I recently read a post (which will remain anonymous) that spoke on the topic of garnering online celebrity status through means that seemed…well, I’ll just say that I did not agree with. Telling you to make your online interactions not about the substance and the content that appeals to you or through thoughtful sharing of your true opinions and ideas, but by essentially name-dropping and instigation through automatically taking up opposing stances with the post’s author. All in attempts to garner traffic through to your own site. This makes your actions all about you, and not about the author or the content that you are commenting on, and certainly not about the community.

I am here to offer a different approach, one that is certainly less narcissistic and self-serving, but that indirectly benefits you and your online status among the community. Because generally if you set out to improve and aid the community, then the community will respond to what it is you are doing. You will garner the traffic and attention that you hope will find your blog and your work, but you will do so in a thoughtful, less antagonizing manner. And given that you are responding from a place more true to yourself, that means you will be more passionate about it. That always makes people respond to what you have to say.

So here are a few Shakespearean words of advice that can apply in the search for clout for your design blog. Tips that will tend to draw eyes from the community, while keeping you in a helpful, favorable light, and less of a self-serving narcissistic one.

To Thine Own Self Be True

Be honest with yourself and your audience is key to gaining clout among the participants of the online design community. In fact, if you speak to them honestly and share your opions and ideas as I previously mentioned, chances are, more people will respond to what it is you are saying. Rather than just saying whatever it is you think will be the most contraversial and challenging.

Another great quote from the Bard that applies in this aspect is the following.

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.

Again, if you are not speaking from a place of honesty, then you have to don a false face and argue points that you do not necessarily stand behind. This will automatically diminish your points and the effectiveness of their reach. So be true to yourself, the benefits are numerous.

Ambition Should Be Made of Sterner Stuff

Once again, it is not all about you. Your goals and intentions should be overall about serving the community you are working in, not just about serving your own needs. This will garner positive growth of your blog’s readership because you will prove that you are not just out to serve yourself, and that your ambition is fixed on improving and contributing to the overall whole. Not the individual.

Another great Shakespearean quote that serves as a reminder in this area is the following.

As he was valiant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, I slew him.

Not that the blogosphere is so ruthless that you can expect someone to be slain over self serving exploits, but if you are only pushing yourself and your site on social media, the only honor that you are likely to receive is to be unfollowed. A social death of sorts as you relegate your role to that of a veritable social pariah.

For My Part, it Was Greek to Me

Know your stuff, and do the diligence to have a firm grasp of your topic, otherwise your ignorance will immediately be recognized and called out. This will have a huge impact on your readership, just not the kind you are hoping for. If people come to your site and are immediately turned off by your unresearched, unthoughtout discussion it will more than likely be a while before they come back.

To further elaborate on the point, here is another quote from the Bard’s pen that is just as applicable.

I say there is no darkness but ignorance.

Plain and simple, the words near speak for themselves. There is no way you can shed light on a topic for your readers, if you, yourself, remain in the dark about it. So be sure that when you decide to tackle a topic, that you research it from multiple perspectives so you deliver on the promise you made by undertaking it.

The End

So those are a few words to take to heart if you would like to raise your clout among the online masses, while simultaneously building and strengthening the community at large. Leave your thoughts on the topic below.