90 Second Reads – 13 Great Tips for Starting a Blog & Keeping it Going

With the demise of Facebook’s free organic reach for brands and businesses, many of my friends and colleagues are moving to Google Plus and going back to blogging, and for good reason: Google Plus has been shown to dramatically improve the search engine rankings of associated blog contents. Blogs continue to be one of the most important ways a business can convey their marketing message, communicate brand values and connect with customers without “selling.”

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates

“Just what is the ‘secret sauce’ when it comes to launching and maintaining a successful blog for your business?” Blogging expert, John Egan offered these 13 tips via his article on PR Daily:

1. Work in WordPress.

WordPress is FREE, looks great and is very easy to use!

2. Include an “about me” or “about us” page.

Set the tone and context for your blog by telling your readers a little about yourself.

3. Brainstorm.

You’ve got to have a list of go-to topics and blog ideas for when you are at a loss for anything else.

4. Concentrate on high-quality content.

Take your time and provide value to your reader. It will have them coming back for more!

5. Use photos.

The “visuals” are often what will attract readers to your blog for the first time.

6. Read other blogs.

Great for getting new content ideas and improving your own blog. Thoughtfully commenting on other blogs is also a GREAT way to develop your own traffic.

7. Post several times a week.

Writing regularly both helps overcome writer’s block and develops your blog’s following.

8. Market your blog.

Toot your own horn (no one else will)!!!

9. Make a list.

List-type posts, like this one, get read more often than lengthy stories and diatribes.

10. Stray away from “all business, all the time.”

Show your readers your personal side, it helps create a deeper connection with them.

11. Avoid politics (and religion).

Polarizing subjects tend to alienate readers of business-related blogs.

12. Share the workload.

It’s OK to hire a ghost writer or invite a guest blogger to post every once in a while.

13. Don’t chase the money.

Build it first, provide overwhelming value and then find ways to earn money for your efforts. As I said in a previous post about making money online and with blogs:

Yes! People are making money with their blogs, it is certainly possible but it requires a niche focus, a viable monetization strategy, a SHIT TON of patience and very real WORK. 

The “90 Second Reads” series is my distillation of important articles into posts that can be digested in about a minute and a half. Please feel free to repost these via your social networks and use the social sharing buttons included to the left of these posts if you find them helpful!

And, of course, I’d like to hear what you have to say about this post in the comments below!