Reel in the Right Blog Fans

So, you’ve decided to take your passion (and expertise) to the next level. It might seem easy enough to throw up a blog and sit back and wait for the fans to roll in. After all, there are plenty of free blogging sites out there, or maybe you even subscribe to a few favorites yourself. How hard could it be?

Plenty difficult, it turns out. The point is, there are a lot of blogs out there. So how do you get yours to stand out? Maybe you’ve just dabbled in writing and this is more about sheer passion than building a following or making an income. No matter what your goal, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

Building Your Brand

Blogs are mean to be easily digestible, fun to read and catchy. Would you read a blog, no matter how helpful, if it were dry or rambling? Probably not. It’s best to try to “write like you speak,” while incorporating correct grammar. There’s no need for fluff, pomp or circumstance.

A lot of blogs take off because the writer “seems” friendly, approachable, sometimes funny and knowledgeable. Just like grade school, it’s important to be liked. A few blogs succeed based solely on sarcasm and attitude, but that’s difficult to pull off and inevitably turns some readers away.

Every Word Really Does Count

Maybe you’ve only heard about the importance of SEO and link building. Here’s what you actually need to know about it: Most blogs take off based on word of mouth, but showing up high on Google rankings is critical. You get there by using the right SEO key words and phrases.

For example, a lot of businesses have thier own blogs, but for a niche product, it can be super hard to attract readers.  One case I’ve come across through my internet scouring is a company, Maxwell Systems, who makes a VERY niche product.  They sell electrical estimating software, but have still cultivated a solid blog following.  That’s because they have used their blog’s niche to focus on keywords by peppering them throughout their posts in a variety of ways. Moral of the story? Be generous with key words that you think blog readers want to know about while still keeping the tone casual. This is much easier said than done.

What Kind of Sites Succeed?

What do all successful blogs have in common? They provide high-quality, 100 percent original content on a regular basis.

No one is going to read your blog if you post once a month. Once a week? You’re getting warmer. Ideally, it’s best to post once a day and that’s a serious commitment. Even if you see that not many people are viewing your content, keep posting. Consider what you can do to get more viewers, such as incorporating more SEO best practices or seeking out link-sharing opportunities.

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