Blogging is a timeless way to talk about your passions freely. But as time went on, this basic form of social media became every brand's magnum opus. Blogging has become one of the greatest marketing tools to date as it can help companies better connect with their audience.
However, many new bloggers often have a hard time garnering traffic and appealing to their target audience. Despite there being a near limitless amount of niches you can center a blog around, there are thousands of others doing the same thing. So, how can you go about making your blog more successful than others? In this article, we'll be going over unique ways to generate success for your blog.
Think About Your Future First
Before you start blogging, you need to identify the reasons why you want to do it. Are you using it as a creative outlet, or are you hoping to work for a company as a community manager and are trying to build a portfolio? If your end goal is to land your dream job, starting a blog is a great way to learn the skills you need to get hired.
In fact, you can even use it as your capstone or part of your applications package when utilizing a search and apply platform for Going Merry scholarships. Since most scholarships require a written essay as to why you need one, having visible proof of what you want to do can help you be chosen. Granted, you also need to ensure that your letter of intent resonates with them and that you're eligible as well. However, if you want to work in social media or communications, having demonstrable proof of your passions can go a long way.
Get a Proper Domain Name
Typically, you may read how you should choose a niche as the first step. However, there's really no need to unless we're talking about something so undersaturated, you'll barely see anything. The truth is that it doesn't matter what your niche is; it's what you do with it. The first thing you should do is have a proper domain name. A website's domain name is what you see in the URL in your web browser. If you're using WordPress, then you'll see "WordPress.com" in the URL.
Don't Post Random Content
If you're just posting pictures and articles about miscellaneous topics, then chances are you're not going to see plenty of traffic. The key to garnering traffic on your blog is to be consistent with your niche and then build upon it. Say your niche is beauty product reviews. You start off posting about your favorite ones and start to build a following. Over time, you think it's a good idea to incorporate other kinds of content into the mix.
While it seemed like a good idea in theory, your views, comments, and engagement start to suffer. Why? Because you're known for beauty reviews, something your audience looks forward to seeing. That's not to say you can't eventually branch out, however, it's still better to slowly integrate content that aligns with what you're currently doing instead.
Write Guest Posts
If you've hit a brick all when it comes to growth, guest posts on another blog might be the answer. Look for other accounts that are in your genre, or at least make sense with what you want to write. Reach out and ask if you can write a guest post and link to your own site. Most successful bloggers are usually happy to help newbies out, so don't worry if you get a few negative responses. Just keep trying until you find someone who is willing to work with you.
Work with Affiliates
Even though it takes time, you can generate a profit through affiliate marketing. Look for brands that align with your blog and the content you create. In most cases, you can sign up directly on their website to receive a link. Some links will generate a profit when a user clicks it to go off page. In other cases, they will need to make a purchase before you earn a commission. Keep in mind that generating a profit does take time with affiliate marketing. It isn’t a get-rich-quick-scheme and takes patience to not only learn the right way to do it, but also earn money.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Blogging has come a long way since the first WordPress site. These days, you can use social media to push traffic to your blog. If you look around online, there are plenty of bloggers who use their social media channels to boost visibility of their blogs. You could use Instagram to post photos of your content, such as food photography, to gain more attention online. In turn, the same users may become regular visitors to your website, which will help you rank higher on Google.
