65 Tips for Better Blogging

Blogging tips are a constant demand of the blogger community. While it's impossible to mention everything there is to know on such a broad topic, I've compiled a list of 65 tips that every blogger should know and put to use. (Do you have any more to add?)

Your content:

1) Know your audience.
2) Create content with depth; make readers want to return.
3) Make your posts scannable.
4) Write eye-catching headlines.
5) Be consistent- not boring, but give your readers a sort of quality to expect.
6) Stay on topic.
7) Write about the things you are passionate about.
8) Only write what you know. It shows when you don't know your subject.
9) Take the time to proofread your work.
10) Provide images for more visual appeal.
11) Post videos.
12) Place important features and links "above the fold".
13) Keep your sidebars tidy.
14) Provide links to relevant content. This is a great way to keep visitors on your site longer.
15) Don't stick to long or short posts- do both. It's good to change things up now and then.
16) Do it first.
17) Do it best.

Get more traffic:

18) Participate in niche communities and social media sites.
19) Comment on other blogs.
20) Get into the habit of guest blogging.
21) Submit articles to blog carnivals.
22) Get stumbled.
23) Be interviewed or reviewed by other bloggers.
24) Do the same for them- many bloggers like to return links.
25) Publish partial feeds (but be prepared to have less subscribers than if you'd published a full feed).
26) Join a meme.
27) Or better yet, start one.

Networking:

28) Build relationships with influential people.
29) Be respectful to others.
30) Don't let rude people get you down.
31) Don't spam your site.

Build a community around your blog:

32) Give your visitors a good reason to return.
33) Create polls.
34) Ask questions for your readers to answer and discuss.
35) Respond to comments and emails.
36) Allow other bloggers to write a guest post.
37) Join other bloggers' projects. You may make some new friends who will support your own projects.
38) Create a forum.
39) Provide your supporters with exclusive content- start a newsletter.

Optimize for search engines:

40) Use keywords and key-phrases in your content, titles, URLs, meta tags, and image alt tags.
41) Try to stay away from Flash, Javascript, frames, and dynamic pages. Search engines like websites with clean code and are easy to navigate.
42) Build incoming links.
43) Get listed in directories, blog indexes, and search engines.

Get more subscribers:

44) Place a link to your feed in a prominent spot on your page.
45) Ask your readers to subscribe at the end of each post.
46) Use an image to direct the eye to your RSS link.
47) Promote your feed away from your blog (in forums, email signature, etc).
48) Publish full feeds.

Make money:

49) Understand that blogging is not a way to quick cash.
50) If your readers click a lot of links, consider placing CPC (cost per click) advertisements, like Adsense, on your blog.
51) If you get a lot of pageviews, try CPM (cost per thousand impressions) advertising.
52) Or you can do both.
53) Join an affiliate program.
54) Don't place too many ads on your site- it looks unprofessional and annoys readers.
55) Create products (ebooks, t-shirts, etc.) and sell them.
56) Got a useful skill that others could benefit from? Sell your time.

Miscellaneous tips:

57) Choose your blog's title and domain wisely.
58) Build a strong brand.
59) Read.
60) Open your mind to new ideas.
61) Learn something new each day.
62) At least learn basic HTML- a must for every blogger.
63) Create a posting schedule and stick to it.
64) Develop your time management skills.
65) No one likes to wait. Choose a template that loads quickly.

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Comments

[JMorris]

Great post, Raivyn!

I believe most new bloggers will find the maximum benefit from carefully selecting steps from the above that are most appropriate for their target niche and personal style. I would strongly caution against taking such a list as a step-by-step cookie-cutter recipe for blogging success. Each blogger must find their "voice" and it is different for each of us.

Still, the above suggestions are an excellent starting point and outline many of the issues new bloggers often overlook or do not know exist.

Thank you for sharing this!

[Raivyn]

@ JMorris - Hi and thanks for stopping by. :) You're right, not all bloggers can do everything stated here (who can, really?). There isn't one specific way to create a "successful" blog- tips are to be taken as guidelines, not rules. And the rest, well, that's for each blogger to figure out and forge his or her own path. Again, thanks!