10 tips to keep readers coming back

by Jaqueta Abbey


So you’ve decided to compile your articles in a blog on a site like Wordpress or Blogger, but how do you get people to read your work and either come back or subscribe? The following tips should help you out!

1. Use tags and categories properly. These keywords will be what people search to end up at your blog.
   
   
2. Respond to comments. If a reader has taken the time to log in and leave a comment on one of your posts, the least you can do is respond, even if it is only with a “Thank you”! If you can somehow continue the conversation from the post, do so. It will get your reader thinking about things and coming back to check the comments.
   
   
3. Make your blog a portal. Link it to other sites (as long as they are relevant to whatever you are talking about). If people come to your site and find it useful to get information from other sites, they’ll come back to it! Great examples of sites that do this: Dzine Blog and Smashing Magazine.
   
   
4. Be informative. Why is this important? Why do we need to know this? Tell us before we ask!
   
   
5. Check your sources–double and triple check them! Remember, before posting anything from a source, check its credibility. The last thing any blogger wants is to find information from a random site and use it, only to find out it was written by his/her reader’s 13-year-old brother for a book report!
   
   
6. Keep it brief. Make sure your post is written in short paragraphs or list format; it needs to be easy to read. No one wants to read a novel on their laptop screen! More than likely, if you write a ton, it will be skimmed over or not even read.
   
   
7. Include relevant media. Spice up your blog posts with videos and pictures. Be discriminating; don’t include every YouTube video ever made on the subject. Finally, embed the media, so readers don’t click a link and navigate away from your page.
   
   
8. Update consistently. Let the reader know when you’ll have new material up so they'll check back.
   
   
9. Tweet a link whenever you make a new post. This way your posts are introduced to a whole new audience.
   
   
10. Check your blog statistics. These statistics will show you information about how people are finding your blog and which subjects are most interesting them. You can then tailor your blog to your readers' interests.