The best blogs on the Web cater to many different audiences and interest groups, from the Huffington Post to the Drudge Report, from Perez Hilton to Lifehacker. They all, however, share one common ingredient: they all generate massive traffic, which translates to profits from ad sales. The way they got to those massive flows of traffic is because they also share three essential features that you can apply to your blog. Read on to see what the best blogging tips are, and how you can incorporate them in your own blog:
- Blogging Tip #1 – Tone – Each of the Web’s best blogs all have a distinct tone, a way of approaching the material with their own unique spin. This is not a calculated process; it’s a direct result of the main blogger speaking conversationally using their own style. For example, Perez Hilton’s snarky, irreverent posts poke jabs at the biggest celebrities. Fans come back regularly to see what he’ll say next, with each post more outrageous than the next. Lifehacker, on the other hand, aims to be practical and helpful, with specific life strategies, time management, and reviews of computer-related productivity enhancers. The tone is amusing, light, and always accessible. This blogging tip can be used by anyone – Even guest bloggers on these blogs know the right tone to use.
- Blogging Tip #2 – Post Regularly – These blogs have become kings of Web site traffic by continually offering something new each day. Seizing on news, current events, and emerging trends, these blogs post at least every day, and some as often as two to ten times daily. The Web can be likened to a hungry content monster, eager to devour every post as soon as it goes into the “blogosphere.” You also need to train the search engines to know how often to come back for fresh blog content. The top blogs are not only feeding their own fans, but every social bookmarking and linking site like, Digg, Delicious, Stumbleupon, and Twitter. These other hugely successful sites have only been made possible as they create a secondary market for the redistribution of content from the top blogs and news outlets. And by adding frequently searched keywords in the post title and body of their regular updates, they are increasing their chances of being picked up quickly by the search engines.
- Blogging Tip #3 – Use Images in Your Posts – Each post from the top blogs add some kind of image for emphasis, humor or illustration. Photos break up blocks of text, and add an additional element to each post. However, using photos that one doesn’t have the rights to use can also create problems. There are many sources for photos that can be used free of charge, as long as you give credit. Flickr, stock.xchng, and PicApp. Make sure to crop and place a humorous or descriptive image towards the beginning of your post. Even the photos themselves, when chosen well, and added correctly, can also greatly help a post’s ability to rank well in the search engine results.
By using these blog tips, and reviewing your blog regularly for a consistent tone, a regular posting schedule, and using the right images for extra interest, your blog can also reach new heights of success and traffic.
