Anyone can blog, but what makes a blog successful? That’s the question. Why does one blog take off and another fail? Blogging isn’t just about putting something out there – the secret to success – is providing content people are actually interested in checking out. Give ‘em what they want! It’s what most successful businesses already know, so why not apply that same principle to blogging? Obviously, there’s more to blogging than this very simplistic principle, but it’s definitely a big part of the equation. I’m trying to become a better blogger, but with so many factors to consider things can seem overwhelming at first.

“One of the great blessings and also a curse of the Internet is the opportunity to tune in on what both expert and novice voices are saying … The problem … what voices do we listen to and for how much time each day … it’s a challenge … to be selective and to limit what comes into our heads.” ~ Source: Personal Learning Networks and Your Personal Expertise by David Loertscher. Teacher Librarian (Feb 2013), 40(3), 53-55.

What have I learned so far? Don’t believe everything you read on the internet, but it may pay to focus on those tips that appear on multiple blogs. If more than one person has picked up on something, it only stands to reason, it may be a lesson learned through experience. Take advantage of these tips and apply them to become a better blogger.

Top 5 Blogging Tips

1. Blog Titles Matter Image Credit: Pixabay Image 49006 (Creative Commons license, public domain).

Believe it or not, there’s a lot wrapped up in a blog post title. When people are scanning the internet for something noteworthy – you need to grab their attention. Titles should be short and snappy. They should also contain one or two relevant keywords from your blog post.

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2. Make Your Blog Reader-Centric Image Credit: Pixabay Image 556811 (Creative Commons license, public domain).

Who’s your target audience? What are they interested in? Your blog isn’t about you – it’s about who’s going to be reading it. Who are you trying to reach with your blog posts? Give ‘em what they want! If people aren’t buying what you’re selling your blogging efforts will be all for naugt.

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3. Make Your Blog Readable Image Credit: Pixabay Image 684748 (Creative Commons license, public domain).

How your blog is laid out is just as important as the content provided. You can choose the best title, include the best content and still fail if the layout is unreadable. Internet content, this includes blogs, should be scannable (i.e., readable) if you’re trying to grab someone’s attention.

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4. Visual Appeal is Key Image Credit: Boubinsky potok in nature reserve, Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons license).

Nothing makes a visitor leave a website faster than a page that’s too text heavy. Adding a little visual appeal will help to draw people into your blog. Hopefully, they’ll stay a while and read a few of your posts – maybe they’ll like them enough to come back again or they’ll share your content with others. To make your blog posts easier to share on Social Media sites like Facebook or Pinterest, it’s important to use large high-resolution images. Just avoid using too many extra-large image files per blog post, because this will significantly impact how long it takes your page to load.

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5. Make Regular Updates Image Credit: Pixabay Image 336377 (Creative Commons license – public domain).

A regular blogging schedule will drive traffic to your blog and hopefully turn visitors into “loyal readers” over time. It’s like your favorite TV show that you tune into every week without fail. When there’s a rerun or when the show changes their time slot the ratings often suffer. Believe it or not many people like routine, so don’t lose readers by failing to provide regularly updated content.

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Featured Image Credit: Blog Word Cloud by April Schwarzkopf created using Wordle.