Blogs may seem fairly straight forward, and they are compared to other types of websites. However, there are some tricks of the trade that will help make your blog a successful one rather than one nobody wants to read. Try these tips for designing a successful blog:
Focus your Content
To promote recurring readership, pick a specific topic to write on. Avoid writing about several different topics on your blog. People will go to your site to read an article on their topic, but they will return if they know you have others on that topic.
Post Regularly
Too many bloggers create a blog, make a few starting posts, and then don’t update their blog for weeks or even months. It’s like you can see when their excitement tapers off. People may land on your page if those first few posts are caught by their search, but they will not return if there is no indication that you update your blog. People want useful, recent and accurate information.
Use Smart Linking Techniques
As you create content for your blog, keep in mind how the search engines will be scanning for your topic. Use solid SEO (search engine optimization) practices to ensure your articles are being found. Also, be sure to link to other articles in your archives so that people get the information they need on a certain topic without having to search by date. (They don’t necessarily know when you’ve posted on that topic.) Also, use link titles to show the reader where the link is going. Readers won’t click on something unless they are convinced it will help them get more of the information they seek. Just by hovering over the link, a link title gives a brief explanation of what they would find on the next page if they were to click.
Write Descriptive Headlines
Another way to use solid SEO practices is to make your headlines very descriptive. Avoid too lengthy headlines and titles, but be as descriptive as possible using a few words. Cryptic titles do now tell the reader what the article is about and they do nothing for your search engine optimization efforts.
Use Slang Only When Readers Want You To
Using slang for a certain niche is good to a certain extent. For example, if you are writing for an advanced group, you don’t want to bore them by dumbing it down to layman’s terms. However, you don’t want to ostracize new readers. Explain terminology as much as makes sense in your blog. At the very least, create links on key terms that will guide a new reader to the definition of that term.
