It’s not always easy to figure out what is palatable when it comes to public consumption. In terms of writing a blog, you have to ask yourself many questions. Should I choose a topic that interests me, or one that might interest my readers? Do I keep it strictly informative, or inject some humor and personality? What, exactly, will engage the minds of my readers? These questions are difficult, if not impossible, to answer at the outset of your blogging enterprise, but as time goes by, you will find that certain things appeal to a mass audience while others lean towards the niche. What you really need to ask yourself, when it comes to writing your blog, is which type of reader you’re looking to attract.
Of course you want your blog to reach a large audience. For one thing, if you’re trying to make money, you need that all-important traffic to stay constant (or better yet, grow) in order to draw the advertising dollars that keep you afloat. That said, you really have to write something that appeals to you. If you don’t care about the topics you’re covering, it will almost certainly show in your posts, and chances are, it will not engage your readers any more than it engages you. So try to choose topics that you would like to read about while sticking to the mainstream whenever possible. Most readers will forgive a little meandering (and even encourage it) if it means your blog is consistently entertaining.
In addition, you don’t want the material to be too dry. It’s one thing to keep your articles informative, but remember that readers can probably go to any number of blogs that cover your chosen subject matter. You want to make yours stand out from the crowd and that means putting something unique into the mix, mainly yourself.
Don’t be afraid to make it about you. If you have an interesting opinion, it will attract more readers (and spawn debate), which will fuel your hits. There’s nothing worse than being generic, so spice it up! On that note, you also need to keep your posts new and exciting. The best way to do this is to stay on top of current trends. Checking out other blogs is not cheating, it’s market research and it’s absolutely necessary to know what your competition is up to. You can also look to news blogs and sites like YouTube to cash in on what is popular now. If your readership knows that they can count on you to keep up with whatever is in vogue, they will be more likely to come to you first, rather than flirting with other sites.
The main thing to remember is that what you want and what your readers want is almost the same. If a topic interests you and makes you ask questions, chances are good that others in the blogosphere will feel the same way. And if you take a strong stand on an issue, it’s bound to be more attention-grabbing than a wishy-washy attitude, so say it loud. Over time, you’ll gain a better understanding of what works for you. Until then, try anything and everything to keep it entertaining!
Guest post by Sarah of Maxi Dress Mania where you can find a long maxi dress for your body type.