Close your eyes and think about a blog that you absolutely love. Now, think about your own blog. Do the two evoke the same feelings?
If your answer is yes, then kudos to you! Your blog sounds pretty awesome. But if your blog seems lackluster in comparison, don’t freak out. It takes a ton of time and dedication to create a great blog and there is bound to be some trial and error involved.
So what separates an OK blog from a great one? When it comes to a blog’s look, feel, and overall quality, a few simple changes can make a big difference. Check out these five tips that can instantly improve your blog.
Write with your readers in mind
If you want your visitors to read your blog, you need to create content that they will actually be interested in. Language plays a big role in this: Will your readers understand industry jargon and technical terms or do they prefer simple, informal language? Your posts should also fit your blog’s theme. For example, if your blog is about cool coffee shops around the U.S., you wouldn’t want to write a post about your favorite hand soaps from Bath & Body Works (sorry Juniper Breeze).
Add visual interest
No matter how great your writing is, readers are unlikely to stay on your web page if it’s not visually appealing. Make use of images, videos, infographics, or anything else relevant to your subject matter to add visual interest. Breaking up your copy into smaller paragraphs is another way to improve the look of your post. Use heading and subheads to group text into manageable sections that readers can skim quickly.
Categorize and tag—the right way
One of the best explanations of categorization and tagging out there is to think of categories as your website’s table of contents and tags as its index. If you aren’t using categories or tags at all, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon and start doing so: They help your users quickly find the topics they are most interested in and can boost your on-site SEO. But it’s also possible to get a little too enthusiastic about categories and tags. Limit yourself to 2-3 categories and 3-5 tags per post, and make sure that the keywords you use are generic enough to be used for multiple posts over time.
Review, review, review before you hit publish
Then, review one more time for good measure. While the occasional typo is bound to happen, a blog riddled with spelling, formatting, and HTML errors is unlikely to attract a steady following. Most blogging platforms will give you the option of previewing a post, allowing you to see what it will actually look like once it has been published. Not only does this make it easier to check for grammar and spelling, but it also lets you see if your images are properly placed and sized, if your links work, and if the post is visually appealing. Spending a little extra time reviewing your blog posts can make a big difference in quality.
Post consistently
Set a goal for how often you want to publish a new blog post—and stick with it! Readers who enjoy your blog will expect constantly updated content to keep them engaged. If you post too infrequently or inconsistently, your readers may lose interest and won’t return when you finally do get something posted.
Great blogs take time—but keeping these simple tips in mind can increase the quality of your blog in a short amount of time.
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