8 solid blogging tips
Why do some bloggers succeed in attracting readers and then keep them coming back again and again? To be honest, there are a lot of intangibles. For example, having a sense of humor that draws your readers in, and this is something that simply cannot be taught, but can be worked on to develop. Then there is your writing style. This is another aspect of writing that you can only manage by doing it and then measuring the response of your readers.
So while there are no absolute rules, here are some guidelines that the most successful bloggers have followed.
Blog tip #1: Set a schedule and stick to it.
Having a regular posting schedule serves several purposes. It lets your readers know when to expect your pearls of wisdom. You have a lot of competition from the start, and more new blogs are being started every day. You can post 5 days a week or just once. If you specialize in certain types of information, you may not want to post every day, but you do want to keep your content relevant and fresh. This will prevent your readers from forgetting you completely.
Another reason is because of search engines. You want the search bots to get used to a certain time and then they will come regularly to index your site.
Blog Tip 2: Use Your RSS Feed
That brings us to the importance of using your RSS feed. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. What you can do is encourage your readers to subscribe to your RSS feed, that way they will be informed every time you publish an article. Your article will be just a snippet, of course, and if it catches their interest, they’ll click your link and go to your blog. Also, many other bloggers are looking for new content. If your posts are something they feel their readers might be interested in, they will include it on their blogs. This will give you even more exposure.
Blog tip 3: Stay on topic. Stay informed.
If your blog is about the financial market, don’t write an article on carpet stain removal unless you can relate it to something financial. I know it may sound obvious, but… If you’re writing from the perspective of being knowledgeable about a particular topic, make sure you’re up to date with your information. If you’re primarily offering your opinion, make sure it’s clear to your readers. It is important that you establish trust.
Blog Tip 4: It’s Your Reputation
Never endorse a product you haven’t personally tried. It will quickly become obvious to any of your readers who have tried a particular product that you don’t know what you are writing about. Your readers may not always agree with what you write, but by having an honest opinion and offering factual information, you will maintain their respect.
Blog Tip 5: Write clearly and simply.
Make sure your posts and blog entries are easy to understand. What may seem obvious to you may be something completely new to some of your readers. It always drives me crazy when someone writes: “as everyone already knows”. Unless you’re a professor talking about a course you’ve already taken with all the students present, don’t assume that all the readers understand what you’re talking about. Also keep in mind that the world wide web is just that, global. You can reach a worldwide audience, so depending on what kind of topics you’re writing about, you may want to keep that in mind.
Blog Tip 6: Be sure to check spelling and proofreading.
Hey, it only takes one click to use your spell checker and a few minutes to review your article, so go for it. Nothing says ‘unprofessional’ like having a few misspelled words in your article. You may also want to consider what you’re writing about, especially if you find yourself in a heated moment. Remember that everything you post on the network is archived and can be found later. So whatever you’re writing about, take a moment or even a day to reflect on what you’re posting.
Blog tip #7: Use the right keywords
This can be a bit tricky. You must use the correct keywords in your article so that search engines will index your post correctly. If X amount of people are looking for information and they are using particular keywords, you should make sure to use them in your article, multiple times if possible. This tells search engines that you have content related to what people are looking for. The trick is not to make it seem obvious. Make sure to use the keyword in the title of your articles.
Blog Tip 8: Quality is important.
Look, you’re just not going to get as many chances with your readers. People can miss a lot of flaws in writing styles, but the bottom line is that if you don’t offer the kind of information they expect, they just won’t come back. I know not. So if you need to, be sure to do up-to-date research on your topic. Because the old news is just that. Until you get the hang of articulating on the fly, take some time to plan your article or series of articles.
I know it’s not always the best thing to say, and it can be old school, but no matter what you’re doing, the fundamentals are still important.
Get them right and use them to create your own unique voice.
Do not be afraid
billy ojai