Today, David Walker shares seven other things you need to be doing on top of your New years resolutions to keep your blog staying steady. Want to write for us too?
The hysteria of your New Year’s resolutions regarding blogging should have ended now. After promising yourself on December 31 to write a new post every day, leave comments on every industry blog going and contacting hundreds of potential new JV partners on a weekly basis, a dose of reality should have set in.
Now the madness of January is firmly behind us, I want to share with you seven tips on how you can improve your blog and stand above your competition in a practical manner during 2010.
As you read the seven items in this list, compare them to the resolutions you made at the beginning of the year. How do they compare to them, and would you be willing to adopt these new items to your list?
1. Let Your Passion & Personality Shine Through
I am a firm believer you should only blog about subject matter which you are knowledgeable and madly passionate about.
Your passion is your edge in a cluttered marketplace and is what makes you stand out from a crowd of “same old, same old” merchants.
When producing your blog content, establish a voice and let your personality shine through. People will pick up on it, be drawn to you and will be keen to know your take on the topics that mean the most to them.
2. Add Depth to Your Posts With Images
One of the best decisions I ever made was to illustrate my blog posts with images. Numerous people have told me how much they enjoy my posts and that the photographs I use add depth to what I have written.
Adding photographs doesn’t have to be expensive if you purchase quality stock images from the numerous online depots but my weapon of choice these days is Flickr.
There are millions of high quality, interesting and downright weird photographs on that website taken by professional and amateur photographers alike, many of which you are free to use and adapt for your own purposes.
Want to find some great images? I have found some of the coolest images for my blog posts by doing the following:
- Go to Flickr
- Type in a keyword that relates to your post (tip: don’t search for images directly related to blogging; try using metaphors)
- Be sure to check the creative commons options before searching. This is so you are only searching for images that can be used on your blog.
Always be sure to give credit to the image author somewhere in your post for using their image. You can scroll to the bottom of this article to see how it is done on Blogussion (all images here are found through Flickr).
3. Use Video & Audio Too
Photo by Mark Tomlinson
I am not suggesting you ignore written blog posts in favor of multimedia content, far from it, but a video post or audio interview with another expert in your niche can help to keep things fresh.
A great phrase I heard recently is “the money is where the fear is,” so if you are nervous about recording videos or conducting interviews, then push yourself into doing them.
You can be sure at least some of your competitors are NOT so it’s a great opportunity to get in front and if they are, then you don’t want to get left behind, do you?
4. Comment on Other Blogs
Leaving comments on other blogs is a great way to build your authority but you are not going to impress anybody by just writing “Great post” in response to every new blog post which opens up in your RSS reader.
Choose which posts you are going to contribute to carefully and make sure you fully understand what the content before you add your own take on what’s been said.
If you find a particular blog which resonates with you, leaving comments on a consistent basis will help you build a relationship with the blog owner and lead to future JV opportunities, not to mention directing some of their readers to your own blog.
5. Don’t Forget About Your Own Readers
When people leave a comment on your blog then you should do your best to leave a reply. Obviously, there is no point in responding to any “Great Post!” type shenanigans (I usually just delete those!) but if someone has made an effort then they deserve to be acknowledged.
Responding to comments helps conversations to develop and enables your readers to interact with both you and each other and fostering a sense of community helps to build your authority in your chosen niche.
6. Write Guest Posts
Guest posting is a hot, hot topic during the early stages of 2010 and it is an act you need to get in on yourself if your blog is going to grow.
Writing a guest post for other blogs in your niche opens you up to a brand new audience and a precious backlink to your blog will also help your long-term search engine positions.
If you manage to get published on one of the authority blogs in your niche, then in a way you will be seen on a similar level because your post is to some extent an endorsement from the blog owner.
You get perceived authority, instant credibility, free traffic and a better position in the search engines for one article you can write in less than an hour – and you are NOT doing it?
Photo by T.W. Collins
7. Forget About the Money to Begin With
Nobody expects you to blog for free, forever, but you should view your blog and your marketing in general as a long-term commitment to your niche.
There are hundreds of people who try to “ram raid” a niche in the misguided dream that all customers are idiots and will hand over their money because they have put up a half-assed blog and a shoddy product.
If you are just starting out with your own blog this year then you need to build trust through high quality content and work hard to stamp your authority on your niche.
Instead of plastering your blog with Google Adsense and banner adverts, collect your readers email addresses and build a relationship with them through helpful, free content.
The money will soon come and you will be hailed as your niche’s saviour in the process!
How Will You Improve Your Blog?
These are just seven tips you can use to improve your blog and your own authority during the remainder of 2010.
They are all realistic and achievable, you just need to put in some time and effort (but you are already, right?)
If you have any other nuggets of wisdom to share on how to take your blog to the next level this year then please share them in the comments below!
The Discussion
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Great thinking and good share David. Havent seen you around before but hey, good to see you mate.
looking forward to connect!
.-= S Ahsan´s last blog ..35 Creative and Useful Ways to Make Your Blog Popular =-.
Hi Salman,
Thanks for the kind words about the article – glad you found it useful!
I look forward to speaking with you in the future too!
David
.-= David Walker´s last blog ..Lee McIntyre’s Continuity Live =-.
Hey David
Nothing new here mate … its like old wine served in new bottle.
Thousands of blogger talking about this.
I would love to know about your own resolution as well.
.-= Buy 2 Pay for 1 Offer´s last blog ..Affiliate Marketing Guide 101 – Download & Win an Apple iPad =-.
Copy that.
.-= King Sidharth´s last blog ..Ego v/s Self – War of the Worlds =-.
I’ve already implemented a few of these on my blog and have seen some tremendous growth. Now that I have stumbled through starting a blog successfully, I am excited to start another one someday without having to learn the process all over again.
Thanks for sharing
.-= Preston D Lee´s last blog ..How to stand out and get noticed as a designer =-.
You must advertise your blog in the internet. A great content is not sufficient if you merely have a blog that you and your associates just know. Try doing the one-way link building such as:
> social bookmarking
> blog directory submission
> blog comments
> forum posting
Yes and we are providing top quality social bookmarking service at affordable price.
Just hire us and leave your social bookmarking task on us.
.-= Buy 2 Pay for 1 Offer´s last blog ..Need a German writer ! =-.
I dohn’t think that guest postin gis for me since my grammar isn’t that good.
.-= Palabuzz´s last blog ..Pilipinas Got Talent with a strong debut =-.
Hire someone to rectify your grammar.
Main thing about any post is the theme and your thoughts.
Just write in your own language and hire some native english speaker writer who can do modification for you.
.-= Buy 2 Pay for 1 Offer´s last blog ..Need a German writer ! =-.
Very impressive and useful posting David! I’ve started some new blogs and would like to implement such ideas! Comment posting is indeed an important steps while you want to maintain a good blog. So whatever you do like social bookmarking, forum postings etc. a blogger should continue to post comments in other blogs. Yes not just like “a great post” or something like that! There must be something that indicates you’ve studied the posting and feels interest to post something.
.-= Sujoy´s last blog ..Make website effortlessly with Joomla =-.
Great concise list, sure it will help. I have a few additional things to think about.
.-= Mick Morris´s last blog ..How to be courageous =-.
Thanks for sharing the post. Great points are mentioned here
.-= Blog4Boys´s last blog ..Convert Your Documents in PDF with Foxit PDF Creator =-.
As they say, “All good things come in 7′s”
Great article David, covering the basics in a clear and concise manner.
You have given wonderful tips, several of which I still need to implement.
I especially like tip #7 forget about the money and the money will come,
this is a catagory I need to change.
I focused too much on the monetization and not enough on content.
Thanks for your wisdom.
Cheers, Smiles and Success,
Crazy J Rotnem
.-= Crazy J Rotnem´s last blog ..Self Esteem is Important =-.
Hi J,
Thanks for leaving a comment!
I think a lot of folk get hung up on making money straight away – as though having a blog is like some “magic bullet”. They end up focusing on how many blocks of Adsense they can cram onto a page rather than what content they are going to put out there.
The money will come, it’s just whether you are prepared to work for it and be patient.
David
In this point quite agree with you.
Infact many people come to blogging world for making money.
They just want money and for them niche or topic is irrelevant. They want to choose those niche where they can earn good money.
.-= Buy 2 Pay for 1 Offer´s last blog ..Need a German writer ! =-.
This is very good technique that you’ve explained. I’ve read so many blogs but your blog is absolutely different. Uploading video & audio will be one of the major tasks for every blogger in 2010.
This is an article that every internet marketer should read. Tips 2 & 3 can change a normal blog into really great blog that gets bookmarked and visited everyday. Tip #7 is a trap that a lot of bloggists fall into, I’ve done it myself. Patience is the key, build up content on your site and trust with the search engines…then the money will follow.
.-= Andy B´s last blog ..What mountain bike is good for the road more than the rough terrain?? =-.
Hi Andy,
You got it spot on there!
Also, I think using images and video can make the world of difference to your blog.
Video in particular allows you to make a connection with your audience and gives them a glimpse into your life they would not normally have the opportunity to.
If anyone is not using video in their blogs – start now!
David
Great article David, covering the basics in a clear and concise manner, You have given wonderful tips, several of which I still need to implement, I especially like tip #4 .
.-= Carson Rose and Associates´s last blog ..Services =-.
I agree with what you wrote here:
Tips number 2 and 7 mean the most to me. Pictures add a lot of flavor to your site and can really move your readers eyes to certain parts of the site. Early on you must forget about the money. I know it is hard but your readers will appreciate it.
I do all of these already, but good post for beginners. Also I’m pretty sure these tips will work in any year, not just 2010
Nice list! Do you have any tips for getting opportunities to guest post? Thanks.
.-= Allmendinger Enterprises´s last blog ..Become an Idea Collector to Fuel Your Blog =-.
Hi,
I would start by looking for all the blogs in your niche and see whether they already publish guest posts or not.
If they do – great!
If they don’t – ask!
David
Great post!
A few things I would add are:
1. Bloggers need to work hard at developing their skills and expertise. There are many great resources out there to help people become great bloggers.
2. Experiment with new things. Write about things outside of your niche once in a while. Change the design of your site.
3. Read and comment on blogs outside of your niche. This will help give new and fresh ideas.
I wrote a similar post yesterday called: 3 things bloggers should learn from Shaun White http://bit.ly/9lyzEY
.-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..Why should we show kindness? =-.
Hi Kevin,
These are all great ideas so thank you for adding value to the post!
I am going to try and blog about some different stuff every once in a while just to give my readers more of an insight into me, a “peek behind the curtain” if you will. I have done this in the past when I have blogged about soccer (I am a season ticket holder at Cardiff City here in the UK).
The point you make about reading and commenting on off-topic blogs is a great one aswell. It could open you up to new readers with shared interests as well as give you inspiration for putting a spin on those blog posts.
David
.-= David Walker´s last blog ..Lee McIntyre’s Continuity Live =-.
I have to tell you, I have just started in the IM world. The making comments on other blogs is HUGE! for your success. I can appreciate that. I fell into the trap about how many Google Ad blocks I could fit on a page. My approach is different now. I want to put better content and incluse more video tutorials about me, my topics and relevant content. I think that will lead more to a following of people rather than a quick wham bam, thanks for the adsense click. I’d rather be in it for the long haul than the quick buck. I wish I would have learned this sooner. But oh well, need to learn somehow and sometime. Heres to a great 2010!
Nice blog.
.-= Freddy´s last blog ..Guyana Lottery =-.
Great tip about using Flickr images in your blog posts. I find posts with flicker to generate 5X more popularity then those with just text. Until now, I had been using sxc.hu but I am going to give Flickr a try as I often have difficulty finding what I want on sxc.
Great tip about using Flickr images in your blog posts. I find posts with flicker to generate 5X more popularity then those with just text. Until now, I had been using sxc.hu but I am going to give Flickr a try as I often have difficulty finding what I want on sxc.
.-= Chris´s last blog ..The Best Blogging Sites and Platforms | Top Blog Sites =-.
I agree with you David, I think bloggers, especially those who are just starting should really find first the passion to write and start a blog. If you are just in this for the money then chances are you’ll get burn out. So I believe it is really important to set aside the money (temporarily) and worked on what subject will you be covering and come up with a plan how to give your site a if not daily at least a weekly update.
Regarding the pictures, using metaphors is a really great idea. For blogging topics, there really just aren’t that many good images of blogs. I also am totally on board with the guest post advocacy. As far as I’m concerned, I’d rather cut my number of post per week back by 1 or 2 in order to get a guest post on a different blog every week…. man i wish i had more time to do both. :-\
.-= Blake @ Online Marketing Review´s last blog ..Two Bad Excuses Bloggers Use For Not Linking Out =-.
Hi Blake,
I stumbled across the metaphors approach totally by accident but I find it works really, really well and people who have read my blog have told me how much they love some of the photographs I use, so I must be doing something right!
I need to get into guest blogging a lot more but time is an issue what with developing my product sales funnel and of course keeping my own blog up to date.
I hope the second half of 2010 will see me really hit the guest posting hard as I try to grow my personal brand further.
David
.-= David Walker´s last blog ..Lee McIntyre’s Continuity Live =-.
Share your problems and how you overcame them. It packs good value for readers and searchers who might be facing the same challenges. And if you weave it with a personal story that’s a bonus. Sometimes we don’t need to learn every single time we go online. We just want to read about other lives. How are they coping? What are they obsessing right now? Reading to be entertained never gets old.
.-= jan geronimo´s last blog ..Here’s Why I Unfriended Darren Rowse in Facebook =-.
Nice post, and good topic.
Thx for the information you’ve post.
I’m very enjoyed visiting and reading you’r blog, coz you’r post always uptodate.
Thx.
Thanks for sharing! Yes! We need to put more efforts to make our blog becomes successful. Patience and determination are two important factors too.
Not only 2010..
these tips valid for all years and centuries..
Submitting blog to social websites will also improve your blog..
I am now in my way to try guest posting for blog improving. I already had 2 guest posting that posted — hope increase the count before so long.
please add this one to the list,
use thesis theme =D
.-= dimasangga´s last blog ..Set the Goal =-.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. This year I am going to improve my blog by adding video and audio.
Have a great time
.-= Chandan´s last blog ..Google Sniper Review – An Experimental Review =-.
These are some great tips about blogging. Thanks.
.-= Phil Staudt´s last blog ..Seeking Real People for Networking =-.
thanks for this great tips! starting now i am going to improve my site using this tips! thanks for sharing!
Always great to read advice like this when you are starting a new adventure, thanks!
.-= Bradley Davis´s last blog ..Steve Aoki Destroyed My Headphones =-.
Nothing new here.
.-= Instant Fundas´s last blog ..5 short links for today #30 =-.
I like how you talk about forgetting about the money. I think that is one of the most important ones.
.-= Alex Monroe´s last blog ..The Entrepreneur All Star Football Team =-.
Love the part about letting passion shines through. After a blog has been around for some times, the passion of the blogger really shines.
.-= scheng1´s last blog ..My colleague committed suicide =-.
I agree with those directions for a good blog, I also believe in original content and practice what you preach. My blog is about tech and computers, it is easy to find tweaks and guides out there, but writing them out in your own words is different from doing the tweaks yourself and see what the outcome is. You will experience it first hand and know how to describe what you are actually typing.
.-= shingo´s last blog ..Jailbreak iPhone iPod Touch =-.
Nice. I haven’t considered adding audio. I’ve always considered audio ONLY when adding a video.
.-= Colleen´s last blog ..Kennewick Real Estate =-.
Awesome. I have seen very few blogs that provide the valuable information to improve blog itself as you have provided. Nice work David………Thanks for sharing. Looking for more quality post like this.
I have been blogging for about a year, and have learned a lot from this post. I am going back to the drawing board to take a second look at my methods, and take these on board. Loving what you do, and adding value to others takes one the distance
Thanks and thanks
For Search Engine Optimisation Wales, the same methodologies apply. A blog post a day really makes a lot of difference. Having an original context on it is given. Bless you for bringing up the point about money. A good blog starts out clean and concise. The payback comes quite a bit later but it will be all worth it.
Great! Thanks for the advice! I definitely am interested in improving my blog more. I think the audio/videa advice is great. I think audios and videos excite people much more and keep them coming back! Thanks.
.-= Francis´s last blog ..Chef Knife Sets =-.
commenting and guest posting are really cool ways to improve a blog…another thing that could improve a blog is
1.improving your readers experience on the blog by making your post scan-able and helping them find your older posts (like using a landing page where excerpts of older posts can be found)
.-= mk akan´s last blog ..Blogging Tools You Should Use =-.
These are important points that all bloggers follow, but the real question is: what does makes the real difference if all contents are good?
Being a new blogger this is exactly what I am doing. I hope to apply it all with excellence. Thanks.
Great and consistent content in a blog is a must. Targeting a niche that is incredibly original will be a great strategy. Dallas SEO Services and the El Paso Website Design community recommends that maintaining a decent yet constant amount of backlinks from other high ranking dofollow blogs to your site, combined with your unique niche, is definitely the way to go.
Very very useful and inspiring post.
.-= Directory Submission´s last blog ..Directory Submission =-.
Always glad to read advice like this when you are starting a new adventure, thanks!
Thank you so much for your insightful advice about how to improve your blog in 2010. I’ve only started blogging recently and have become slightly addicted to learning everything I can to improve upon it. This is great advice – especially love the concept of Guest Posts! Cheers, Ally (Lavenderlollipop.com)
hi this is a nice post. thanks for posting it. i am just starting to grow my own blog but i don’t know how to get a lot of visitors yet. i’m studying IM although SEO is kinda hard to understand. your post is really helpful by the way. cheers! Karen
.-= cure pimples´s last blog ..Tips to Prevent Pimples on Face – Things That Makes It Worse =-.
Really very good tips. Especially number 7. I see so many people when they start out worrying about things like ad placement and this is before getting traffic.
Great list! I personally started writing guest posts for my partner in blogging. He is doing it for quite some time, so it’s nice to have a teacher and the links he is providing back to me.
Thx for sharing!
These are great tips. The best are the first and the last. It is very important to make a blog about something we are very passionate about and not only for money
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