PB013: Improve Your Blog by Visiting the Mall [Day 13 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog] - a podcast by Darren Rowse: Blogger, Speaker, Author and Online Entrepreneur

How Going Shopping Can Improve Your Blogging
Today we're going shopping!!!




Woman shopping by Emilia Ungur on 500pxYep - you heard me, we're going to the mall!

If nothing else this challenge is going to get you away from your blog for a bit - but there's more to it than that.

Today we're doing some observation exercises that could bring a lot of life to your blog.
In This EpisodeYou can listen to todays episode above or in iTunes or Stitcher (where we'd also LOVE to get your reviews on those platforms if you have a moment).

Why are we doing this exercise?A quick outline of what the challenge is and a series of questions to ask while doing this exercise
Some suggestions for those of you not living near a mall/shopsSome examples of some of the things I've learned from doing this exercise

Mentioned in this Episode10 Lessons in Blogging that I Learned on a Shopping Expedition
How to Increase Affiliate Sales with Bestseller ListsFull Transcript
Expand to view full transcriptCompress to smaller transcript viewHello and welcome to the ProBlogger Podcast. My name is Darren Rowse and welcome to episode 13 and day 13 of 31 Days to Build a Better Blog. Today, we're going to do something a little bit different. You probably will shake your head and say, “Darren's gone a little crazy here,” but bear with me. We are going on a trip to the mall, the shopping center, your local shopping strip, or whatever it is that you've got around you. This may sound like it's got nothing to do with blogging. In some ways, it doesn't but you are going to learn a lot today at least. I always do when I do this particular exercise. So, bear with me. Today's show notes are at problogger.com/podcast/13. You'll get some further reading there and any links mentioned in the show. Let's get into it.

Today's challenge is a bit different, to say the least. It's gonna get you away from your computer and your devices into the real world. I want you to visit your local mall or shopping center as we call them here in Australia. I can just see people shaking their heads and muttering under their breath, “Darren has completely lost his mind,” but stick with me. There are a few benefits to this little exercise. If nothing else, it's going to force you to get out of your pajamas, brush your hair, get away from your blog for a little while, and hopefully to get a little bit of exercise. If nothing else, that's probably a good thing. I know what else bloggers are like.

Secondly, it's going to give us a chance today to do some observational exercises that could help your blogging, particularly if you're selling something on your blog, product or service, affiliate products, or even if you’re selling an idea, even if you're just trying to change the world, or if you're selling yourself in some way.

Why are we doing it? It comes out of the realization that many times, my best ideas come from my blog when I'm not blogging at all and when I'm doing something else. Many times, the idea comes when I'm in a different environment. I see something that's unrelated to blogging or online, but it triggers a thought process that actually does come back to it. I've had so many blog post ideas and I've made so many changes to my blog, particularly the way I sell my products based upon what I observe in the real world. For me, many of those ideas come while I'm at shopping centers, sometimes while I'm waiting outside changing rooms for a certain someone in my life, but just observing what's going on around me in those environments gives me all kinds of ideas.

Here is the challenge. Grab a notebook, a pen, or some other way to jot down notes, preferably not a device that's going to distract you, and then head to your local shopping mall or super shops. I know for some of you living in rural areas, this might be a bit harder than others,

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