After spending the past three months reading through countless blogs I have developed a pretty good idea of what makes a great post. There have similarities between the blogs I have thoroughly enjoyed versus the ones I have skimmed. Below I have listed the 10 ways I believe lead to a “top post.”
#1 Comment
Commenting builds relationships and gives feedback. This includes both posting comments on other blogs and reading the comments on your own. Posting comments on others will incentivize those bloggers to read your posts. If you develop a habit of leaving a question at the end of every blog you will find an increase in comments. These comments will allow you to read into your audience to better write your future posts.
#2 Attractive Design
Make it pretty. Improving the appearance of your blog will help it gain popularity. WordPress.com has many template themes that will improve the way your blog looks. You can constantly update this but try to stick with something simple and catchy.
#3 Hyperlinks
Your readers want information. If you use hyperlinks you can make it easy for your readers to learn more without detracting from what you have to say. These links will both establish credibility and prove your sources. Remember to be thoughtful in the website you use since these opinions will shine through to yours as well.
#4 Promote
Advertise yourself. Put your blog link up on your Twitter and Facebook to get as much traffic as possible. Your friends will share with their friends and your readers will grow exponentially. Having your blog address in your profile biographies doesn’t hurt either.
#5 Gravatar Image
Put your face to your opinions. This specific feature is on wordpress.com but similar features are on all social media platforms. Pictures help the reader make a connection with you and make your presence more established.
#6 Catchy Title
Draw people in. The tile of you blog is what is going to get the reader to click on your post. A catchy introduction will also grab the reader’s attention and get them to continue reading. Great titles often use compelling numbers or appealing adjectives. Brainstorm a few different titles before settling on the most fitting.
#7 Pictures
Give you reader something to look at. Images will enhance your blog post in many ways. An image at the beginning (maybe after the catchy intro) will further grab the reader’s attention. Images can also add additional information to your text. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand worlds. Pictures should be used to break up long blocks of text to keep it interesting for the reader. Remember to include sources for these images if necessary!
#8 Format
Use short, grouped paragraphs. Break up the content of your post so the reader is not overwhelmed by long blocks of text. Add headers or bullets to make it easy for the reader to skim. You can also use formatting functions like bold and italics to emphasize how you feel.
#9 Tagging
Keywords reach more people. Tagging specific words that are relevant or summarize your post will allow interested readers to quickly find it. The easier your blog is to find, the less hassle potential readers will have. This allows you to optimize your post to gain the most readers.
#10 Consistency
Give your followers what they expect. Be consistent with your content, usage, and methods. Your followers will like you for your opinions. Make sure to be consistent with your usage. If you blog every day, blog every day. If you blog every three months, blog every three months. Lastly, enjoy what you blog about. It will make your posts so much more interesting.
There you go, what would you add?
jordanboniface 