Most of us remember when blogs were a new medium. Sponsored posts and the arms race that’s become SEO weren’t much of a factor. Now, however, blogging has revolutionized marketing and free expression. It has become hyper competitive and highly commercialized. Today, we’re going to look at some resources to help you start or maintain your blog.
As this medium has evolved, so have consumer expectations. Once relegated to the nerdy set, blogs are a ubiquitous way to reach out to the masses. Everyone, from college students to large enterprises, seems to have one. From these posts, you’ll be able to see the reasons for blogging’s continued popularity.
Did you know that over 4 million blog posts are published daily? That’s not surprising, because blogs provide a very high return on investment. Statistics show that while content is cheap to produce, it’s also a great way to drive website traffic. That’s probably one reason why 75% of corporate websites have a blog section. Also, content marketers say that blogs are so effective that they’re one of the best tools out there, with the result that these are prioritized. People like to share these posts with others, usually to help someone else. Statistics show that long-form posts are the best for SEO, but very few posts are this long. For B2B brands, hearing from experts is especially important, and where better to do this than on a blog. Finally, for best results use list-based posts like this one.
Some people think that blogging is dead, but as Konrad Sanders points out it’s still relevant with changes. For one thing, don’t use that boring repetitive SEO content. Instead, think about quality over quality for your content. People want substance, not fluff. Make your content easy to skim, because people are busy and want to read things that are right to the point. You’ll also want to produce unique content and keep the conversation going. Allow, no, encourage, people to subscribe to emails and blog alerts. Furthermore, include plenty of links to encourage extended website browsing. Finally, give your topics in-depth coverage that encourages people to linger. These posts often have the best results.
Just like everything else in marketing, your blog needs a strategy. After all, if you put out random thoughts constantly then your blog will probably not be a go-to place for anyone but friends and family. Once that happens, you can forget about monetizing or becoming an influencer. Here are some resources to help you get started with a comprehensive-and cohesive-blog strategy.
If you’ve never blogged before, starting one can seem like a daunting task. However, this quick guide will leave you less mystified by the process. Before you do anything else, select a topic for your blog. It could be some hobby you have or, for corporate blogs, center around your products and services. Next, decide where you want to start blogging. Options include WordPress, Blogger, and several others. Make sure you understand the limits of each. Then, you’ll need some sort of domain name, which can be purchased through a domain registrar. Web hosting is also critical, because that’s who stores your website data and fields visitor inquiries. Set up a blog platform, which will allow you to edit your new website. Finally, have fun starting to publish content.
Here, we’ll talk about the three challenges of blogging and how to overcome them. First, there’s the level of competition. Unfortunately, the best option is often to find a niche (or set of keywords) that’s less competitive and make yourself remarkable in that area. Second, there’s the rapid changes in social media that make monetization challenging. Your best bet here is to diversify: put content in more than one place or use multiple platforms to drive blog traffic. Third, search engines change their SEO algorithms all the time. For success, try optimizing for topics rather than keywords. Topics change less over time, and carving out a niche keeps the traffic coming. As a final note, don’t forget sound marketing practices for your blog. This includes building an email list, adding videos, and connecting with other bloggers.
If you want to really grow your blog, check out these goals that will help. First, try to grow traffic by 6% a month. Then, write one post every week so people have something to read. Publish a guide that’s over 3,000 words to make your blog a destination. Start an email list and increase your opt-in rate by 50% for best results. Lastly, connect with a new influencer each month and feature their stuff on your blog. This helps draw their following to your blog.
Kim Kardashian is quite the cultural icon, and especially well known for her impact on the beauty industry. But did you know she has some lessons to teach bloggers? For one thing, she’s wonderful at working with others, which bloggers will want to do as their site grows. She also is excellent at knowing her audience, which in blogging means knowing what your readers will want to spend their valuable time on. Differentiating herself from everyone else is also a highly effective tactic she uses, and which can help you compete for an audience. She diversifies her topics, while keeping it relevant to her brand message. Your lesson is to not let the blog get stale with the same stuff all the time, while still retaining some consistency. Rather than using expert language, Kardashian keeps her material conversational, and you should too. Increased readability is the reward in this case. Be careful about oversharing, because it attracts the wrong type of attention-just like Kim Kardashian. At the same time, have fun, because when people enjoy your content they come back for more, and seek exposure to drive more traffic. Be consistent with your message and create the kind of intrigue that has people checking out your blog to see what the fuss is all about.
The jury has returned its verdict: storytelling is a fairytale for marketers. In fact, telling a “brand story” is the best way to attract and retain engagement and, with it, sales. So, how do we marketers master the art of storytelling? Try using one of these examples. Analogy driven stories are great when you’re trying to explain something that’s a bit more complicated, because the analogy is based in the familiar. Or, you can dramatize the truth so people see your point immediately. However, these techniques aren’t the only thing to consider. You should try to add sensory information that grabs and retains the reader’s attention. Another technique is to build anticipation, which is especially good on longer posts and when you’ll use more than one to get it said. Lastly, think about building characters to root for, just like they do in those classic novels
One of the best ways to become an influencer is with a blog. In fact, names like Neil Patel, Tim Ferriss and yours truly have all started that way. Why? Well, for one thing it gives influencers a great opportunity to create engaging content that readers love. They have an opportunity to be authentic, talk about their interests, and make learning fun. If you want to be the next influencer, try these steps. Put your best effort into blogging, and then create the kind of quality content that keeps people coming back. Next, make sure you have a great content strategy, and decide when or if you’ll start collaborating. Then, use social media to spread the word. Finally, when your analytics say it’s time be sure to scale up and start leveraging that influence.
One thing we talk a lot about on my blog generally is the importance of having a strategy. However, we also talk about tactics. In this case, it’s the structure of blog posts and the way in which we capture reader attention that is the main focus. Not every writing style or structure is engaging or effective. So, here are some posts that can help the novice and experienced blogger alike.
Need some content ideas? Give these a try. Customers love product updates, because it tells them what’s new at your company. Explainer posts are an awesome way to make your products more accessible while reducing customer service calls. Company news and industry-related content keep customers abreast of what’s going on in your world and theirs. Finally, add some infographics to help the time-strapped consumer find out what you have to say. Is this too much for you? Consider hiring help in the form of full-time marketers or content writers, adding guest posts, or outsourcing your content creation.
Nobody questions the usefulness of blogging anymore. In fact, we marketers swear by them. So how do you structure blog posts for both readers and Google? Your first step is simple: think about your audience, and plan accordingly. Next, be sure to research the right keywords for inclusion in the post. Once you’ve done that, write a well-structured introduction that tells everyone what the post is about. Next, be sure to use headings and well-organized paragraphs that give your post structure. Include images, and don’t forget a conclusion. Calls to action are important to inviting engagement, and don’t forget to solicit feedback. Finally, make sure to adjust to your audience by using analytics as a guide.
For this post, Prince Kapoor gives some basic tips on getting leads from your blog posts. However, many of them are important for other aspects of blogging. Probably the best tips here are the importance of personalization and email marketing. Especially for new bloggers who haven’t monetized yet, these are easy things to omit. However, as the blog grows you’ll find that these items are important to increasing your influence and monetization opportunities. Other hints include tips for great layout and SEO power.
Infographics are hot, and there are several reasons for this. For one thing, they’re easy to share on social media, which also increases readership. Infographics can also be used to enhance brand voice and meet content goals. They should be SEO optimized, just like the rest of the post. Lastly, infographics let you try something new that provides visual interest. With all these benefits, why not give infographics a try?
Are you running out of space on your storage account? Need to get rid of nonperforming content? The best way to do this is with a content audit. Before you begin, be sure and set a goal for what stays and what goes. Then, take an inventory of what is posted on your blog. Organize your content into relevant categories like length and type, then look at analytics data on each post. Consider how each post meets (or doesn’t meet) your content goals. Finally, decide what content is going to be updated, rewritten, or retired in order to improve the blog.
The days when you could just put something out there and get it discovered is long gone. Instead, you need to promote your blog so people will come and read it. Not only that, but you’ll need significant readership to become a thought leader or influencer. Luckily, we’ve written on this problem as well.
Need more subscribers? Most of us can certainly use a larger readership, so here are some tips. First, turn some of your posts into lead magnets. Then, optimize your blog to yield a higher conversion rate, which in this case is readers into subscribers. Distribute lead magnets all over the site for maximum effect. Use online ads and reach out to your awesome subscribers. Finally, branch out from email subscribers, so people can add you by RSS, Facebook Messenger, and others as appropriate.
If you’re writing a blog, you want people to read it, right? Here are some ways to do it. Setting goals and collaborating with other bloggers are both highly effective. Develop a personal brand and use email newsletters to expand regular readership. Write regularly but keep a content calendar to stay on track. Use SEO techniques and promote your blog on social media networks. Finally, use both affiliate agreements and banner advertising to generate cash.
One of the best ways to increase traffic is to boost your search engine ranking. First, define your audience and their search intent, and then research your keywords. Once you’ve chosen target keywords, use them wisely and learn from your competitors. Think up an engaging title, and ensure your post is highly readable, as both help with rankings. Be sure to create a meta title and description, because Google indexes them favorably, and don’t forget to optimize your images. Add both internal and external links, and encourage people to comment on your posts.
There are a number of ways to boost blog traffic. While some of them, like creating awesome content, are standards, guest blogger Enstine Muki has a few fresh ones. Notably, he recommends being active on platforms like Quora, where people can ask questions and get answers. Another suggestion is to get interviewed, and then to syndicate your posts. Both get your name out there, which encourages people to check you out.
Here are some more methods for increasing blog traffic. Unique to this post is the suggestion that you post on news aggregator websites. In this case, you’ll use a link to encourage visitors. Another suggestion is to interview thought leaders, which helps by attracting some of their followers to your blog. Syndicating your content by paying for sponsored posts on Facebook or Instagram works well, too. Also, Pinterest and YouTube are places you can post and attract attention for your niche. Finally, creating a community around your blog is a valuable technique.
When used properly, LinkedIn is a great way to drive website traffic. One way to do this is by optimizing your profile, then creating useful content. Leverage groups and then share posts with specific individuals. Follow influencers and publish content of your own, while also knowing what your audience will go for. Finally, be sure to nurture relationships, because this network is one of the best for professional connections.
If you just slap words up onto a blog, there’s a good chance people will see it as boring. For that reason, you need to make sure you design your blog to be visually appealing. And, especially if the blog is for business, you will want to ensure that design is consistent with overall branding.
For bloggers, branding includes the way things are written. For that reason, you should make sure the “voice” of your blog is consistent. Know your audience and talk about things that make sense to them, but make sure the blog also reflects your corporate values. Then, make sure you enlist the help of the right influencers. This will increase traffic and, hopefully, the leads your blog generates.
When you’re ready to take that blog to the next level, check out this set of design tips by Lana Miro. She dishes up a large helping of actionable suggestions for making it really look professional. For instance, she suggests using some bright, eye-catching colors and including quality graphics. She also recommends quality web design and video content.
While it’s occasionally necessary to buy images for your blogs, free images often will do the job nicely. This is especially true when you don’t have much blog budget and don’t need high-quality pictures. So where do you find them? Here, you will find a list of great free image resources. License rules are listed, as well as a sense of what kinds of pictures they host. A few have one-time subscription fees or limits on the number of images you can download.
Guest blogging is advantageous for most bloggers, whether they’re the host blog or the guest. Why? Guest blogging cross-pollenates readership between writers. It also provides readers with variety and a different point of view. However, there is an art to guest blogging, especially if the purpose is to build your blog with influencer voices.
Post author Dave Schneider offers a solution to those who want to invite influencers to guest blog. His idea is surprisingly simple: pitch them first. Influencers gain readership in part by guest posting on other people’s blogs, and they spend a good bit of time asking people for the opportunity. While you should still be familiar with the influencer first, sometimes it’s as simple as asking. Really.
Growing a successful blog is hard work, especially as it gets bigger. For instance, you’ll need to keep track of analytics information and monitor the comments. For my blog, tool recommendations are focusing on three types: making money, promoting posts, and tracking competitors.
This is one of my mega-lists that talks about anything you need to blog. Some tools listed are native to Google or blog hosting services. Others are multipurpose, like graphic design and other image tools. However, the biggest sections provide hints on what to use when it’s time to monetize your blog. For instance, social media tools help you become an influencer. Improving your analytics is another road to blogging success you’ll want to pursue.
One of the best ways to improve your readership is analyzing competing blogs. This is because you want to know what they are doing right, and where you can improve. So, you need to start by identifying your competitors. See what their strengths and weaknesses are by manual review. Then, call in the analytics tools to determine their overall performance. With this information, you can improve your own blog to be competitive.
While WordPress is just one of many blogging options, it is also very popular. Other places like Blogger don’t have the customization options, and with WordPress you’ll be able to build a full-fledged website. Another reason for its popularity is the overall ease of use. No coding skills are needed, because it’s all done for you. Here, we’ll talk about ways to master the platform.
Plugins are small bits of software that add functionalities to a WordPress-based website. Most WordPress sites have a few, including mine. In this post, you’ll learn how to choose which plugins to install, and then how to do so effectively. At least three methods are available. Finally, we close with some steps you need to take before installing new plugins. Hint: always back up your site.
Speaking of plugins, what should you consider adding to your business blog? This is a long post, so we’ll only gloss it over. For one thing, you’ll need some kind of SEO aid like Yoast. Monetization tools, broken link checkers, share buttons, and many more can be added as your website grows and ages. However, it’s always worth leaving a word of caution: make sure you don’t add too many plugins, or you’ll slow your site down too much.
While most bloggers have their own website, there are other options available. For instance, LinkedIn and Medium offer places to park posts. We would argue that both are strategic areas to consider syndicating your blog content on.
There’s no question that blogging on LinkedIn is a great way to get viewers because of its relative exclusivity. However, there are some other factors you should consider. First off, make sure you understand the Pulse platform and its limits. Then, make sure your audience is an appropriate one for LinkedIn. Understand the importance of both comments and good research on LinkedIn. One of the drawbacks of using this network for blogging is that the wrong content can result in professional embarrassment a lot faster. Finally, understand that this is a professional network, so you need to create appropriate content for business.
According to Tiffany Sun, there are several reasons to repost some of your blog content onto Medium. This is a longstanding place to do syndication, and it’s overall very effective. So, why should you be part of the trend? First, it offers you more exposure. People go onto Medium that don’t normally read a lot of blogs. Second, this technique will add traffic to your site. Authors are allowed to link to their main blog, and there are also the internal links. Third, posting on Medium gives you some name recognition. It isn’t as crowded of a field as LinkedIn or Twitter. Worried about the Google duplicate content penalty? Don’t. Apparently, this problem is a myth unless you’re keyword stuffing. In short, Medium is a great place to boost your blog traffic. Best of all, it requires a minimum of additional work: just a few minutes per post. Easy, no?
Starting a blog in 2023 may seem like a daunting task that is impossible to do successfully. Does anyone even read blogs these days? You may be surprised by this, but people do read blogs even today – and blogging…
In today’s world of content marketing, there are many options when it comes to editing and publishing platforms. WordPress has walked its way to the top of the list of these Content Management Systems. Right now, I want to guide…
No matter what kind of blog you write, there’s little question that the idea of writing a blog from one month to the next can seem tedious. After all, many personal blogs begin with a desire to share ideas and…
If you want more traffic from search engines, the writing is on the wall: Speed has been a factor for ranking for your website for several years, and this is why WordPress speed optimization is something that every website running…
Not so long ago, it seemed like blogging was dead. After all, blogging started as a way for people who didn’t have a forum anywhere else to set up a rudimentary website and share their thoughts. Often, these blogs could…
Interested in knowing how bloggers get paid? Everyone online is looking for a way to earn a full-time income and even bloggers are trying to figure out how to best monetize their blog. That’s why when we talk about making…
Guest blogging has been an important part of the blogosphere almost from the beginning of the genre. As soon as bloggers started forming communities, hosting other bloggers for debates, discussion, and fellowship became increasingly common. While guest blogging was originally…
As bloggers, we face a common problem: what to title each blog post. In particular, how to pick a title that not only describes the contents of our posts but entices people to read it. Especially if you’re in a…
For many bloggers, consistently choosing new topics and organizing each post can be a challenge. After all, many of us have great ideas in our heads, but we need help expressing them. Or at least, organizing our thoughts. If you’re…
Whether you want to become an influencer through blogging or launch a blog for your business, I often get asked: How much does it cost to start a blog? You might be surprised to hear this, but you can start…
Although blogging is no longer the shiniest object in marketing, there’s little question that it’s still useful. In fact, as I’ve said in a prior article, blogging is far from dead. This is true even though “free” blog platforms like…
Let’s face it: blogging isn’t always easy. In an age of intense competition, making sure your message gets out there is much harder than it used to be. Luckily, there are a whole bunch of blogging tools, both paid and…
Blogging is a very profitable online activity. There are thousands of bloggers who generate six figure income from their blogs month after month. However, they just don’t throw banners on their blogs and wait for some magic to happen. There…
Do you want to make money blogging? Blogging is a great way to make money online. You can make an income from your blog by using affiliate marketing, selling advertising space on your site, or even charging for membership access.…
No matter what kind of website you have, SEO is a multi-faceted discipline. It often involves blogs and other web copy that are optimized for keywords, images with the perfect tags, and even video that’s competitive on YouTube. Knowing all…
Do you want more traffic to your blog? For many of us, getting more eyeballs is a major goal. After all, writing is hard work, and it’s always great to have those efforts pay off in a big way. I…
Blogging is becoming bigger and bigger across different industries. To stand out, you need to know exactly what you are doing and not just throw yourself into it. Gone are those days when posting a couple of sentences online will…
Creating blog content can be a bit like swinging for a pinata and hoping you hit it. There’s no strategy to the actual content-writing, per se. You’re just blindly hoping that if you hit hard and fast enough you’ll strike…
Blogs are a big business. What were once small corners of the internet to find like-minded users and share content are now multi-million dollar operations. Blogging has become a career choice for many, and there are an increasing numbers of…
Keeping a blog is more than just telling the world what you like. By posting useful information online, you attract many readers who become your customers in the modern digital age. When you gain a considerable community of followers on…
Each time you post a photo on Instagram, you add a caption. Creating a caption, small as it is, requires writing. Looking around you today, it may seem as though people are not writing anymore, but most people write on…
Writing about the most important ideas in your topic of choice is the heart of your job as a blogger. After all, being at the forefront of the discussion within your niche is critical, whether you’re in the marketing space…
Most people who run blogs will agree that knowing what to write about is often difficult. After all, making an editorial calendar requires you to think ahead. At the same time, most bloggers must worry about the competition they face…
Whether you’re just starting a blog or have gotten stuck in a rut recently, finding ideas is important. Nobody wants to read content that’s too much like all the other bloggers in your topic. Fortunately, if you know what to…
One thing I’ve talked a lot about lately is the importance of a well-run WordPress site along with my suggested WordPress tips and tricks. After all, nothing is worse than a website that runs slowly. If people are always waiting…
Is your creativity fizzling rather than sizzling? Hate that feeling. Your creative spark can be an elusive thing. You can be on a roll, writing like there’s no tomorrow with ideas flowing all over the place. Or, creative ideas are…
Many people believe that while writing a blog is easy, knowing what to blog about is hard. After all, most of us have a wealth of knowledge in our heads, and would love to share it with the world. One…
With time comes experience, and this translates into knowledge. Today I’d like to share my accumulated knowledge as it relates to blogging, and specifically to my favorite WordPress tips and tricks. It’s one thing to have great ideas, and another…
If you have a lot of things to say, it’s easy to consider writing a blog. After all, blogs are the Internet’s way of letting ordinary people publish their thoughts. All you really need is Internet access and a few…
If you think effective blog management is just about writing whatever you think about and hitting the publish button, think again! If you want to be successful blogging for yourself or your business, you need to understand what goes into…
For years there has been speculation that blogging is dead. After all, it seems like there are fewer blogs out there than there once were. And many blogs have grown to the point that they’re really a whole website with…
Some people want to build influence through podcasting. Others prefer the YouTuber route. There are many that try to become a social media influencer. Compared to all of these, once you understand the types of blogs that exist and follow…
If you’re looking for the blogging statistics to help you improve your content marketing, you’ve come to the right place! Blogs are increasing in popularity with businesses, with nearly 6 million blog posts being published every day. It’s no wonder…
If you’ve never thought about subscribing to WordPress maintenance services, imagine this true story of what recently happened to me. I was updating one of my blog posts when all of the sudden I realized that it was saving the…
Some of you might have looked at this title and thought, “Why would a blogger even be considering blog writing services?” If you’re a business you’re probably already outsourcing some or all of your content writing, and if you treat…
I have been regularly sharing my own experiences using WordPress plugins to run this business blog to help you make your own website more social media optimized, SEO friendly, and even help convert more of your visitors into new leads.…
There are many bloggers out there and some of them blog full time. While it’s easy to blog passively and generate some income, becoming a full time blogger isn’t something that comes easily. To blog full time means to actively…
One of the most important success factors of many popular blogs is their domain name. The reason is that we create blogs for humans not search engines. The more you make it easy for your readers to retain your domain name, the…
Looking for blog post ideas? Do you like tumbleweed? Probably not. It’s awkward, no one cares about it and it has no direction. Tumbleweed just drifts along into nothing-ness, unnoticed. And that’s exactly what happens to blog posts when the…
We write our blog posts for people, not for search engines. However, if you do not consider SEO optimization, are you sure that people will find your useful content? That is why our comprehensive guide on starting a successful blog…
We continue our learning on how to start a blog. From the last article, you have found out how to promote your blog. Today we are going to talk about secrets and tricks to increase blog traffic. How to increase…
Hello everybody! From our series of comprehensive guide articles on how to start a blog, we have already learned how to create a blog from scratch. Also, I have told you how to pick the best web design. Today we…
Before I answer the question of how to start a blog, let me remind you of why you should be starting a blog. You have gained a lot of useful experience that you want to share with other users. Naturally,…
Need help in creating a blog that is killer? Look no further than the Kardashians for inspiration. “In order to win at life, you need some Kim K skills, period.” Do you agree you need Kim K skills? Well, that…
It’s the question on everyone’s lips… are blogs still relevant in 2023? Is it worth spending time and money on your company blog or creating a blog in the day of social media? In a nutshell: yes. BUT…not if you’re…
With millions of articles being published each day, bloggers need to be extra creative when it comes to their marketing strategy. A modest budget will help you to launch display ad or video marketing campaigns. But for cash-strapped marketers, investing…
They say to always keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s an important lesson I learned while building my app, NinjaOutreach. If I wanted to beat the competition, I had to know them well. There’s a lot you…
What do Neil Patel, Tim Ferriss, and Brian Clark have in common? They are three of the most influential personalities in the digital marketing sphere today. And they built their influence through blogging. Why don’t you start blogging to build…
Before I teach you how to create a Medium account, let me first answer the why. As any business owner should know, the trick from being a small business to a successful empire is simply exposure. Online advertisements. Live events.…
Having others guest post on your blog can be extremely powerful for many reasons. Consider the following statements – are they true for you? You want to put out valuable content on your blog, consistently. You want to connect with…
Are you looking to set actionable goals, both personally and professionally, to help you grow? If so, let’s make some of those apply to your blog. What should your blogging goals be? Firstly, before we dive into the specific goals…
