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HostGator has a great library of helpful articles such as this. This blog post is an example of content curation. I’m posting an article from another source and adding some text to it.
By posting this HostGator article I’m helping HostGator’s SEO. Make it a goal to post online content people want to share. Good content trumps all other SEO tactics.
Now, for the advice at hand . . . read this article and learn how to achieve greater return from you blogging efforts.
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When you start blogging it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and visions of building a massive readership and finally being able to quit your day job. It’s easy to get hyped on the idea of blogging, only to get discouraged when you don’t see results immediately.
Blogging isn’t for those seeking overnight results. However, if it’s been six months or longer and you feel like your blog is dead, then there could be a few things you’re doing wrong.
Below we dive into a few large-scale reasons your blog is failing and give a few recommendations for how you can fix these issues.
We won’t be talking about things like adding social media buttons or images to your posts. We’re talking about the bigger stuff.
- You’re Writing About The Wrong Things
When it comes to creating a blog people actually want to read, you need to write about things that make people care. For instance, if you’re using your blog as a personal journal and aren’t providing any grounded real-world wisdom, then there’s no reason for readers to stick around.
Who is your target audience? And how can you serve them with your content?
Get out of your own head and into the needs of your audience. The more you can write about things your audience cares about the more they’ll read and share your content.
- You’re Inconsistent
How often are you blogging?
Do you throw up a blog post once every few weeks and wonder why people aren’t clamoring over your content?
A content calendar does more than just keep you on track; it builds consistency in the minds of your readers. You’ll want to make reading your blog become a habit. The only way to do this is to publish on a regular basis.
But, don’t let the quality of your content suffer. To truly stand out you need to write with the goal for each post to be one of the best posts covering that topic.
- You’re Looking for Quick Results
Were you expecting thousands of readers within the first week you started blogging?
If your main intention for blogging is to build an audience to make money from, you might want to double-check your motivations. Blogging is a long-term game and it takes a deep well of motivation to sustain through the rough patches.
Set smaller actionable goals to keep you motivated and on track to achieve your larger goals.
- You Aren’t Promoting Enough
Writing is only half the battle when it comes to creating a popular blog. Aside from writing incredible content you need to be heavily promoting your content.
If you don’t have an existing email list or readership, then promotion will be your holy grail.
Find authorities in your space and let them know you’ve published an article they might be interested. You can also use a tool like Buzzsumo to find people who’ve recently shared a similar article and you can get in contact with them.
When it comes to promoting your content you can’t be shy. If you’re creating epic content, then stand behind the value of your work.
- You’re Creating the Wrong Kind of Content
There are multiple kinds of content you can create. For instance, there’s long-form thought leadership blogs, how-to content, video content, listicles, and on and on. Have you been stuck creating the same kind of content and are wondering why people aren’t sticking around?
Then, maybe it’s time to switch things up. In the early stages of your blog you’ll have more freedom to experiment until you land on something that resonates.
Hopefully the tips above will help to reinvigorate you and your blogging efforts.
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Take time to review these and other tips. Put them to use. Get more from your online efforts. If you are not making money online your blog is simply a hobby.
Give HostGator a try. You can thank me later.