Blogging is a great way to share your knowledge or passion with the world. It can be a fulfilling hobby, a part-time gig that makes you money on the side, or a lucrative business opportunity – providing it’s done right.
Starting a blog can also help you gain recognition for your business and open up new opportunities for growth. If you want your blog or website to attract attention, however, you need to start by getting readers interested in your posts. Whether you’re new on the scene or you’ve been blogging for a while, here are five tried and tested ways to get your blog posts noticed.
Be Authentic and Original
Don’t use your blog to peddle products or push ads before you have set the stage. To attract a regular readership, you need to commit to writing original content that speaks to them on an individual level. Think carefully about your target audience and the kinds of posts that they will find useful, informative, or entertaining. Then be authentic. Let your voice shine through and keep your tone conversational, after all; your readers want to know your story.
Create Shareable Headlines
The headline of your post is the first thing readers will see, so it needs to capture their attention from the get-go. Keep it short and snappy, and try to factor in relatable keywords to help your SEO ranking. You can use Google’s free keyword tool to find out what people are searching for in your niche.
Include Good Quality Images
There’s no getting around it: if you want to create standout content, you need to include at least one image in each post. Not just any old photo either, the image needs to be top notch. You can take pictures yourself using a good-quality camera or smartphone, or you can use free stock images from the Internet. If you do include someone else’s image in your post, make sure you only use photos that are labelled for reuse and always cite the source. You can then use free tools like Adobe Express to create banners and photo collages that will make your posts appear slicker and more professional.
Hone Your Writing Skills
It’s no good having a snappy headline and a high-quality image if your content is weak. No one’s saying you need to create the perfect post (or even that there is such a thing) but you need to hone your writing skills if you want readers to take you seriously. If you know your written content could use a little work, you can download a free tool like Hemmingway or Grammarly to improve your writing or take a blogging course.
Engage With Other Bloggers
Once you have five well-written, shareable posts up on your site, it’s time to start promoting your blog. The best way to get readers interested is to engage with other bloggers in your niche. You can do this by commenting on their blogs and social media posts and providing links back to your site. Leave thoughtful comments on posts that genuinely interest you, like and share content on social media platforms, and work towards building a following.
Once you’ve got into your blogging stride, you can start approaching other bloggers for guest post opportunities so you can promote your blog to their existing readers.
