Let’s face it. You are not the only blogger out there. And neither am I.
Every day, a ton of content is written, and honestly, most of it is duplicate content. Not so much duplicated content but blog posts that covers the same subject. Breaking through all that noise is getting more complicated every day.
So, how do you get people to read our content and stay engaged?
Here are five things to consider when writing and publishing your next blog post.
Your Title Sucks
As I stated before, there is so much noise on the web today that you need a title that stands out and grabs people’s attention. Think of your title as the lighthouse of your blog post. The purpose of a lighthouse is to guide the ships (your readers) into port (your blog post). If the lighthouse is rickety and rundown, the ships will pass in the night. But if your lighthouse is bright and outshines every other light, it will surely guide your readers into port.
It would be best if you spent at least the same time developing a great title as you do writing your blog post. I always get some ideas and run them past Tracy for her opinion. It never hurts to get another set of eyes on your title.
Here are a couple of fill-in-the-blank ideas that you can use to generate titles.
How to _ in (#) Easy Steps. The Ultimate Guide to .
The Beginners Guide to ______.
(#) Facts About ______.
(#) Reasons Why You Aren’t ______.
(#) Tips for Busy ______.
(#) Types of ______.
(#) Super Tips to ______.
Master Your in (#) Simple Steps ______.
How to Instantly Improve Your ______.
Why You Should Care About ______.
You Don’t Stay Focused on Your Topic
That’s a good one, right? Stay laser-focused and keep writing about your topic.
You know, it’s been raining here for a while, and my backyard is flooded. That’s kind of a bummer since Sami can’t hang out in the backyard without getting all muddy. Now, where was I?
Stay focused on your topic.
Your Paragraphs Are Too Long
The longer the paragraphs, the more likely someone will clock out fast. We turned into a world of skimmers when we read. Having paragraphs written like a thesis paper will turn off your readers. Having shorter paragraphs:
- Makes them easy to read.
- Makes it seem like there is less on the page.
- It is just more appealing to the eye.
You Use a Crazy Font
Use a font that is easy to read.
Don’t go using some crazy font because you like it.
I’ll be honest: I’ll click out if you have something other than the standard text fonts.
That goes for size, too. I won’t read a post where the font is too small.
I will click on the post if you have super long paragraphs and a crazy font that is too small to read.
You Are Inconsistent in Your Posting
Your readers get used to reading your posts at a particular time. I can bet that some people look forward to your posts.
I always post on Sunday and Friday, with other posts scattered throughout the week.
Saturday is always my big post, which is the most important. And Friday used to be my Featured Writer Friday post. (That was a lot of fun! I’d like to get FWF going again!!)
Use a posting calendar and schedule your posts at least two weeks in advance; four weeks would be better. Then, use a scheduling function to release your posts at the right time.
Extra Bonus Tip
You Are Not Linking to Your Older Material
You have a treasure trove of great stuff just waiting to be rediscovered. When writing your post, think about how you can work one or two of your older posts into the new post, giving your older posts a new life. And it will help keep your readers engaged longer on your site.
I Hope You Enjoyed This Post.
This is a new series that I’m adding called Tuesday’s Tip. It’s a quick read that will cover multiple blogging topics. Everything from content creation to SEO to Social Media. So, please leave a comment to let me know if you enjoyed this post or drop a comment if you didn’t. It’s all good!!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more behind scenes stuff.
Until next time everyone,
Peace, Love, and Happiness
