It’s been over a year since I wrote my first post on observations in the blogosphere entitled, “It’s a Blog Eat Blog World.” Since then, I’ve had a lot of valuable learning moments from figuring out how to grow my blog as well as from reading others. I am by no means ProBlogger, and still worship the page that Kasey Buick types on, but I’d like to offer my input from my trials and tribulations.
Top 5 Tips to a Better Blog:
- Kill the Diary: We know it all too well, the “too much information,” rambling, FaceBook-gone-blog posts. These posts consist mainly of word vomit that lack creativity and quite frankly, unless you’re a celebrity, interest. Lives can be creatively captured in blogs (see Kasey Buick’s page), but when your posts sound like you’re thinking out loud and transcribing your day…save us all. Please.
- Stop Preaching to the Same Choir: You tweet, share on FB, tweet, retweet, share on FB, and then retweet again but change the words…all on the same post…in the same day. Your followers will click if they want, and get annoyed if they don’t. Personally, I start unfollowing these individuals no matter how interesting they are as they turn into the telemarketer that won’t stop. Try networking your blog on different online groups. Spread the love and you won’t have to keep beating the same horse.
- Consistency is Critical: You post every day for three weeks and then disappear for three months. It starts feeling like a really bad relationship in which your followers can’t keep up with the yo-yoing. I will admit, I have done this a few times and for that I apologize. I also paid the price by losing half the followers I had every time and then having to rebuild interest all over again. If you cannot put out quality posts consistently, then lessen your posts weekly, but continue writing overall instead of disappearing.
- YoUr PAGE has *ToO MUCH going ON!!!? Backgrounds, colors, columns that take up every inch of space, scrolling pictures, flashing advertisements, links, widgets, music and anything else that sends the reader running or into a seizure. Sometimes, simplicity is better. Your blog is mainly carried on quality content anyways, so don’t scare readers away before they can read (or find) what it is your writing about.
- Listen and Learn From Your Audience: Your followers are your audience, and without them, you’re keeping an online journal. Listen to what they have to say, or don’t say, and learn from that. Watch statistics on what posts get the most views and comments, and watch for other patterns as well. Ask for feedback and appreciate their input. I try to respond to every.single.comment. If a reader took the time to comment, take the time to return the favor and respond. Above all, remain open-minded to critique. This doesn’t mean that you have to follow every single comment, but be willing to self-assess and adapt if you start hearing repeat suggestions. If you have the means to, give back when you can. When I hit important blog milestones, I like to celebrate by rewarding those who got me there, my followers (marketing plug for gift card giveaway when we hit 200 subscribers!).
My time in the blogosphere has been short, but I’ve remained observant and adaptable. Due to that, I’ve been able to grow in a rapid time and hit milestones in a few months that I set for a year. As previously mentioned, I’m not ProBlogger or Kasey Buick, I am just simply Stephanie, but I like to think that maybe one day someone could be writing about me too.
Happy Blogging,
Stephanie
Almost Thirty-Something 