This week I received an email from TrendCast that announced Greek food is the “Hot New Trend.” I laughed and forwarded it to my Greek friend Sam.

I thought he should hear the big news. After years of talking about and eating Greek food with him, we’re now the “in crowd.”

Those dolmades, spanakopita, and lamb roasts that he and his family cook all the time had finally hit the mainstream. Maybe he’ll notify relatives in Crete and let them in on the trend.

OK, so I’m being a little snarky here, but a hot trend to one person is — yawn! — yesterday’s news (in this case last century’s news) to another.

Your Blog is HOT: It’s all in the eye of the beholder…(and it’s not hard to find them.) This is great news for the blogger who’s beginning to think their blog may be only “meh.”

Especially if you’re traffic isn’t quite what it could be, you may be thinking there’s nothing new to say. Or worse, that there’s no one reading. It’s just not exciting anymore.

As you stare at that blank WordPress box, how do you write another blooming fantastic blog post when you already feel like you’ve said it all?

For that matter, what’s “worthy” enough news for an email announcement? 

Probably more than you think!

Here’s some good news about search and your blog…

I just listened to a webinar by Chad Pollitt of Kuno Creative on  SEO and content creation. He maintains that if you you fill your website with content and then share it on social media sites, your keywords will naturally rise to the top and you’ll get found by Google’s new Panda algorithm. 

More importantly, the more keywords you use, the better chances you have of getting found! Gone are the days of target a few specific keywords. Now, the more you naturally use them in your content, the better. That opens up all kinds of doors for creativity. 

Your page rank is no longer important because everyone’s Google search page is different now. What you see when you search is different from what another person sees when they type in the exact same phrase. 

Google’s big push is “Knowledge” over “Information.” It’s getting smarter and looking for answers to problems for each individual based on past views and searches. 

You ideal client will find your blog, understand you and like you simply because you provide helpful information in the words he’s using… It’s easier than you think. 

Often that means you have to get back to basics.

Be yourself. Don’t be clever. In fact, the less clever you are, the more people you connect with online. If you’re a clever sort of person, stop it!

[An aside: I admit, it took me some time to get the hang of writing for the Internet. As an English major in college, I couldn’t release my mind from the standard writing style college professors require. I still critique traditional media when they violate standard AP style. I swear, it’s like a toothache. If you’re aware of it, that’s all you can focus on. Now that I write copy for real people, I’ve learned to unhinge my brain from my training and I’m having a lot more fun.]

Take your favorite topic: IRA returns, plumbing codes, your water bottle collection, antique jewelry, or copywriting and email marketing.

Now go for it. Your knowledge on the subject is probably greater than your readers. Otherwise they wouldn’t be looking for and reading your blog and emails. 

It’s a new day in Search Engine Land. Stick with content creation…and stick with it. Don’t take weeks off at a time and expect people to keep coming.

Write the words you use in business, the words your customers use to ask questions, the words that describe the problem you solve when you’re explaining it to a client. (Forget about keyword research for a minute. This is more relevant to you and your business.)

For me, these email and copywriting questions immediately come to mind:

• Isn’t Email SPAM?

• How do you think of things to write about?

• How often should I send email?

• Where should I post my web content?

• Do I need a website to use email?

• How do I get more traffic to my website?

I hear these questions often, and of course they make their way into my writing.

Your particular web content will be different and contain different keywords, obviously. 

For example, if I were helping a Greek restaurant create content for their website (or writing copy for them) I’d forget the “hot trend” pressure and just talk about the best frozen phyllo dough on the market, favorite fillings for it, or how many layers you use for baklava. That sort of thing…the inside scoop, details the restaurant owners already know. Everyday, boring stuff to them (they probably even argue about these things), but interesting to readers and search engines.  

People who are hot to cook and eat Greek food want to know this stuff…and the Greek restaurant WILL get found.

You just need to keep being your regular, same-old, hot and beautiful blogging self. (I hope you read this post as a pick-me-up more than anything!) Consistency and valuable content will eventually win over last year’s SEO tricks.

What say you? What do you do when you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling for your blog? Tell me below. I’d love some good tips.