How to Make a Successful Blog

When people first started to blog, it was considered a novel way to keep a journal. Since then, blogging has taken on entirely new heights. Today's bloggers write about every topic imaginable: fashion, food, politics, parenthood, DIY projects, and more.

With the proliferation of blog topics also came a surge in content quality, which begs the question, "Where do I learn how to make a successful blog?"

There are countless first-rate blogs out there, so there's certainly not a single, solitary approach for how to make a successful blog. If you stay consistent, track your site analytics to measure what works, and follow these guidelines, you'll be on the path to blogging success.

Determine your niche

When you start a blog, be crystal clear about the topics you'll cover. This should include everything relevant to your business and brand. Being focused helps you direct content in support of your audience. For example, a nutritionist adds value by blogging about health and well-being, with a focus on nutrition. This may include recipes, current nutrition-based research, or general tips for eating healthier and having a set lifestyle — all valuable, relevant topics.

Connect with other bloggers

The blogging community is exceptionally large and curates a culture like no other online platform. Once you establish your niche, start making connections with others within it.

Many influential bloggers can attribute their success to the support and guidance they receive from others. Ramsey Taplin, for example, credits his peers as being "monumental" to his success.

Include visual elements

Images and videos are present across the majority of successful blogs. The primary reason why visual content comes highly recommended is related to social shares. WordPress.com happens to have very impressive visual options to seamlessly incorporate media elements into your written content.

Social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn favor videos and images over text in both paid and unpaid content. Your strategy with visual content on these platforms should not be any different. If you want to learn how to embed videos into your blog posts, you'll find excellent tips right here.

Content length matters

If your goal to build a successful blog is focused around your brand or business and you eventually want it to serve as an income stream, pay attention to your content length. This is especially important if you're still building up to a steady, consistent flow of blog entries.

Once you begin blogging more frequently, including at least one longer post (1,500 words or more) is important. Longer content helps you rank higher in search results, but more importantly, it shows your readers that your blog is content-rich and worth their time. With stellar blog entries, your value to your niche's community grows, and so too will your readership and the demand for your content. At that point, you'll have the option to monetize your site.

Start with small steps and focus on staying consistent. Be clear and true with your message and your readership will grow.

Tags: Audience, Blogging, Business, How To, Inspiration, Lead Generation, Tools