At first glance, writing blog posts seems like a simple task. You pick a topic, maybe do some research, then type it up and put it out there. Right?
At the risk of outing ourselves here, those are the bare bones of creating and nurturing blog posts. But those steps don’t include how to help it get noticed out there in a sea of blog posts, all ranging from ok content to spectacular posts. In an internet world teeming with social media, keywords, videos, hashtags, and all sorts of SEO tips, it’s easy for your message to get mired down and missed by genuinely interested audiences.
These five suggestions are by no means the only ways to increase your visibility, but they’re certainly steps in sending your blog posts in the right direction.
[Need some more tips on improving your SEO? Click here!]
Stick to your guidelines.
When you first set up your blog, WordPress, or any other content management platform will have you pick a particular aesthetic style for your blog posts to follow. Unless you change it up as you continue to post, this platform will remain consistent without much input. Some important editorial guidelines to consider include:
- Understand your content objectives and keep them in mind as you create.
- Focus on your headlines- they are blog posts first impression.
- Consistency in voice and tone is key.
- Keyphrases and SEO are essential.
- Follow a set standard for length.
The real challenge in establishing yourself as a responsible entity will be in keeping track of other, self-imposed regulations like how often you want to publish your content and what voice you use to write it. Essentially, you’re branding yourself and your blog, and for a brand to be effective, it needs to be solid. Keep to your posting schedule as best as you can (maybe you start yourself with one post a month just to test it all out) and use your writing style and know-how to be unforgettable to a growing internet audience.
Declutter your posts.
Flashy extras can be great additions to break up longer paragraphs and keep your readers interested. But more often than not, bloggers forget that a little goes a long way. Rather than put a gif between each paragraph or use bold and italic fonts for every emphasis you want to make, let your readers exercise their imaginations and use your words to lead them in the right direction.
After you’ve gotten used to blogging, you’ll see that you don’t need a plethora of images trying to do what your language can and that they can, in some cases, give your blog a spammy vibe that ultimately drives away your target audience.
When your content has the right flow and weight to hold their attention all by itself, you know that you’re doing your job as its author.
Create a conversation.
Nobody likes being lectured: not in person, and definitely not online. So, while your blog posts will probably hold some instruction element, you may find that it helps to use phrases and tones that invite other opinions to encourage inclusivity.
Your opinions matter, and it’s assumed that you are some kind of authority on the subject of each post, so be sure to try and extend the same courtesy to your readers. Even if you don’t have a comments section available, or guest posting options, they’re sure to appreciate your efforts to disseminate your views without overwhelming the online community.
Bring the past to the present.
The more you post, the more content you have at your disposal to build your repertoire and establish your niche as a blogger. This means that you can take older entries and use them to your advantage when discussing related topics. Bloggers can merely reference all of their old copy by linking back to other content and conversations.
This is not only good SEO practice, but it helps keep your content fresh and relatable, without deviations from your typical themes.
Get social.
Say what you want about character limits and other stipulations that social media puts on your content; these are fantastic tools for sharing links and driving more users to your blog! By posting shortened links with abbreviated content on social media platforms, you’re basically sending out invitations for your followers to check out the blog. Think of it as a preview for a summer blockbuster without the “coming soon” bit.
The blog post is already published, just waiting to be read, and all your fans have to do to see it is click away. This gives you the chance to get creative with your graphics, too. Imagery and video are critical to social media engagement, so use it to your blog’s advantage!
When it comes to a personal blog post, it all boils down to representing the topics that interest you in a way that will make others want to engage and hear what you have to say.
And if we’ve captured your attention and conveyed our ideas in an engaging way, then stay tuned to our blog for more helpful marketing tips!