Successful blogging requires a combination of consistency as well as proper tactics and methodology. Becoming a successful blogger doesn’t happen overnight, but if you follow the right method you’ll start to see results that tell you you’re on the right track relatively quickly.
Here’s how to start and maintain a successful blog.
Post on a Regular Schedule
The most important part of running any blog is that you post regularly. A blog that stops and starts simply can’t generate a following that comes back regularly.
Also, posting on a regular schedule will help you develop the self-discipline necessary to write consistently. Instead of waiting for inspiration, you’ll learn to write when content needs to be created.
Answer Questions in the Comments
Users will often ask questions in the comments and interact with you. Bloggers who don’t respond to these comments will alienate their readers and lose followers.
The people who post comments on your blog are likely the people who care most about the content and are most likely to become your fans.
Respond to each and every comment on your blog and start a dialogue with your readers.
Participate in the Outside Community
Be a part of the larger community that surrounds your blog.
For example, if you run a blog around short-term stock investing, you should also be commenting on other such blogs and participating in stock trading forums.
Share your tips and tactics in other places. This will bring audience members to your blog, and assuming your content is good they’ll keep coming back.
Optimize Each Post for a Specific Keyword
Each post should be optimized for a specific keyword or question. You want your blog post to be the one that pops up whenever someone types that question into Google.
Each individual keyword doesn’t have to get too many searches a month. After all, after your first hundred blog posts or so you’ll run out of even medium volume keywords to target.
Instead, each post should go after a longtail keyword. Over time, this will result in thousands upon thousands of searches that end up on your site every month.
Consider Multiple Authors
Bringing on more than one author allows you to take the writing load off your shoulder, as well as give your readers more than one perspective.
There are a few different ways you can bring on authors.
For one you can pay these authors. Find outsourcers who fit the profile for your blog and pay them a set rate per word or per post. You can find outsourcers on eLance or oDesk.
Alternatively, you can make a habit out of opening up your blog for guest blogging. Guest bloggers usually only make one or two posts, but the content can definitely add up over time.
Starting a successful blog is both challenging and rewarding. Use this article as an overview to help you build your first winning blog.