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5 Tips for Bettering Your Blog

Better Your BlogWhen it comes to your blog, articles, and your content in general, quality is the most important thing to keep in mind. Who wants to read something that’s confusing, misleading, or is simply a boring mess? Nobody, of course!  Below you will find some simple changes you can make to your blog that will surely increase the quality of your content, which could very well lead to an increase in traffic to your site.

1. Break it up with headings

One thing to keep in mind is that many people won’t read your blog word-for-word. People will generally skim a page for points of interest, and then read further once they’ve found something that catches their eye.  By breaking your post up into sections and creating headings or sub-sections, people will generally know what you’re saying with a quick glance.  The result of doing this will be an increase in the amount of time people spend on your site, because they can quickly find the information they’re interested in.  And obviously, the longer a visitor stays on your site, the better.

2. Get to know your readers

Whether the visitor to your site is there for the first time or is a regular reader, establishing a relationship with them is crucial to developing your audience.  Encourage readers to comment and be a part of discussions with one another.  If you occasionally join in on these conversations, you’re showing your readers that you care enough to take the time to talk with them about their thoughts and opinions.  This also gives you a forum in which to address the needs of your readers in a more personal and inviting way.

3. Write as though you’re in a conversation

As far as most people are concerned, a good writer is one who writes in a conversational manner and seems more personable and likable.  Keep in mind that just because you’re writing in a more friendly tone doesn’t mean that you should leave your grammar and spelling skills behind.  Always strive to use correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.  It’s the tone of what you’re writing that’s the most important factor. A friendly, conversational tone is so much more engaging, and easy to read and interact with than a technical sounding tone that sounds like it may be from an android!

4. Don’t post filler

It’s a very common and unfortunate mistake for new writers to feel as though they MUST upload content. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem to matter to them if the content makes no sense and relates in no way to their website. They post simply for the sake of posting. The sole purpose of this type of posting is to take up space.  You know the old cliché, “It’s not the quantity that counts, but the quality,” and that couldn’t be more true in the case of the Internet.  A few well thought out and meaningful posts will get much more traffic and feedback than a bunch of filler with no relevance.

5. Get creative with your fonts

Of course, don’t go overboard and make your page look like it has no consistency, but try experimenting with different fonts. Depending on your blog’s theme and style, occasional font changes can really help to accent particular sentences and thoughts. If the headline font is slightly different from the rest of the text, it can grab the attention of someone who is skimming the page for interesting information. Without any font editing, you very well may have lost that reader.  Tweak your options a little bit and accent something on the page with the color red, highlight the background with yellow, make some text bold, or underline some text (sparingly).  You have the ability to spruce things up a lot with a few very simple methods. If you’re using a pre-made blogging system, your options may be limited as some websites opt to keep things very simple. Even in those situations, though, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any options for you. Look around for minor tweaks that you can make here and there.

In conclusion…

By experimenting with some of the methods above, mixing things up a bit can really impact the quality of your content, all while building an online reputation you can be proud of.  Never underestimate the power of establishing a friendly relationship with your readers, either!  After all, without readers, what is the point of any of this?  Take an objective look at your site and find little improvements that can be made here and there. The increase of your traffic and popularity will make everything you’ve done more than worthwhile.

What are some proven methods you’ve used in your own blog? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section!

Matthew Toren
 

Matthew Toren is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com. He is co-author, with his brother Adam, of Kidpreneurs.org, BizWarriors.com and Small Business, BIG Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right (Wiley).

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