Writing a blog is a great way to promote a brand, sell a product, or simply establish yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise. Your blog might be based around fashion, food, business, or health. But whatever it is, it needs readers in order to become successful. A blog without followers is like screaming into the void.
But with over 600 million blogs online these days, how can you make an impact? It is difficult for any aspiring blogger to attract a significant readership, no matter how great their writing may be. In order for you to realise the benefits that come with managing a brilliant blog, here are four powerful strategies to attract more readers.
Find your niche
Your blog needs to be about something specific. Although you might be tempted to widen your subject area in order to attract more people, it will actually be more engaging if you can write with authority on a particular topic. Writing a blog about films, for example, will attract movie connoisseurs and engage them. Adding a post about an unrelated topic, such as football, will just cause confusion and deter readers. Find your niche and stick to it.
Write amazing content
It has always been true that content is king. If you cannot write compelling copy, then your blog will struggle to take off. Some people are gifted writers but even if you are not, it is a skill you can learn. Make an effort to read as much as you can in order to pick up literary and stylistic tips, and keep writing constantly. Over time you will hone your craft and learn to create content that attracts readers from all over.
Promote it effectively
It’s one thing to write amazing blog posts, but getting them seen by the right people is another challenge entirely. You need to be skilled at marketing in order to raise your viewer numbers and cultivate a large following. Use the following blog marketing strategies:
- Share widely across your social media platforms, paying special attention to the channels that your target audience are likely to be using.
- Collect email addresses from subscribers to your blog. Send them regular email updates to alert them about new posts.
- Write guest posts on other authoritative blogs, allowing you to build your profile and drive backlinks to your own site.
- Use word of mouth, telling all your friends and family about your blog and encouraging them to share.
- Find online forums and social media groups related to your subject area. Engage with conversations and share links to relevant blog posts on your site.
- Think about search engine organisation. Include popular keywords in your blog content to help you rank highly on Google. Make sure to populate metadata and reduce site speed to help with the algorithm.
- Consider consulting with a digital marketing agency to help you build your online presence.
Use analytics
You might think data is boring, but it can really help you to drive your readership numbers. Looking at the analytics for your most popular blog articles, bounce rates, demographics, and traffic sources can help you to optimize your content. It allows you to focus on the things that are working and improve the areas that are not.
Follow these four tips and you will soon see your reader numbers increase. Good luck!