Blogging takes time and there is nothing worse than spending hours creating a new post only to find out a week later that only a handful of people read your work and no one even bothered to leave a comment. Lack of followers is why many people abandon their blog after a few months.
So, how do you attract readers to your blog and build a loyal following?
It won't happen overnight. We have been trained in a digital society to expect immediate results.
However, there is no way you have to put effort into consistently posting and promoting your blog. Also, be aware that you have a lot of competition. There are now more than 150 million blogs - an incredible statistic - and that number is growing every day. Everyone is competing for followers, so you are competing with many, many other bloggers.
You might think that a successful blog is impossible, but here are some tips that will get you results.
1. Quality is king, but perfection is overrated. Great content is the most important element for your audience - people won't come back if the site fails, so work hard to create the best text, images and video. However, a blog post doesn't have to be perfect. You'll need to keep the stream of content going, and sometimes good enough just has to be good enough.
2. Do not be shy! You have great content, don't hold back now. Use every platform you can find to promote your blog. Think of your blog as a product that you sell using social media platforms. At first, it's okay to share your posts with friends, family, and some coworkers—you'll be surprised who becomes a loyal follower. However, be sensitive and don't constantly chase friends and family to read your blog. Think outside your immediate circle. Visit other blogs and leave comments or helpful tips. Find online platforms where you can list your blog or guest post. Write a press release about your blog or a side story (like the one you're reading) on a topic related to your blog.
3. Learn from your elders. Identify several dozen successful bloggers in different categories and take a close look at what they are doing right. Take notes. You will learn a lot from others who have come before you. You can get ideas from what they write, and sometimes you can even take an opposing view (which creates some controversy). Above all, always make sure you create your posts with your own personal perspective and your own voice. Successful bloggers learn from others, but they are not copycats.
4. Be generous. You will find friends on the internet who will guest post for you and ask you to post for them. It's like going to a store with exterior and interior doors. You open a door for someone, and they open another door for you. As in life, politeness goes a long way. At a blogging conference, I once befriended someone, who was standing alone at a mixer. It turns out that although she is terribly shy at large social events, she is also a popular blogger with a huge following. Since this conference, my new friend has proven to be one of my biggest supports and her professional help has helped me tremendously.
5. Controversy sells. Yes, controversy can attract numerous of fans, but think before you post. For example, some bloggers will post about their personal problems in relationships with spouses, siblings, parents, and children. Ask yourself: Is the idea of the blog post valid and true? Would you invade someone's privacy just to get people to notice you? You could cause hurt feelings with friends and family members, or even lose your job. If your post is shocking just for the sake of being shocking, you can easily turn off your core audience. Some bloggers resort to excessive profanity or explicit material to stir up controversy. In fact, using profanity online is so overused that it's no longer controversial - just bad taste. Controversy is best served by clever writing or truly amazing graphics.
My advice to attract a significant following is to find your voice, be original, create unique content and keep posting, posting, posting.
Do your research and find bloggers whose work you admire. When you connect with other quality bloggers online, be generous, share tips, and take the time to visit their blogs and leave comments. It's fine to promote yourself to your community, but keep in mind that people have busy lives and helping you grow your blog's audience isn't their top priority.
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