Making your blog unique
Where creating a blog was once limited to the elite few, it is now easily accessible thanks to advent of user-friendly packages such as WordPress.
People write blogs about their cats, their clothes, food and recipes or their latest travel adventures. In fact people blog about almost any topic imaginable and those blogging no longer need an in-depth knowledge of online marketing or web design.
However, despite the infinite number of blogs available, only a handful of them are successful. Many are either read by the blogger’s nearest and dearest or sent into the ether and left unread. So whilst creating a blog is now comparatively easier to do, attracting loyal followers is another matter.
The secret of writing a successful blog
What will make your blog stand out from the crowd? Regardless of the topic, the most successful blogs are based on planning and consistency. They do not happen by chance alone and like everything else require dedication and hard work.
Here are some tips on how to write a successful blog:
Provide information
Writing about a specific subject which you are passionate and knowledgeable about will attract like-minded people if you can establish yourself as an expert. If you can address viewer’s concerns or respond to their questions they are more likely to share content or recommend you to others. By fulfilling viewer’s needs you will earn trust and respect and this will build your reputation which will improve your SEO and attract new followers.
Selective content
Blogging may promote your business indirectly but the content should not be used as a direct selling tool as doing so will alienate any potential followers. Blogs should contain useful and informative content to amuse, educate and entertain your followers.
Consider who your target audience are and whether or not they will find the content useful or entertaining. If the answer is no, start again. Using a content calendar to map out future content can ensure that you don’t repeat topics or run out of interesting topics.
Case studies can also make great blog content, especially if your target audience is a professional one.
Be unique
If you want to stand out from the crowd, for all the right reasons, writing about a niche subject or taking a unique approach will give you a head start. Providing unique, innovative content will attract viewers and in turn improve your search engine optimisation.
Be passionate
If you have a subject you feel strongly about share it with viewers. Enthusiasm is infectious so why not let your viewers benefit from yours? Whilst the majority of on-line content is formal, it is acceptable for blogs to be written in an informal way, so if you have an interesting human interest story or anecdote feel free to include it, providing of course it is relevant.
Equally if you have made a mistake but by doing it found a solution, share it with others so that they too can benefit from your experience.
Stay on trend
Follow your competitors, read trade magazines, or keep abreast with online content to see what is being written and what is new in the marketplace on your chosen topic. Staying abreast with the latest trends and developments will enable you to stay up to date and allow you to inform your followers. Participate in community debates, use services such as Google Trends to see what the latest hot topics are and then relate your content to it.
Encourage feedback
Feedback of any kind will provide you with insight into what your followers want. Stimulate conversations and encourage viewer interactions. Your blog should have social media sites so that viewers can sign up as followers, share content or leave comments. The added advantage of viewer interaction is that it will also act to boost your blog in terms of the website rankings, which in turn will increase your chances of attracting new followers.
If questions are asked respond promptly, thank people for positive feedback and respond factually and politely to any negative feedback received. Having stimulating debates can make great content!
