You’ve most likely toyed with the idea of creating a blog before, but may have been hesitant for a variety of reasons. Maybe you weren’t sure what to write about, or if what you had to say would be worth reading. Maybe you had some amazing ideas but weren’t sure how to get noticed.
Whatever the case may be, let’s get one thing straight: with literally millions of blogs out there on the Internet, it definitely isn’t easy to stand out. But it’s not impossible.
When creating a blog, keep the following tips in mind if you want to maximize your potential for success:
1. Be presentable
I know that content is king, but be serious: you’re not going to get noticed if your blog isn’t designed in a welcoming and user-friendly way. Pick the right web host for your blog, especially if your aim is to grow your business through your online writing. You could create the most incredible content known to man, but if your site design doesn’t live up to your audience’s standards, they’ll pass right by you and move on to the next best thing.
2. Be unique
Every single person on this planet has at least one unique quality that deserves to be shared with the world. Your blog is your opportunity to showcase your individuality. It’s your place to share your own opinion using your own voice. Don’t fall into the trap of discussing topics that don’t interest you just because they’re trending; not only will you come off as phony, but the people who read your blog won’t be the people you want reading it. Stay true to yourself, and like-minded people will follow.
3. Be consistent
If you’re not consistent with your blog, you’re going to end up lost in a sea of RSS feeds and bookmarks, even if the content you do post is incredible. Your content should focus on one specific topic, or at least stay under the same umbrella. If you write about fashion one week and computer hardware the next, you’re only going to confuse your audience. Similarly, you want to post consistently as well. If you post great material three times in one week, and then disappear for a month, you’re going to lose all the followers you gained throughout your initial venture. Be consistent, and you’ll create a consistent audience base.
4. Link to others
There is absolutely no reason to pretend you’re the only one out there talking about the specific topic your post is about. If you saw a post on another blog that was the basis for your post, link to it. If you know your audience will benefit from another source, link to it. By showing that you’re knowledgeable about other sites and sources within your industry, you’ll become more trusted by your audience and customer base.
5. Invite comments and critiques
Your blog could potentially be seen by thousands, if not millions, of individuals, each with their own ideas and perspectives. Make your content open-ended so as to invite conversation and dialogue, even with those who disagree with you (and believe me, they’ll make themselves known). Not only will doing so create a strong bond between you and your readership, but you could also learn as much from your audience as they learn from you.
Like I said, you’ll also face your fair share of criticism, and that’s okay. Rather than taking negative comments personally, use them as a springboard to improve your writing and knowledge in order to create even better content in your next post. However, you do want to make sure you filter out the spam and trollish comments; they take away from the integrity of your entire blogspace.
Featured photo credit: ~C4Chaos ~C4無秩序 / blogging station @ Ireland via farm1.staticflickr.com
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