If you are a new blogger or have been blogging for a while, you need to check out these blogging tips to be a better blogger. New blogging styles will help you improve your performance and your content will reach a larger audience. As much as new techniques are relevant for your growth, some old but basic blogging tips are always crucial to follow.
It's SEO that makes your content the king
There is no doubt that you should work on writing good content but what makes your content reach the correct audience? It's the SEO -Search Engine Optimization. You should definitely learn the basics of SEO and start implementing them from your first post. SEO takes time to bring your content on the right track so don't wait to start once you become an expert blogger because SEO will only help you become an expert.
You can win over a writing block
Trust us, you can overcome a writing block with the right tools. Just start writing anything and everything without editing. Soon after a paragraph or two, you will analyse your topic and will start writing the right content. Research a bit about your topic so that you can build authority for your content and research also helps in understanding and adding your stories as well. Real stories always appeal more. The world wants to know what's happening in other's life.
Timeline your stories
Creativity can't be forced upon but it can certainly be scheduled. Hit your laptop keys as soon as you get an idea no matter what your content calendar says. Noting down an idea is important, later you can finish it up. Once you finish your draft, now check your calendar and decide where can you fit this post the best.
Important dates are important to drive traffic
Most bloggers get the benefit of a large audience because they have something to say on every important day of the year. Even if they don't get comments on their blog post, they get the benefit of the right hashtags and the event timing. Every topic may not be easy for you to write but check the ones you can research and get familiar with it. A mix of anecdotal and researched posts is good for your blog health.
Small paragraphs appeal more to readers
Think like a reader. Don't you want to read more in fewer words? White spaces in between the words make your blog look clean and simplified. That's why as a writer also, write in a few lines and change the paragraphs when you change your sub-topic. This keeps your reader interested in reading more after each paragraph and your content doesn't look like a bulk.
Make Yoast plugin and Headline scheduler your best friends
Your blogging tips will be incomplete if you don't have a Yoast SEO plugin and a headline scheduler like Co-schedule. Yoast plugin helps you edit the right keywords throughout your content, title and alt text of images. Whereas, Co-schedule helps you create the perfect title that has keywords and the right length of words in the title. Remember to check what's working for your blog and don't overcrowd with unnecessary plugins that slow down the loading time of your blog.
Don't ignore social media
A blogger needs social media to talk about their work in public. You can't just write for your own eyes if you are a professional blogger and want to grow. Be transparent about your work and discuss the story behind creating particular content. Social media never sleeps and you never know what may strike in your favour. Start with 2-3 platforms and learn which brings you the right set of readers.
Prepare your own report card
A blogger is a teacher who can create his own self-evaluation card quarterly or half-yearly or yearly. It is one of the most important blogging tips to check your blogging style and make a note of what worked for you and what needs to be edited. Start working on your corrections and add new improvements to take yourself a step ahead. Like, if you were not researching your work before then start doing it from now on.
Direct your audience to the next step
Your blog post has all relevant suggestions on the topic and is helpful in every way to your reader. But once your reader has taken all suggestions from your write-up, he will apply them gradually. So what's the immediate effect of your post on the reader's mind? A call-to-action is very important at the end of each post in the form of linking another relevant post from your blog. This is called interlinking.
After reading an appropriate topic, now your reader has another relevant suggestion to think about. Simple blogging tips are always helpful whether you are an expert or a beginner.
Writing is incomplete without reading
How can you improve your writing? Simply by reading others and learning something new. You can't keep on writing the same things over and over again. You need to improve your writing and research which can be done by reading other good works. Reading also gives way to commenting on their posts and building your network. It is always a 2-way technique to read others and invite them to your blog by commenting.
Maintain your niche or create one
If you are passionate about writing a particular topic and it comes easy to you then make it your niche. Keep researching your genre and learn what's new and trending. Crack a solution for how you can use the information for your own blog and in a way that's helpful to your readers. No matter how much you write and add qualified backlinks to your blog, if your audience is not returning then it's of no use. Unless you are running Wikipedia or Google, your audience is the right path that you need to follow. They are the ones who bring traffic and help you prepare your next content.
Let images do the talking
Your content needs a working partner and that's when images come into the picture. The first and the foremost image that attracts a reader is the featured image. It's also the most shared image on social platforms. So this has to be pin-worthy as in you see and you want to share. Half of the job is done is your image talks about exactly what your content is all about. Remember, visuals remain with you for a longer period?
Canva is a tool/software app that helps you create engaging images for your blog post with easy to use templates. Infographics is another way to turn your content into visuals. In fact, they carry all the information your blog post carries. When you add an infographic to your post, the readers get an option to read and view both at the same time. There are a few sites like Statista that help you gather information about a topic and create a graph for better understanding.
All this information can again fit into an appropriate template on Canva and your infographic is ready to be shared.
Consistency is achievable
As a content creator, you attract a set of audiences with your efforts. They do come, stay at your website for a while but then would you like if they vanish all of a sudden? Of course not. But if you stop publishing content after a while and there's nothing new for your readers, what will keep them hooked? So, it's essential to learn new and different ways to find blog topics and keep writing to maintain a healthy audience.
If at a point, you get stuck then remind yourself, why do you need to write consistently?
- To maintain competition, you have to work hard and keep yourself updated on the trends and general blogging practices.
- For better SEO of your website. The SEO of a blog that publishes at least 16 posts a month definitely has better SEO than the ones who are not publishing their content so often.
- To drive traffic to your blog is only possible if you are active in the first place.
Related posts at the end
It's a plugin on WordPress that adds 3 of the related posts at the end that gives your reader a chance to read more and stay awhile on your blog. You can also add it as a plugin if not available by default. This feature gives you a chance to check those posts and update them according to new trends.
Popularity post
There's another plugin on WordPress that crawls through your website and feature the most visited blog posts in recent times on your homepage. It attracts the readers to those categories and gives them an idea of what all do you write other than the specified blog post. It's also an indication to you as a blogger about your audience's preference and what they might like to read more on your blog. Your next content could be a mix of everything in small bits.
Make your content easily shareable
Add sharing buttons on our sidebar and on the content page so that as soon as the reader finishes reading, he can instantly share on any social platform. You can even make your social buttons float as you scroll the content. This can be done by adding a simple plugin.
Be a part of social groups
Unless you talk about your content in different social groups like Facebook etc. nobody will come to know about your latest published work. Don't feel shy instead wear your creative cap and think of different ways to promote and how being a part of authors and bloggers can highlight you as a better blogger.
Circulate a survey
A survey is the best way to know your reader's choices. Create one by adding relevant questions that will help you improve and create better reach through your content. Again, it's important to share your survey as much as possible and another essential task is to check the results and use them in creating your future content.
Search the trends
It's a part of your blogging career to keep up with the trends and know what's selling hot. You may not copy all but an idea to edit your personal voice is always a fresh start. By innovating your own content with the latest trends, you will also feel more energetic and interested to keep writing. This enthusiasm will definitely show in your content.
Understand Google Analytics and connect Google Search Console
Add Google Analytics to your blog and understand the behaviour of your audience. You can check out easy tutorials on Youtube to connect and learn how to read analytics. It is a very helpful tool for every blogger as you can check each blog post by entering the URL.
Similarly, it's easy to connect Google Search Console to your blog by watching an easy tutorial video and making your blog post SEO enriched. It optimises your content so that it's discoverable by search engines and helps your blog to rank better.
Comment smartly
It's an art to comment smartly on another blogger's post. Comment in a way that you make an impression and that blogger comes back to your blog. This also creates a future connection that may lead to friendship also. The art is to read the content firstly and pick up a few lines you liked and comment about them. It shows that you have actually read the blog post and are genuinely commenting.
This way of commenting adds value to your own blog also and the other person is keen to read your content as well.
Make yourself reachable
Check your blog design and see if your readers can reach you through it. Does your homepage have a contact number or an email id that you check regularly? Is the information easily accessible to everyone who likes your content and wants to reach out to you instantly?
Add contact me page or keep it on your sidebar where it is visible clearly. Remember your reader's time is valuable and he'll not spend a minute extra to search other pages if he doesn't get to you in the first instance.
Making payments should be easy
Create a page on the homepage only that clearly shows all modes of payment that you accept. It gives an intention to your customers that you are clear with your mode of business and making or receiving payments is not a task. Declaring on the homepage itself that you accept PayPal also helps to attract international clients.
Give references and backlinks for your content
When you create content, you research a little and then mix it with personal experience to give that ultimate knowledge to your readers. Always add the source from where you read the information. It's a good habit to refer to the site and create a link connection. But that link should have a higher authority than your own blog. Then only it'll help you gain credibility.
Likewise, if you are learning a course then keep talking about its authenticity which will further add to your blog authority.
Create a vision for your blog
When you are clear about your goal then your content will also reflect the same. Your readers will know your path and where you are heading towards. Of course, the goal changes as you achieve them but it's important to edit your plan and create new benchmarks.
Clarify your point
It's good to build a story around your idea and relate to your readers but be smart enough to stop at the right point. You should not overdo and go off the track. Your reader should not feel lost and confused about your motive in the content.
Be concise and clear about what you want to say. Start with a connection relating to the problem, describe the causes, its impact and finally the solution. Don't leave your content half done without giving a solution. Otherwise, why will they come back to read you again?
Update your homepage
As much as you create new content and keep yourself updated, it's equally important to keep changing your homepage and give it a new and fresh look. Everyone likes changes and your readers will definitely feel good about it. If you have brand colours then you may try some new combinations. Or trying out a totally new logo and brand colours is also something that you may choose. Your homepage is the first impression on your readers.
Landing page
Many bloggers also create a landing page as in the first page that appears as you click their link. This landing page has all the important works that you do and wants to showcase to your visitors. Remember to add all relevant links to these designations so that your reader reaches you directly.
There are numerous blogging tips in this blogosphere and you can't apply them all. So start small and keep on increasing your knowledge to be a better blogger each new day.
What are your blogging tips to be a better blogger?
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Comments
I am fairly new to blogging and found this post to be of great help and guidance. Thank you Blogchatter.
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