The single most important thing when it comes to blogging is the ability to stand out from the crowd. No matter how original you may think your subject matter is, it’s very likely that there are at least a few hundred other blogs out there covering the same topic. There is nothing new under the sun, and this is especially true when it comes to sharing your thoughts, ideas, stories or opinions on a blog.
However, just because your blog is not the only one of its kind, doesn’t mean you can’t make an impression on people and distinguish yourself from the competition by staying up to date with the latest trends and using every resource available to you. Here are the top five things every blogger needs to know in order to stand out in 2012.
1. Quality SEO
Whether your blog is meant to boost sales on your primary website or is used as your own personal online portfolio to showcase your work as a photographer, entrepreneur, writer or whatever, it needs to attract readers in order to serve its purpose. However, these days SEO is about much more than stuffing 50 keywords into a 500 word article. Since the Google Panda update last year, websites and blogs need to consistently produce high quality and up to date content if they want to survive in the competitive online market.
2. Mobile optimization
In case you hadn’t noticed, people are doing more and more of their surfing from mobile devices like smart phones and iPads. If you want your blog to remain relevant in 2012, you absolutely have to ensure that your blog is mobile ready or you stand the chance of losing your readership to those who have not ignored this trend.
3. Comments
If you are not allowing your readers to interact with you and other readers through the comment section on your blog then you are doing it wrong. Half of the reason that people read and follow blogs is because they enjoy the opportunity for a good debate, the chance to share a dissenting opinion or shed light on another aspect of an issue. Some bloggers are afraid that enabling the comment option on their blog will subject them to ridicule, but if you feel that way then you have no business blogging in the first place.
4. Social media engagement
Promoting your blog with social media is the most cost effective way to drive traffic to your blog. If you aren’t using social media as a way to promote your blog then it is not as effective as it could be. Don’t wait for people to find you, use social media to share your posts, tag people, get likes and generate interest in your subject.
5. Podcasts
If you don’t know what podcasts are, now is the time to learn. Podcasts are a great way to grab your audience and engage them immediately. In this fast-paced online environment, web users are no longer satisfied with only words on their screen, they want visuals, audio and action too. Podcasting will change the pace for your current readers and help your blog to get noticed by new ones. There’s no need to go overboard and focus solely on podcasts, but using them as a tool for your blog will make your efforts far more effective.
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Ally is part of the team that manages several successful financial websites in Sydney, Australia, which provide useful tips about Budgeting Planner and Ways to Save Money Fast. Before joining BS & HSTM, she was a Media Planner in McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Inc., wherein she had the opportunity to work on innovative and award-winning outdoor advertising executions.
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