Niche down
Studies estimate that the number of bloggers in the U.S will reach 31.7 million by 2020. And that’s only the U.S!
Which means, there’s a lot of competition.
But, there is a way to stand out and attract readers to your blog:
Go niche.
Focus on creating a hyper-specific topic as the go-to expert on that topic.
Write about topics people are searching for
51% of all website traffic comes from organic search. Which means: for your blog to do well, you need to write about topics people are searching for.
Use professional keyword research tools and important keyword metrics.
Be mindful of search intent
Google provides its users with the most relevant results for their queries. If you want to rank high in Google and get passive, organic traffic, you need to be the most relevant result for the query.
To put it simply you need to create content that aligns with search intent.
Create content worth referencing
Is your article unique?
Did you present ideas, opinions, or point-of-views that nobody else has talked about?
Will people cite, quote, or link to your article?
Will people share and talk about it?
You can always add a unique perspective by including data, running surveys, or acquiring experience.
Make your posts easy reads
Use short paragraphs. Break up long sentences, Insert multimedia, Use formatting, etc.
Write attractive headlines
On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.
Most people discover content via search or social. And they likely decide which to read based on the headline.
That makes the headline the most crucial piece of your content. And you should learn how to write compelling ones that capture people’s attention and make them want to learn more.
However, that doesn’t mean you should be writing clickbait. But it does mean that you should understand how good headlines work.
Write a good introduction
The headline’s job is to get the reader to read the first sentence. Then, it’s the job of your introduction to hook them in and get them to read the post.
So, if your introduction is lengthy, boring, or reads like an academic paper, then it’s time to change what you’re doing.
With a sentence or two, show your readers you understand the problem they’re facing.
With this, your readers will feel like you empathize with them and their challenges.
Next, Present your article as the solution.
Tell them you’ve found the solution to that problem. Alternatively, you can also explain the solution as briefly as possible without divulging everything. Give people something to nibble on so they’ll want to read further.
This is where you explain why they should trust you. After all, it’s likely the first time they’ve encountered your blog. You’ll have to demonstrate your success, experience, or expertise.
Do basic on-page SEO
On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing your content to rank higher in the search results.
But on-page SEO is about more than including exact-match keywords in your copy. The presence of related words and phrases also matters.
If you’re writing about something you already know a lot about, you might not have to. I mean, chances are you’ll include relevant words and phrases without even trying.
Just remember, this is not about stuffing keywords into your content. It’s about finding the things people are expecting to see on a page about [whatever topic you’re targeting].
Build an email list
For as long as your fans are subscribed to you, you can communicate with them anytime.
How do you build an email list?
You need two ingredients: traffic and something of value.
You need to offer something in return for subscribing.
Since they’ve enjoyed our article (they made it to the end!), we’re offering to deliver more of the content they loved right in their inbox.
You can offer a free eBook, the PDF version of the post, an email course, whatever.
All you need is a bit of creativity.
Write every day
How did James Clear become one of the world’s most famous bloggers, and subsequently a bestselling author?
Practice.
After all, it’s no secret. Blogging IS writing.
But to write well, you have to practice frequently.
It doesn’t have to be anything spectacular. Just focus on building a habit of putting pen to paper daily. It need not be a blog post—it could be a Facebook update, tweet, blog comment, email, or something else
Final thoughts
Blogging is hard work. You need to publish consistently, promote your articles, network, and more.
The good news is: you’re not alone.
Plenty of blog experts (like us) have gone through the ups and downs. And with that hard-won experience, they’ve charted the path for you.
Now, all you have to do is to implement these blogging tips and get to work.
10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Topics are too broad.
2. You don’t tie a specific topic into your reader’s broader struggle.
3. Too much information.
4. Relying on the conceptual instead of the concrete.
5. You don’t use data as evidence.
6. You’re not adding enough context.
7. You think you’re done once the writing’s done.
8. You don’t blog consistently.
9. You concentrate your analytics on immediate traffic.
10. You aren’t growing subscribers.