A blog is an excellent way to build up your website and capture traffic through priority keywords. But more than that, it’s a great way to connect with people in your industry.

Below are 10 successful strategies we’ve found effective to build up your blog audience. Remember, more than anything, a blog is a labour of love. So while these approaches will help you build quality blog content and grow your audience, don’t expect it to happen overnight.

Create great content

The most important factor in growing a blog following, unsurprisingly, is creating amazing content that your readers actually want to read. Informative, readable content is the foundation of a successful blog. If you don’t have this, you can forget about the rest of the items on this list.

Offer something of value to readers

No, we don’t mean through a coupon or sale (though that doesn’t hurt, if you have them!). What we mean is offering valuable content that’s relevant and timely. What kinds of content do your readers respond to most? What questions can you answer? This offers value, even if it doesn’t have a numeric value attached.

Start with evergreen content and build out

When we say ‘evergreen’ content, we’re referring to content that is useful and relevant year around. Though it’s great to have of-the-moment content that speaks to topical events and news once in a while, evergreen content will always be in. Best of all, it’s a great source of bringing in new followers.

There are some things people search for year-round. Make sure your blog is where they land when looking for answers!

Search engine optimize your content

Optimizing your content is key to making sure that is appears on search engines. As you probably know, Google is where most people head these days when they have a question. No matter what industry or topic your blog covers, rest assured that search engines will bring in a significant number of your relevant readers. In fact, on the average website, search engine traffic accounts for 50% or more of incoming traffic!

Make sure your blog’s user-experience is positive

Nothing can kill a great blog faster than a terrible user experience. Ensure that your blog is well-designed and easy to navigate on every platform: desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Make sure buttons are easy to find and click. Include sorting functions like tags and categories to make it easy to sift through your existing content.

A clean, modern design is a must. Make sure your blog starts with a nice bold headline. Break up long content with bold subheading. Use bullets where possible. And don’t forget to include captivating and relevant images or photos when possible.

If you’re not sure where to start, most popular blog platforms have a variety of templates for you to choose from. However, if you can afford it, a custom design from a reputable agency will certainly offer more professionalism and know-how.

Share your content on all your social accounts

If your blog is a professional blog for your company, we recommend creating business-centric social media accounts. Most popular social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+, have the option to create a business account. Every time you post a new blog, make sure to share it on all your accounts.

Keep in mind that if you’re creating new accounts, it will take a while to build your audience, so it’s important to share any posts on your existing personal accounts and encourage friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.

Publish content consistently

A consistent blog schedule is important to maintain growth. Most of your readers will expect frequent updates. If you don’t stick to a regular updating schedule, they may get bored or jump ship, thinking that your blog is no longer a relevant, reliable source of information.

For the best results, update at least once a week, though for some business blogs you may find that once a month is more manageable. Whatever schedule you choose, just make sure you stick with it!

Build your newsletter subscription list

Once you have a successful blog, take it a step further and create a subscription feed.

Add a newsletter subscribe button to the top of each blog. It can be as simple as collecting a name and email. The less information you ask for, the easier it is to fill out, and the more successful it is likely to be. With the subscribe function, anyone who is interested in your content will be able to sign up for an e-newsletter or alternative easy-access email feeds to stay in touch and receive your blog via email.

Use an RSS feed

If you’re not sure how to set up a full email newsletter subscription, (though, an agency can help if you have the budget!) an RSS feed is another great option.

An RSS feed is a less complex way of sending out email updates. When someone subscribes to your RSS feed, they’ll instantly be alerted when new content is posted. Most popular blogs will have an RSS plugin available.

Engage your readers

Creating excellent content is only part of the equation. Your readers also want to be engaged in the process.

Make your blog interactive where possible. Add a comments section, and make sure to ask questions, and engage where possible. When someone posts a comment, make sure to respond and maintain a professional, gracious tone. The same goes for any social media comments about your shared blog posts.

Are you looking to improve your blog, or build a brand new one? Eden’s digital marketing experts can help. Whether you need help with coding and development, creating an exciting design that’ll improve conversions and readership, or need a hand with content writing, get in touch. We’d be happy to consult with you about your blog.

Contact us today!