5 Ways to Improve Your Blog’s Popularity

Now that you’ve set up your blog site, chosen a subject that you’re passionate as well as knowledgeable about and started writing posts, it’s time to attract readers. But with millions of blogs to choose from, how will you drive people to yours? Here are some ideas to help you answer that question.

1.     Write Great Content

First and foremost, if you want to have a popular blog, you must write great content. You need to hook the reader quickly and convince them to read on. The topic should be interesting, timely, and one you can write about intelligently. The idea is to present yourself as an authority on your chosen subject matter. Determine how many posts you’re willing and able to write each week and then deliver consistently. You want people to anticipate your next post, so don’t disappoint them.

 It helps to make an editorial calendar and schedule your topics in advance, so you’ll know what you plan to write about. Be sure to update existing posts as needed to keep them fresh, and try to create evergreen content, meaning material that will remain relevant even as time goes by. Link older posts to new posts so people are encouraged to spend more time on the site.

2.     Be a Guest Blogger

One of the fastest ways to spread the word about your blog is to write a guest post for another blogger. You’ll probably be asked to write a brief bio, so be sure to include a link back to your site. Your host will be sharing your content with all their subscribers and showing them how to find you. The same works in reverse. Invite a popular blogger to write a post for your site, and their followers will come to your site to read it. This type of cross-promotion benefits both of you.

3.     Capture Email Addresses

Try to turn every visitor into a subscriber. Put the “subscribe” button near the top of the page so that it’s visible without scrolling down, and always include a clear call to action. Ask them for their email address and invite them to become a subscriber. You can use the email addresses to notify people when there is new content, or even create a monthly newsletter.

4.     Use Great Visuals

Make sure that your site is uncluttered and includes carefully selected visuals, particularly the photo you choose to go along with each post. Remember that when you share the link to your article on social media, that’s the photo people will see in their news feed. Make sure it’s relevant and aesthetically pleasing.

5.     Optimize Your Search Ranking

Think about what you want people to be searching for when they find you. That will inform what you choose as keywords. You can also use those keywords to search for interesting topics. Make sure that the headings you use for your blog posts describe the content. This is not a time to be subtle. Longer content has been shown to enhance your ranking in search results because it increases the opportunity for keyword usage. The topic of search engine optimization goes much deeper, and there are many resources available. There are also professionals who specialize in the science of SEO.

Find your voice, develop your blog’s unique personality and do your homework so people can trust what you write about. Ensure that your content has a clear focus and meets a specific need. That will help readers seek you out and give them a good reason to keep following you. Make yourself easy to find by putting the link to your blog in your email signature and use social media to alert people when you have new content. If you respond to comments and interact with readers, you will begin to develop a loyal community of followers who will also help to spread the word about your blog. You’ll move up in the search rankings, and your popularity will soar.