How to Attract More Readers to your Blog
There’s no point in having a superbly written, engaging blog if no-one gets to see it, so here are some tips on how to attract readers to your blog.
1) Optimise your content for SEO and get found in online searches, by doing the following:
- Create a meta description
- Include keywords in your content
- Keep your content interesting and unique
- Add alt text for your images
- Include links from your blog post to other parts of your website
2) Post a link to your blog on social media. Don’t just repeat the title, make an interesting comment or pose a question that will encourage readers to click on the link. Social media content can spread like wildfire; if your followers find it interesting or amusing enough there’s a chance they might share it. Images are invaluable on social media, an image, especially an interesting or amusing one coupled with an interesting or amusing tagline will attract a much greater audience than you would otherwise get.
3) Make relevant interesting comments on blogs or discussion forums and include a link to a related blog of yours.
4) Make the title engaging to create interest. Use a working title whilst you’re writing the blog by all means, but give it further thought before publishing the blog, as an exciting title will attract a lot more readers than an uninspiring one, needless to say!
5) Include content from guest bloggers. Variety is important and creates interest and you also get promoted to the guest blogger’s audience.
6) Make sharing easy. Include social sharing buttons at the end of your blog to encourage sharing.
7) Offer freebies, these can range from products and services to a money off/credit voucher or even a link to a relevant site offering a freebie that you think your target audience would be interested in.
However getting traffic is only part of it, the next issue is what to do with it once you’ve got it?! First and foremost you need an impressive website that will retain the visitor’s interest. For this you should go to experts in web design.
Focus on creating an ongoing interaction with your audience, landing pages are key. Make it clear what you want the visitor to your site to do, for example, comment on your blog, sign up for your newsletter, follow you on Facebook or Twitter. You will not benefit from taking a softly softly approach, be clear and direct. Including a sign up form that asks for an email address is a good way of creating a marketing opportunity, and is the kind of thing that you need to do to maximise any benefit from your blog.
