Authentic Cane Sugar Root Beer
There’s really nothing like the real thing, right?
That root beer that I’m holding was delicious. It was made with real cane sugar, which for those who know, tastes a 1,000 times better than whatever they put in most carbonated beverages.
It felt, tasted, and solicited feelings of authenticity, and I know that the same feelings can be translated and communicated through a blog, especially when they are done well.
This weekend was a great example of it and was the genesis of this post. I’ve met some incredibly authentic people and I’ve been thinking about how that impacts the speed and growth of a new blog.
Here’s a few thoughts that I’ve been able to collect:
- You just know when you meet someone who is genuine and authentic in who they are and what they are saying. The result is instant rapport, respect, and delight.
- Being authentic requires a lot of humility to accept who you are and then be able to rejoice in it. You’ve met people who simply appear to be “free” of all the labels, hype, and categories that can typically muddy their character.
- They love what they do and want to share it with you.
- They love what you do and care to listen to your story.
- They aren’t perfect; they’re open and honest about their failures but do not appear to be necessarily defined by them.
These people were real. I wanted to be their friend and I felt equally interested in sharing with them my life as well as being engaged in theirs.
I think these 5 thoughts are valuable for any new blogger to think about as they begin to work on their craft. It ultimately gathers new followers, increases traffic, and is generally a much more fun experience for everyone!
But be aware: I generally do feel that “authenticity” and “transparency” are false constructs because to be 100% authentic and transparent is ugly and no one can handle that. Authenticity and transparency, in it’s true form, are uncomfortable – grossly so. What we’re really talking about is trust.
How have you seen authenticity impact your blog and community? What have you seen work?
Great thoughts. I’m really working on #5 the most out of all of them. Thanks.
sure thing dave!
Great points, especially for someone like me who has a blog in the infancy stage.
Those points serve as a great reminder to resist the temptation of fixating on traffic and stats, and focus on authentic content to build community.
After reading your post and a quick scan of the blogs I follow regularly, I can think of no better cornerstone to have as a part of the foundation of any blog, including mine.
Thanks!
sure thing tom! it can be a challenge but i like it when it comes naturally.
traffic is important, but it shouldn’t be our focus!
Thanks, John, for these insights. While I recognize these characteristics in terms of “in-person” interaction, I suppose I hadn’t thought of the application to blogging. Some of these I find are present to some degree in my blogging, but others less so. I need to work on my ability to “connect” with people more in my writing. I think my attempt to make my posts brief and to the point may come across as less genuine.
I will give these tips more consideration. Thanks.
great! thanks for already engaging here so often!
I like this.
Authenticity (or authentegrity) I’ve found is one of the most useful tools for effective communication.
If people aren’t trying to figure out your spin or read between the lines; if the trust you, then they take your content at face value. It’s much easier to build a community with people that trust your content.
authentegrity. huh. like that!
that list up there? that’s exactly what i thought when i met you. i really appreciated all our conversations. and your incredibly authentic heart. thank you.
thanks alece! it was great to see you in the real… can’t wait to do it again!
#1 That root beer at STORY was amazing… agreed.
#2 I totally agree with what you’re saying. I try to be as authentic as I can on the blog. I mean… I don’t lie on it and I don’t hide my feelings. Sometimes I need to watch what I say though because I’ve been working on not being so full of myself and my thoughts. I am a very logical person and that has turned into pessimism at times. So I really hope I’m not reflectig those thoughts on my blog.
Challenge: be more ‘real’ in our conversations with others.
that is a great goal.