grasp on the fundamentals of successful blogging and your large, engaging readership verifies this. Thanks for sharing your super insight and have a good one :) Ryan
- Steven Aitchison says:
  
  Hey Ryan, thanks for the comment, and thanks for being part of the blog at CYT, it's a great community over there.

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