Everyone has a blog. Even you, who are reading this article, have probably caught a severe case of blogitis like the majority of digital users. The main problem with blogs is that they are everywhere. So much in fact that the battle to attract visitors is getting intenser and harder by the day. Making your blog popular, whether you use it as a freelancing platform or as a business tool to shout about your company, is not just a vanity step. It’s crucial if you actually want someone to find and read your articles, aka if you want the blog to fulfill its function. But how do you best make it work? Here’s a little tip for you: Google AdWords might drive some clicks, but it’s unlikely to increase conversions if your blog is missing any of these critical elements:
#1. Learn from your competitors
You get it: You’re not the only blogger on the market. So the best and easiest way to find out what you’re missing out is to check out your competitors with this free backlink tool. This will let you see all the sites that send referrer traffic to a competitor. While you might need to clear the list at first, you might be able to spot a handful of quality links that you could use as a source of inspiration. For instance, if a site refers a competitor as the best source of information about a specific subject, you can create an updated article that includes more details and all the latest trends and get in touch with the outbound domain.
#2. Quality content starts here
There’s no way around it. If your content isn’t perfect, your blog presence will suffer. Of course, the definition of perfection is only theoretical, but you can do everything you can to guide your copywriting team to achieve high-quality results. You’ll save yourself a lot of troubles if you ask to approve articles before they’re submitted, as you can spot mistakes, typos, and incoherences.
#3. Be where the audience wants to see you
Is blogging still a profitable and noticeable activity? It would be unfair to claim that the audience isn’t online anymore. However, you need to realize that digital users consume their content in a variety of formats, including texts but not limited to it. More and more users turn to video blogs, aka vlogs, to dive at the heart of complex topics. A vlogger who can provide a unique perspective on their niche can develop a different interaction with the audience. As the vlogger is a face and a voice, there is a sense of personality that you can’t get from reading a blog article.
#4. What’s your gift?
You can appeal to your audience by choosing to give them something valuable, such as offering a free whitepaper download for instance. Think of it as an introduction to your services. Users who get a freebie tend to engage with the blog and become loyal readers.
Your blog is your voice. To make it heard, you need to be louder than your competitors. A mixture of SEO-savviness, content quality, format diversity, and free and valuable material is crucial to existing in the blogosphere.
