Here’s a checklist of simple tips to improve your blogging so that your readers crave what you write. Remember: your readers read your stuff because you have knowledge they want and you write it in such a way that keeps them wanting more. Blog on a consistent basis (at least once per week, ideally daily – when you have hundreds or thousands of loyal subscribers like The Pioneer Woman has!); apply my blogging tips and and watch your traffic grow.
- The best tip I can give you is to recommend that you read Copyblogger every day to learn how to become a great blogger.
- Your blog post title (headline) should contain a benefit statement, like: “How To Use Twitter To Create Your Own Fan Club.” Avoid questions as blog headlines. Use humor whenever possible. More tips on headline writing here: http://www.copyblogger.com/how-to-write-headlines-that-work/
- Include at least one graphic or photo to break up content and psychologically imprint your message into your reader’s mind. Visuals always help people learn.
- Your blog post should contain a few links to outside resources that should open up in other browser windows so your reader is not taken away from your blog. These links provide more credibility for you because you’re offering your reader even more help, and you’re documenting your findings. Promoting others is good social networking etiquette so be sure to link to the people you cite as sources. They’ll usually know you’ve done this because you’ve pinged their blog by linking to it.
- Encourage an inter-action step from your reader:”Tell me what you think of (whatever subject they just read in your post) by leaving your comment. I’d love to hear from you.”
- Promote your blog post by tweeting about it, like this: “My latest blog post: How To Write Buzz-Worthy Blog Posts – please RT- (link goes here).” You should also send a Twitter Message to a few friends, saying: “Would you please RT if you think worthy? How To Write Buzz-Worthy Blog Posts by @LoriGama- Thanks.”
- Try to hit a nerve with your blog posts. My “Top 10 Powerful Twitter Tips for Beginners” gave me more than 2000 visitors to my blog in 24 hours because 1.) There happened to be a huge influx of beginners and not very many “Tips” types of information around at that time. 2.) I asked a favor from a few Twitter friends who have a lot of influence to please retweet it to their followers if they found it worthy. I didn’t pressure them. And, I had built up trust and had been very supportive of them, so they didn’t mind helping me at all.
- Include buttons with every blog post that give your reader a way to promote your post. I call these “Push Buttons” because when people use them, they push your content around the Web. “Push” buttons like Google+, StumbleUpon, Digg, ReTweet, Google’s “Buzz This” and the Facebook’s “Like” button are ways your happy reader can push your content around the web. When your content is found all over the web, people start to recognize you, remember you, and check you out (which equals lots of traffic to your site, which is fantastic exposure for you).
- Blog etiquette: Be sure to reply to comments people post on your blog and take time to read their latest blog post and/or subscribe to it. Never be “spammy” by linking to your own posts in comments. Your comment usually requires you to include your name and website or blog link anyway. Do keep in mind that your blog comments can be picked up by Google and can show up in searches for your name or the subject the comment is related to -especially with high-traffic websites like HuffPost or CNN.
Re-cap:A blog is a great way to establish your expertise and gain new fans–as long as you’re blogging to help people and NOT to pitch yourself. If you talk about a specific brand, disclose your relationship with that brand (FTC rules). Content is still king and authenticity is queen. So, always be honest.
