How To Improve Your Blog In A Few Simple Steps

(updated 14/07/2020) 

There is no denying it; blogging can be hard. Think of the time it takes to think of a post idea; write out your post, source photographs to accompany your writing, edit photographs, perform your SEO checks, promote your post, reply and return comments - phew! Taking all this work into account; it can be so disheartening when your blog doesn't do as well as you feel it should.

Sometimes; it doesn't take much! I thought I would share my little tips and tricks for what I think makes a good blog as potential readership and a few general points that are worth making. Try to think of your audience demographic (you can check that on Google Analytics) when designing and marketing your blog - where are they and how do you connect with them? If I'm not your target demographic; take my ideas with a pinch of salt. However; if I am - then it's likely my thoughts would be the same as others in our group!

A clean and simple layout. 

As soon as I click onto a blog, I look to see if they have a clean layout free of clutter and overloads of colours etc. If they don't, unfortunately I won't stop around to see and read any more. It sounds harsh, but I won't be the only one who does this and I certainly won't be the last. Simple layouts and colours are visually pleasing but also encourages the reader to read the content you have created. My tips as always are: stick to one or two colours, fonts and that less is always more.

Good photography. 

The second thing I look for in a blog is good photographs. I like to look at photographs for inspiration for my own, so I prefer ones that have been well thought out, and presented nicely. Good quality images are also a must for me, the post always seems so much nicer then, does anyone else think this? If you don't enjoy taking your own photos, there are lots of free stock photo websites available for your use. If you do choose to go down the stock photo route, it might be worth noting that you use stock photos somewhere on your blog - reader trust and all!

Good reader navigation. 

Reader navigation is something I have tried to focus on in this design, making sure the reader can easily access everything on the blog without really having to try. Lets face it, if we spend ages trying to reach something online, we just click off the page. Things like a clear search bar, fixed pages gadget, social media icons etc, are always a great start! Even though you should blog for yourself, it is also important to consider the reader when you blog, as they are the ones who read what you write!

Enthusiasm. 

There is nothing worse than clicking onto a blog, and reading something that someone is either not enthusiastic about, or has rushed. Blog authors may not realise, but it is so obvious to the reader when someone hasn't proof-read their work, or wants to be doing anything other than blogging. I follow blogs which have little mistakes, and content which reads like the author has spent lots of time editing and perfecting. I think this adds a more caring touch, and really engages the reader into the post, which is a lovely thing to see. 

Interesting content. 

It sounds simple, but I won't follow a blog that I am not interested in. The blogs I follow each post content I am interested in: whether it be the photographs, subject matter or something else. I always enjoy content which I can relate to, and I don't think I am alone on this! I think it is a good idea to write about things you would be interested in, so you gain a similar minded audience, and you always show enthusiasm. 

What do you look for in a blog? Do you agree with my points?