If you watched the Academy Awards yesterday , you’ll agree with me in saying that it’s a shocker. When you thought Avatar, the best selling movie of all time, will win the most prestigious Best Picture award, it lost. I was really disappointed and upset with the result, mostly because I’ve put a huge bet on Avatar (which I’ll never do again), and secondly, because Avatar loses to a movie with a fraction of its budget, Hurt Locker.
So, in this post, I’ll analyse some of the things that Hurt Locker did right to win the Oscar and how you can apply them to your blogging.
1. Designed For Critics
Hurt Locker knows how to position itself in the competitive film market. The director and script writer focused their efforts on getting the best acting (actor’s performance), story progression, and cinematography, elements of a movie that the critics love. And this proven formula seemed to work once again as Hurt Locker wins the Oscar.
So, study your market. You’ve to know who reads your blog (or who you want to read your blog) and what they love, so that you can create contents that are tailored for them. If your audience can relate to your writing, they’ll come back again and again to your blog, despite there are other bigger blogs out there.
2. New Perspective
How many movies have been made about the war in Iraq? Yeah, I can already recall five from the top of my head and I’m sure there’re a whole lot more. And Hurt Locker, is unfortunately one of them. But, unlike other war in Iraq movies that focused on the actions and shootings, Hurt Locker focused on building characters and the relationship between each one of them. It’s an interesting take on such an overused setting.
Sure, blogging and SEO (search engine optimization) have been dissected from almost every imaginable ways. But, some bloggers can still find sub niches within these two huge topics. You can, for example, write about blog designs, pay per click marketing, or social media. Or, rather than doing written posts (like almost every other blogs out there), you might want to publish video or audio posts. People always wants something fresh. So, if you can give it to them, you win.
3. Proud to be Small
Hurt Locker isn’t shy to be a low budget movie. In fact, one of the producers are so proud of it that he sent a letter to the Academy Awards juries, asking them to let Hurt Locker wins because of its miniscule budget.
So, never be ashamed of the size of your blog (ehem…that sure sounds awkward). There are advantages of being a small blog. For instance, you can test new ideas quickly and easily on your blog without the fear of disappointing your loyal readers.
That’s all folks. Remember to always design your contents for your target audience, try to write from new perspective, and always be proud of your blog.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, that’s true knowing what the audiences is the first step towards
success.
No matter its Hurt locker or Avatar. It shows even a small blog owner can beat their ways to big markets…
thanks for the post. Talk soon.
Never really thought of it, but I suppose it does have some advantages to being a small blog. I mean I don’t want to stay small, but gotta look at life in a glass half full kind of way. I liked this post
Patrick Toerner´s last blog ..5 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Zombie Movies
@ Proson
Exactly. Big or small. We’re all competing in a more or less equal playing field.
@ Patrick
Thanks for the kind words. Yeah, always have to look at the positive side of life.