Guest Post By: Mary Anne Fisher

I’ve been reading and studying successful business blogs for the last seven years. One particularly interesting pattern I’ve observed is that the majority of bloggers tend to fall into one of two main style categories.

Each style has its advantages. But like most things in life (and business), both can backfire when taken to extremes.

Freeway Blogging

Freeway bloggers travel almost exclusively on well-known thoroughfares, never veering out of their self-designated lanes or breaking traffic laws.

They rely on the road maps of established bloggers who know where they’re going and the best way to get there.

Freeway-blogging pros generate a steady, reliable stream of quality content. They routinely post helpful, beneficial information that’s perfectly aligned with their readers’ wants and needs.

They’ve pinpointed, embody and promote a distinctive, buzz-worthy brand. And they’ve carved out a blogging niche that caters to, enhances and showcases their unique talents, expertise and passions.

Taking the most-heavily trafficked blogging routes is probably the safest, most logical way to step onto the social marketing, new media scene.

Having the courage to jump into the flow of traffic is the necessary first step on your journey to blogging success. If you’re brand new on the scene, freeway blogging is a great way to gain solid, behind-the-wheel experience.

Off-Road Blogging

If your business products, services or methodologies are bleeding-edge, of exceptionally-high quality or otherwise remarkable, off-road blogging could be a faster, more direct route to your business destination.

Off-road bloggers are thrill seekers who revel in pushing past the boundaries and limitations of freeway blogging. They thrive on hacking out their own blogging paths and traversing “uncharted” terrain.

They’re willing to risk potentially devastating spills—and the favorable opinion of the masses—in order to reach their desired business destinations.

Superstar off-roaders provide content that affords fresh perspectives and stimulates creativity… ideas and information that stretch the imagination and sometimes fly completely in the face of conventional thinking.

Their posts strike deep emotional chords. They inspire and empower their readers to move to higher levels of personal or professional success.

As a result, the pros often achieve high popularity rankings on key social networking sites along with staggering levels of business success.

Successful off-road blogging necessitates clear, unwavering foresight of your ultimate destination and quick reflexes for making unexpected course adjustments.

It demands an in-depth knowledge of and experience in your topics as well as a keen understanding of your market.

Before you venture off road, it’s critical that you fill your tank with passion, self-confidence and self-awareness “rich” fuel that keeps your engine from stalling out during complex, ambitious maneuvers.

Like successful freeway blogging, unique branding and a custom-tailored niche are essential to off-road success.

Beware of Bottlenecks

Following the road map of an authority blogger is a great way to begin your journey. But over the long haul, it can lead to frustration and disappointing business results.

If the only routes you ever take are the same ones most other bloggers use and you never venture off the beaten path(s), how will you know if you’re taking the most direct route to your business destination, as opposed to someone else’s?

With your eyes trained solely on other freeway bloggers, it’s easy to miss the exit ramps that could lead to key business-building shortcuts.

And if you’re only traveling on blogging byways used by the masses, it’s just a matter of time until you get stuck in a major traffic jam.

The most successful freeway bloggers have figured out how and when to go off-road and do so when it benefits their prospects as well as advancing their own progress.

At some point during your blogging odyssey, it’s vital that you start taking side trips to explore less-traveled roads until you discover—or hack out—the one that provides the quickest route to your personal, professional and financial success.

Can You Afford to Crash and Burn?

Off-road blogging is dangerous when you pull foolish stunts solely for the thrill of a spotlight moment or a fleeting traffic spike.

If you challenge the status quo or try to stir controversy just for the sake of drawing attention to yourself or your business, you’re on the fast track to a business disaster.

Always be yourself and true to your brand. Go out of your way to consistently provide high-quality content that benefits your readers.

By all means, question conventional wisdom and buck the system whenever appropriate—as long as you do it within the context of your products, services or other business offerings… and it serves the best interests of your prospects and customers.

Freeway blogging is an excellent way to start your journey. But venturing off road is a powerful strategy that can turbo charge your business blogging success when you use the guidelines mentioned above.

Just a few months ago, I began my own blogging trek on the freeways. But in recent weeks, I’ve taken a few off-road excursions and think I’m starting to get the hang of it.

How about you? Are you a freeway blogger or an off-roader?

Are you moving as quickly as you’d like toward your desired business blogging destination?

What advances have you made along the way? What road hazards have you encountered?

Keep the conversation going by sharing your thoughts below…

About the author: Mary Anne Fisher runs a successful Internet business coaching practice and is the founder of i Profit On Purpose. She is the author of What Everybody Ought to Know About Making Money Online, a one-of-a-kind free guide to creating a profitable, sustainable and rewarding online business that will transform your life. Get more from Mary Anne on Twitter.