So that begs the question – what makes an effective blog? What can someone do to make their blog stand out from the masses and rise to the top of Google’s search results?
Let me first tell you the #1 thing you can do – so we can get it out of the way right now >>> YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD! If you aren’t willing to work hard, then trust me, nothing is going to happen with your blog. So let’s assume you are willing to work hard, what exactly to your work hard at the make an effective blog?
Key #1: Inform Your Readers
Some of the top blogs on the web such as HuffingtonPost.com, Mashable.com, and TechCrunch.com are written from the perspective of informing their readers. The latest news, breaking stories, best and latest tips… these are all geared toward informing your readers.
If you aren’t writing to inform your readers, then more than likely you are writing for your own gratification and means, and history proves that strategy just won’t work.
Key #2: Educate Your Readers
Some of the most valuable content on the web is the “How To” content. Now this content takes many shapes and forms – text, video, images, etc… but when it’s organized and presented in a helpful, easy to follow format, readers on the web will flock to your blog.
So think about what you are good at – what niche skill, knowledge, or insight can you offer to help someone else achieve something, and then start writing about it… don’t wait, don’t worry about how good you write of if you are new to the blogging game – just start writing, and you’ll get better the more you do it.
Key #3: Entertain Your Readers
The web is full of people that are looking to be entertained, and blogs are typically at the top of the readers lists for those that are bent on some entertainment. Whether it’s celebrity gossip, sharing funny videos, or telling jokes, etc… a blog that entertains will do extremely well on the web.
So you if you have gift of entertainment, then start a blog. Start sharing your entertaining content, or start covering a specific actor, movie, or some other niche within the entertainment industry. If you stay at, and work hard, then your blog will surely succeed.
Key #4: Encourage Comments and Engage Your Readers
The most effective blogs on the web are those that have an active community following it. The best characteristic of an active community on a blog is the comments section. No comments! Then your blog still has a long way to go.
But don’t be discouraged, because no blog that is currently at the top started out on day one with an active community. In fact, if truth be told, it was a year or 2 down the road before some of the successful blogs on the web really took off.
Some great ways to encourage comments in your blog is to end your postings with things like:
So what do you think about this?
What other ways would you do this?
Do you know of other ideas that I left out?
Ask your readers to get involved, and when they do, comment back to them, engage them, and over time you’ll build your community!
So those are only 4 keys to an effective blog. Of course, there are lot more that I didn’t mention.
What are some other keys to an effective blog that I may have left out?