Better Blogging: Singalong With Social Distortion

It appears I’m making a return to my better blogging with lessons from some of my favorite songs. This time out I’m sharing blogging (and social media marketing) lessons we can learn from longtime punk rock storytellers Social Distortion.

As I started my research for this, though, it became obvious that so many blogging lessons could be tied to the story songs written and sung by these hard living rockers. It became obvious that this would have to be a two-part article.

So, without further ado, here’s the first part!

Better Blogging With A Little Help From Social Distortion

I Wasn’t Born To Follow

The lesson learned from this song ties into another music-themed article I wrote last year, looking at the idea of standing on the shoulders of giants. If you want your blogging to mean something to your readers, you can’t simply follow the leads already left by other, more influential authors. You have to take what you’ve read, learned and discussed and then write about it with your own intent and purpose.

Simply regurgitating the ideas of others won’t make you stand out from the content marketing crowd. To lead as a blogger you have to create something new and meaningful tied to your own ideas, your own opinions, your own research, trials and tribulations.

Gonna change the world, gonna turn the page
Gonna say what I feel, let out this rage, get ready
we’re going down, down to the streets below
I said “goodbye to the masses, I wan’t born to follow.

Reach For The Sky

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big. It’s actually rather intrinsic when you consider the entrepreneurial path. However, when it comes to your blog and your articles, are your big dreams and ideas working toward an outcome that will benefit your future?

Your blogging has to have an intent and purpose beyond being seen, beyond reaching for the sky by sharing that superb read that goes viral.

When I was young I was invincible,
I find myself now thinking twice,
I never thought about no future,
its just the roll of the dice.

Is your blogging getting in front of the eyes that will actually become leads, prospects and paying clients. If it isn’t, it might be time to craft a more considered plan for your future publishes that actually looks toward future lead generation and sales.

Gotta Know The Rules

Rules to blogging? There are a few. While there are many difference voices, many different ways to deliver your message with your own unique signature, there are a few hard and fast rules that the most successful bloggers stick to.

One of them is simple, but often forgotten. You have to give something back with your blogging. Or you must pay it forward.

Looking at your blogging efforts solely as a means to promote your personal brand, your business or your products or services will leave your audience with cold feelings (another Social Distortion song – I’m on a roll).

Loads of people go
Through life thinking
Take what you can and leave the weak behind
Never stop to think
What can you give now
Too afraid to learn what you might find, yeah, yeah, yeah

Story Of My Life

You probably thought I’d start out with this song, but I feel it’s a better closer to the article.

Yes, we’re better bloggers and our blogging efforts get more shares when we manage to tell a story. But the premise of this song is a little bit different. It reminds you that life goes by in a flash and we can’t ever get back those days and moments past. Thus, we need to live them at the time.

You’ll be a better blogger and have much more meaningful stories to share if you remember to regularly unplug and actually enjoy the life that allows for those stories.

Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it’s past;
Story of my life

Hope you enjoyed that short singalong with one of my favorite bands. At the same time I hope it reinforced some ideas and tips that will remind you why you started blogging in the first place.

Let’s make 2015 the year we all stand up, stand behind and stand out with our articles and shares. Make them real, make them relatable and make them resonate!