My wife makes me watch American Idol… every week… even when I’m out of town on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. So, since I’m forced to watch it (completely against my will, mind you) I figured I might as well see what lessons the show can teach us about blogging (writing this in between frantic dials to vote for David Archuletta).

Nobody likes a copycat

Hardly a week goes by on American Idol where Simon doesn’t blast someone for sounding like a karaoke version of the original song. Idol contestants can’t just show up and deliver the original arrangement and phrasing of a song and expect to be praised - they have to supply their own unique interpretation on the song in order to impress the judges.

And so it is with blogging. You can’t offer the same tired take on a topic and expect to develop an adoring (or at least RSS-subscribing) audience. If your potential readers wanted to hear what Shoemoney, or John Chow, or (fill in the name of your favorite blogging superstar), they’d read their blogs. They’ve come to your site to get YOUR unique take on a topic. Don’t disappoint them by trying to be someone else.

Be original and good - original by itself can be pretty darn bad.

The antithesis of the copycat, however, can be even worse… by a country mile. On tonight’s episode of American Idol, David Cook sang a rock rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” (phenomenal song, as an aside). It was a unique arrangement that really worked, according to the judges. Just a week prior, Kristy Lee Cook completely bastardized “Eight Days a Week,” by the Beatles. It was an original rendition to say the least… because no one in their right mind would ever arrange such a trainwreck of a song.

Just because you take a different style or approach to topics than mainstream blogs in your niche doesn’t mean that you will be successful. You could well end up as the really fast, awkward, country-version of your niche. Not a good place to be. Strive to be unique, but not too original.

Stay Relevant

Another frequent plea from the judges is for the contestants to “make it relevant,” particularly when the contestants are singing songs from previous decades (mostly 50s-60s era stuff). Singers can take a song that’s from a different period and give it a comfortable, modern feel.

When we blog, we can address topics that fall outside of our standard offering, so long as we “make it relevant” by tying it into our subject area. This post, for example, draws from the entertainment world to illustrate principles relevant to my audience. If this post were just about my favorite Idol performance last night, it wouldn’t have the same appeal as it presently does… and you do find this post incredibly appealing and enlightening, right? (wink, wink - diggs, stumbles, and comments are welcome indicators as such).

What was Good in Week 1 Might Not Be in Week 6

One of the things I find interesting in the critiques is that every year, you’ll have contestants who perform very consistently from week to week… and almost without fail, the judges tire of these performers. You see, as the contest moves forward, the expectations increase.

You may not realize it, but it’s the same with blogging. As the internet becomes flooded with more and more competition for the attention of would-be readers, the caliber of content required to inform and entertain these posters increases. Beyond that, the old phrase “familiarity breeds contempt” applies as well. We should constantly strive to improve our writing. Be more engaging, entertaining, and enlightening - your readers will reward you handsomely for improving your skills.

Learn from Feedback

While Simon has developed a reputation as a mean judge, he generally tells the truth to people. You need to lose weight, you pick bad songs, stop dancing like an idiot. Some contestants listen and improve as a result. Some argue and continue to make the same errors… until they get kicked off the show.

We have the same opportunity as bloggers. Most feedback that people give is intended to be for our benefit. They tell us where we are deficient so that we can improve, not to make us feel foolish. If we understand that feedback / criticism is really an opportunity to better deliver content that meets our audience’s expectations, we’d be silly not to take it to heart.

Looks Matter

Two words: Clay Aiken. Every year, Idol has contestants who go through complete fashion transformations, and as they improve their look and style, their popularity improves. I know it’s superficial, but after all, a popstar is supposed to look a certain way, right?

… and a top-rate blog is supposed to look a certain way too. It shouldn’t be sloppy and disheveled, and it should have a certain sense of style about it (says the guy with a very plain-looking blog. I know - I’m redesigning it this week). While substance can certainly triumph over style, or lack thereof, why make the pathway to success any more difficult than it needs to be. Look good and deliver great content.

Be Gracious

Last week, Simon took David Cook to task after his performance by telling him, “I don’t think that was as good as you think it was.” You could just tell that Simon derived some particular joy in bringing Cook back to earth. People generally don’t like cockiness. Accept praise graciously (genuinely) and you’ll find that it will continue to find its way back to you.

… but not TOO gracious

As I’ve heard it said, “no matter how thin you slice the bologna, it always has two sides.” This case is no different. The only thing I personally despise more than an arrogant prick, is an arrogant prick pretending to be exceedingly gracious. It’s incredibly transparent. The quintessential example of faux grace comes from a previous season of American Idol - Melinda Dolittle. After murdering a song on stage, looking like a confident, seasoned performer, Melinda would then pretend like she was previously possessed and had no clue of how great her performance was when the judges would praise her. Obnoxious to the nth degree.

Connecting with the Audience Counts Too

It’s not just the stage performances on American Idol that get people to vote - the interviews, the video clips, even the way someone smiles or their interaction with the camera can impact how the audience feels about a contestant. The show isn’t a competition about who can sing the best - it’s about what good singer can capture people’s hearts.

Success in blogging isn’t always tied to who writes the most informative or innovative post. It’s not about who has the prettiest blog or the best plugins either. It’s primarily about connecting with your readers. Granted, many of these other things factor into that, but that’s the total goal and we should never lose sight of it. Connecting with the audience equals votes for the Idol contestants. For a blogger, it equals satisfaction, or profits, or whatever personal reward you tie to your blogging.

Past Performances Will Only Carry You So Far

Finally, perhaps my favorite lesson from American Idol - past greatness can carry a performer for a while, but eventually, you have to make good on that initial promise. David Archuletta is the prime example of excellence carrying a performer through a bad week. David, after several weeks of exceptional performances, was a judge and fan favorite. Then he went out and forgot the words to his song, and generally gave a poor performance. Still, he got a free pass based on his previous exceptional work.

The same was true of American Idol’s first season runner-up, Justin Guarini. His early performances brought Paula to tears (in fairness, this may have just been a reaction to earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere for space cadet Abdul), but he never regained his form and was surpassed by Kelly Clarkson.

Sometimes it might not seem that this is true in blogging, but it is. Sure, some big names live off their previous glory and still rake in big money (John Chow, for example), but they are the rare exception to the rule. Further, who’s to say that they wouldn’t be doing exponentially better if they continued to strive for excellence in their writing?

So there you have it - 10 Lessons about Blogging from American Idol. Sadly, I feel as though in writing this article, I’ve made it far too apparent that my wife does very minimal arm twisting to get me to watch this show. A small price to pay if it causes you to think a little more critically about how you blog - I know writing this post has helped me to clarify the direction in which I want to take this blog.

As always, I’m happy to hear your thoughts - did I miss any lessons?