Think you know how to blog? Even the best writers can struggle to get their blog off the ground. Here at The Digital Scot, we’ve been learning how to blog better. Read on for our top 7 reasons why your blog might not be working, and what you can do to change it.
1. You’re Not Writing for Anyone in Particular.
How useful is your blog? Don’t be afraid to start small, pick a project to focus on and try it out. Know your audience, and serve them. The Digital Scot’s Steve Graham-Smith who writes his own lifestyle blog shared this piece of advice,
‘Make sure to be authentic and relatable. Audiences like to see people similar to themselves, they don’t want to follow a false life. Potential blog sponsors want you to be relatable too, as it makes you more appealing and trustworthy to their consumers. Remember to be yourself!’
2. You’re Not Using Social Media.
Almost all blogs gain momentum from word of mouth, or in the digital age, through social media.
Try sharing your blogs at different times of the day to reach different audiences. It’s okay to share content more than once, just be mindful of your followers and create a schedule that won’t spam them (more on this later). Consider social management platforms like Hootsuite or Buffer to help organise and schedule your posts.
Always add value when sharing; ask a question, or make sure to highlight an important message.
3. You’re Inconsistent.
As with all business, the time you put in can reap success. A content schedule is crucial. Decide on how often you will post (don’t be too ambitious!) and stick to it. If you have content ideas already noted down, when you’re unmotivated or just too busy, you’ll still have an idea to work with. A schedule will help you keep organised and consistent with your blog goals.
4. You Can’t Write.
Often what matters is not what you say, but how you say it. Your readers are people with worries, hopes, questions, and individual experiences, which you need to cater for.
Always add value to the topic. You could discuss your personal experience, show readers a unique approach to a problem, or even curate information that is difficult to find elsewhere. Think also about your content type, could a video or an infographic say it better?
Practice writing. Tell stories, read other blogs, get friends and family to critique your content. Proofread and use spellcheck on everything. Learn what works, and keep getting better.
5. You Have No Brand.
Branding isn’t just about a fancy logo and a good blog name, but those both help. Branding forms your tone of voice and tells your audience what you’re about. It’s hard to create a loyal readership if they can’t recognise your content.
Design is a key factor here. Your brand is also the reader’s experience so make sure your blog has a good design; is it appealing to look at, and does it make someone want to read more?
6. You Have Technical Issues.
So you’ve written a great blog post, but it’s not gaining traffic. Have you checked your analytics? They can often show you issues you might not have been aware of.
Your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) might not be up to scratch. Have you researched keywords and included them? Have you written an engaging meta description that will show in the search engine results? Read up on SEO and best practice, and create content that search engines will love.
Perhaps your blog posts are not mobile-friendly, maybe they have images out of place or text that is difficult to read. If your audience is mostly mobile, think about how the content you produce can serve them best.
7. You.
Practice your skills. Learn to improve your SEO, create a strong brand and a content schedule, and know how to write in an engaging way. Don’t be afraid to get better. Not everyone can be a good writer, photographer, coder, promoter, and have every other skill that it takes to run a blog successfully. What counts most is authenticity, and your willingness to learn.
Go ahead and start learning more today, make sure to check out the rest of our blog posts at the Digital Scot blog.