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Whether you’re just getting started with blogging or your blog simply needs an overhaul, most bloggers will agree that the ultimate goal is to create a vibrant hub on the Internet that engages readers and makes them want to not only come back and read again but to tell others about your blog.
The single most important reason for people to visit your blog again and again is your content. People do not come in to view your advertisements; they come in to read your posts. Your writing therefore, are the most important thing on your blog. The time spent on writing quality and engaging posts should be your top priority.
Creating a blog that sticks with readers includes writing high quality content, integrating with social media, promoting the blog in easy and effective ways and offering out of the box events and features that readers won’t find elsewhere.
Why High Quality Content Matters?
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During my time as a Google rater, one of the things I learned was that quality truly does make a difference to how you rank in the search engines. The truth is that you can’t control how Google changes their algorithms, which might seem to be on an almost daily basis at times. They will forever tweak and change what they consider to be the best features for websites. However, one thing that you can count on is that high quality content will remain desirable.
Not only will Google appreciate high quality, unique content, but your readers will come to trust you as a source that they can count on. You’ll also increase your Google+ authorship with high quality published content.
What Makes Quality Content?
Producing high quality content isn’t rocket science. It simply requires:
- Writing unique content. Has the topic been covered 1,000 times before? Then, how can you put a unique spin on the topic that is unlike anything else out there?
- Are you covering the same information as others, but better? Are you offering that little bit more than readers can find on other sites?
- Are you linking to high quality resources? Sites that offer excellent content or government and educational institution sites?
- Do the images go with your content? Do they enhance what you’ve already written in some way?
- Is the content relevant to your site’s niche? If you run a site for dog lovers and write an article about how to weave a basket, your readers are going to be left scratching their heads over why that article is on a dog lovers’ site.
Communications expert Cheryl Conner shared in her Forbe’s article href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/06/10/the-kingdom-of-content-what-makes-it-authentic-and-why-does-it-matter-so-much/">The Kingdom Of Content: What Makes It Authentic? (And Why Does It Matter So Much?):
“Assertions should be supported with evidence (both metric and anecdotal are best), or must be clearly marked if they are simply a personal opinion.”
Essentially, back up what you say with expert opinions, hard facts and statistics. This will show your readers that you’ve done your research and lend an air of authority to your writing. It also helps build trust between you and the readers, because they realize they can count on you as a writer to provide them with solid, truthful information.
You’ll also want to remember that while readers want more than they’ll find at any other site, they want it in a format that is easy to read and quick to digest.
Social Media Integration
Another way to magnetize your blog is to integrate with social media. For example, if you use WordPress, you can add a widget called Twitter Widget that will produce a feed of your latest tweets. By the same token, you can use services like HootSuite or IFTTT to notify readers on Facebook and Twitter when a new blog post goes up.
href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/integrating-social-media-activities/">Social Media Examiner suggests releasing apps is another way that bloggers can get involved in social media and capture the attention of new readers.
Examples of how businesses use apps to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty include companies like Old Navy, who offer coupons pushed through the app as well as the opportunity to find out what is on sale or shop online from your phone. While your blog may deal in virtual goods, an app can still notify your readers of specials, events or new posts to the blog.
When utilizing social media for promotion, remember:
- Add value to discussions
- Don’t be disgusting with the self-promo
- Offer something to readers instead of expecting them to buy something from you
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Promotions don’t have to take up all of your time, but can have a big impact on bringing readers to your blog and keeping them there. One tip is to offer the same promotion every quarter or every month, so readers know they can count on that promotional offering and will continue to visit your site.
When it comes to promotion, you want to keep it simple and reach your target demographic.
This can mean trading advertising with another blogger, guest blogging on related sites, and allowing guest bloggers on your site if their content matches your overall theme and they are not competition for you.
It is my personal experience that placing ads on Facebook has not been particularly effective for my own blogs. However, using those funds to place ads on specific websites or in newsletters has been effective.
You’ll want to set up landing pages so you can track which ads are bringing in traffic and which have the best conversion rates. Those are ads that you’ll want to repeat again and again. You’ll also want to take a look at Jerry Low’s article href="http://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/inbound-marketing/boost-conversion-rates/">Case Studies: 20 Ways to Boost Website Conversion Rates. Not only will you get excellent tips for increasing conversion on ads, but you’ll see what other site owners are doing that’s already been proven successful.
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