What makes a good blog?
As of 2023, there are over 600 million blogs globally, with 77% of people regularly reading blogs online. Blogging may be more common than most would realize. Therefore, how do bloggers make their content stand out?
To understand how to make a strong blog, here are a few simple steps to follow!
1. Understand the User Experience
When it comes to a blog, it's important to know that readers don't actually read. Instead, they scan through the page, so it's important to ensure your presentation attracts a reader.
Some ways this could be done include:
- Utilizing images to engage and inform readers
- Using whitespace to provide visual breaks
- Using a color scheme that matches your brand
- Selecting typography that's easy to read
2. Create a site that's easy to navigate
When it comes to a blog, you want the user experience to be simple and straight forward. There's no need to overcomplicate it.
By making sure the site is easy to navigate, users will be more inclined to explore your blog. It's also important to ensure your posts and pages don't leave unnecessary questions for your readers. In other words, make sure your messages are being communicated clearly in a way for your readers to understand. Don't leave your audience confused.
3. Write Effectively
As mentioned earlier, you want readers to understand your content as well as be able to skim through your posts. Keep it simple and break up the words visually through bolded or italicized words. If there are long paragraphs without any visual elements, readers will skip. It's also important to use simple language and not overcomplicate your words so your message comes across more clearly.
4. Use Headlines
Headlines grab readers' attention and help break up a post. It's especially helpful to use bold headlines that emphasize a message in a clear manner, so your readers are more compelled to read your post.
5. Target your Audience
Before starting a blog, it's good to ask what you want your blog to be about and who you want reading your blog. By doing so, it weeds out endless possibilities and helps refine the content.
A blogger could write perfectly written and beautifully designed posts. However, if the subject is target toward the wrong audience, the readers will not be interested. It's important to understand your audience and provide them with content they're interested in.
6. Make it Visual
Throughout this post, you may have noticed the use of headlines, lists and bolded/italicized words. This is an example of making your blog more visual. Studies have shown that people only remember 20% of what they read vs 80% of what they see.
Utilizing graphics, images, textures, videos and clean, simple aesthetics all help in making your user remember your content.
Conclusion
These few, simple steps are a great way to starting a blog. However, the steps won't work without the ULTIMATE rule...
Consistency.
When creating a blog, make sure the content and themes are consistent as well as the timing of posts.
Once a blogger understands how to keep their brand and posts reliable for users to keep coming back to, the blog will become a success!