30.1.08

7 Things You Can Do to Write a Blog That Readers Will Read

When you first start writing you blog, it will be a work in progress. You may feel that you know your topic right away and that your content will follow a certain theme for months to come, but most people start to change their topics and adjust their perspectives as they receive reader feedback and see what is most effective in drawing in new readers.

After all, your primary goal, no matter what you decide to write about, is to draw in new readers. That is why it is important that you do everything in your power to grow the number of readers you can attract on a daily basis.

Use Humor
Unless the topic you decide to write about relates to third world poverty or AIDs relief, try to spice up your blog posts with a little bit of comedy. If you have read a successful blog, you will see the power that a truly humorous writer has over his or her readers. It can be astounding.

Moreover, even if you write a powerful, rhetorically amazing blog post, it may not entice your readers to pass it on to a friend or leave a comment. They may just quietly agree with you, happy that someone was able to put their own thoughts into words. However, if you do it humorously, they will remember your words and repeat them to a friend. Humor creates repeat visitors and word of mouth conversation, two things any successful blogger wants to have on their side.

Make it Visually Appealing
Many blog writers get so carried away with the text on their site they forget to break it up and add a few images and some lists. White space is an online writer's best friend. It makes the blog post look less intimidating; it gives a sense of freedom to the reader and with a few pictures involved, can be that much more entertaining. Use images, an eye-friendly color scheme, and try not to over use text in clunky paragraphs.

Focus on a Specific Topic
Many people start their first blog with a single thought in mind and write about anything that pertains to their lives. This online diary format is perfectly well suited for anyone interested in sharing their lives with the world. However, if you want to grow readership and keep that readership, you need to focus on one or two topics.

You need a niche that you can excel in. Writing five articles a week on five different topics will only attract five new visitors looking for different content. Three articles a week from a unique perspective written about a single topic will attract countless readers who will continually return to your site for more articles about the same topic.

Contact Other Writers Within Your Topic
Bloggers have their own community and most writers will help you out in getting started. If you find that you have a particularly entertaining blog that you read often that pertains to your own, contact the owner and ask them how they interact with their readers. Comment on their blog and see what topics they write about. Learn from those that come before you, they have already found success.

Use Reader Feedback to Improve Your Blog
Ask your readers what they think and take their opinions into consideration as much as possible. Read and respond to comments, talk to them through the context of your posts and find out what worked or did not work for a given post. Google Blogger is one of the largest reader communities in the world. Take advantage of those readers and get to know their thoughts.

Create Themes and Columns
Weekly columns on an ongoing topic can be very popular if well written. Series of articles or blog posts or thematic content can also draw in readers. Some of the most successful blogs on the Internet started with a thematic gimmick such as a list or series of opinions and sprouted outward. Just because you start your blog with a series of articles entitled "101 Things to Read on a Desert Island" does not mean you cannot write about other literature or desert island related topics.

Be Provocative
The more provocative and controversial your content is, the more people will read and comment on it. The unfortunate down side to this advice is that many of your new readers will not return, especially if they are angered by your opinions. However, the readers who agree with you will become vehement defenders of your blog. Try visiting a popular political blog. The devoted readers often defend the writer automatically, reading every post and responding to any negative comments. Be careful with how you approach this method though. You do not want to be rude or angry just for the sake of being rude and angry.

To gain readership for your blog, you need to be unique. You need to stand out and show that your content is unlike anything else on the Internet. If you write with a humorous voice, say something that no one else is saying, and remain loyal to your readership, your blog can become extremely popular.

Learn to blog with Google Blogger Tutorials. Over 100 videos available on the Internet to show you how to create and promote your blog. Add audio, video, slide shows, text, photos, credit cards and more. Best blog training on the planet.

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