As the marketing specialist for Wheatmark, I have the privilege to work alongside many authors as they take their first steps into the unfamiliar world of blogging and social media. For those individuals with little to no experience in this area, this step toward marketing themselves can feel rather daunting and unattainable. This feeling, however, is not unordinary. Maintaining a blog and staying committed to promoting your brand takes a great deal of effort, but having a persistent attitude and an openness to learning will allow you to be more successful in the long run.
I recently stumbled across an article with a list of valuable tips to help you become a successful blogger. Out of the 19 tips provided, here are five that I believe are the most useful:
1. Make sure you have an About page that represents who you are and what you do.
Who you are is entirely unique, but is that reflected through your website? Readers want to get to know you and understand why you or your project are so different from everything else, so allow the About page to reflect your distinctiveness. Play to your strengths and think outside the box.
2. Create an editorial calendar to keep track of ideas and post dates.
It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer thought of having a write consistently for your website, but the key is to plan. Making a writing schedule can help to alleviate the pressure of last minute creativity that can so easily burn any writer out. Break up the week by setting aside certain days for posts of varying lengths and subjects or even inviting guest writers. Use this opportunity to be creative and have fun!
3. Make sure readers are commenting on your blog.
Comments mean that people are reading and connecting with your work, and this is always a good thing. Allow individuals the opportunity to participate in the conversation by asking questions and inviting them to engage.
4. Commenting on other people’s blogs is a great way to engage with someone you respect, and for others to notice you.
In order to draw readers to your website, you must be willing to expand beyond your sphere of influence. Find other bloggers or websites that have similar themes or subject matter to yours and get connected. Engaging with other writers will provide exposure for you and your website.
5. Take a class!
A healthy person is one who continues to grow and learn. The beautiful thing about the technological age we live in is that there are unlimited resources available at our fingertips. Take advantage of the plentiful amount of opportunities available to you online such as websites like this.
Blogging is tough work, but is also extremely rewarding. If you are passionate about writing and sharing your story with other individuals, then I want to encourage you to keep working! Create something you enjoy, have fun, and people will follow.
For more tips and helpful blogging insights, check out the article here.
