How to Grow Your Blog (the Right Way)
Original Article: http://rebekahradice.com/how-to-grow-a-blog/
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Ever wonder what makes one blog popular and another flop?
Or why one blog builds a solid readership, while another struggles to find an audience?
There’s no doubt about it. Starting a business blog isn’t easy. But growing one? That is even harder.
From content to promotion, creating a blog that gets noticed takes time.
But here’s the good news. There are ways to grow a blog without scouring the web. Or spending long nights agonizing about whether your decisions are the right ones.
This last week, I was fortunate to receive a nomination for Social Media Examiner’s “Top 10 Social Media Blogs.” This isn’t an award I take lightly. Not with the amount of blood sweat and tears behind the success of my blog and the business behind it.
As I reflected on my 12 year blogging journey, a foundational piece within my career, it got me to thinking.
What do I wish I’d known when I first started out? And more than that, what blog success strategies did I need to know to keep me from making critical mistakes? (many I made along the way)
In today’s post, I’m sharing four steps to help you grow a profitable (and successful) business blog…the right way.
How to Grow Your Blog (the Right Way)
1. Create Strategic (and well-defined) Blog Goals
If I asked you why you want to start a blog, would you know the answer? Can you articulate what your blog will do to support business goals?
If not, don’t start a blog. If you already have a blog, stop writing immediately. Sound harsh? Consider this.
Blogging without a plan is as useful as cleaning the house with a party going on. Oh sure, you might gain a little traction, but you’ll end up backtracking, and eventually starting all over.
If you started your blog with a loosely defined plan, then what you have is an erratic content strategy at best.
Without clarity in direction, mission and strategic goals, you’ll limp along.
Want to create your blogging goals? Start with this goal setting worksheet.
Important Blog Questions to Answer
- What is the number one reason you want to blog?
- What will a blog do for your business or what has it done so far? Look down the road – 3, 6, 9 months.
- Who will read your blog? Be specific about your reader and potential customer. (we’ll tackle this in depth below)
- How will you stay consistent? Who will help you achieve your blogging goals?
- How does a blog support your current marketing efforts? (this is a biggie – don’t overlook what role it plays in your overall marketing plan)
- What’s your writing style? Are you serious, straightforward, funny, data driven, silly, witty?
- What will your marketing funnel look like? e.g. How will your blog create business opportunities and drive sales?
It’s a noisy online world with millions of blogs authored every day. If you want to stand out, you need to get strategic.
Commit to SMART goals. Goals that push you towards something tangible, concrete and trackable.
- Specific Have you been specific in what you want to achieve?
- Measurable How will you know if you’ve achieved your goal?
- Achievable Is this a goal that you can achieve?
- Relevant Is this goal aligned with your mission, vision and values?
- Time Specific When do you want to achieve this goal by?
No matter what industry you’re in, one thing is certain. Content is a constant and gaining customer attention is at a premium.
Make yours stand out through defined blog goals backed by an actionable plan.
2. Write Audience Specific Content
There’s a whole lot more to blogging than writing. Don’t believe me? Just ask any successful blogger what the key to their success is.
What drives blog traffic, leads and conversions?
The answer is simple. They know who their market is, what they need and how to solve their problem(s). Then they produce content with that audience in mind.
Just like those bloggers, you have an ideal blog audience. They’re уоur customers, prospective buyers or users. Do you know them inside out?
If you want to run a successful blog, you must create content for your ideal reader. That makes research a must.
So, where do you begin?
First, get crystal clear on your specific market. List their qualities, demographics, skills and any other important information.
Here’s what that might look like:
Persona Description (example)
- Female
- Average age: 44
- 3 people in the household – have to assume older child (no small children running around)
- Self-employed, small business, or entrepreneur
- Income – $75k
Persona Resources
These details can come from many sources:
- Google Analytics
- Customer Surveys
- Customer Interviews
Creating a persona can help you better focus on your core reader and customer. Not sure how to get started? Use this Persona Template from HubSpot.
Solve The Problem
Your next step is to write down the top 5-10 problems you solve for your reader/customer.
For example, if you’re a productivity coach, you might help business owners:
- Work smarter
- Overcome procrastination
- Put systems in place to combat overwhelm
- Identify counter-productive habits
- Balance life and business daily tasks to get more done
Or you might be a local daycare provider. Your blog addresses the challenges all parents of small children face. You talk about teething, potty training, sleeping through the night, and how to get them to eat their peas and carrots. Or at least that’s what I remember from those days many years ago.
Now think about it. Those issue…. Click Here for Complete Article
