A Few Blogging Tips

Although, right now, only recently having established this blog I have nothing to prove that any of these methods actually work, after reading a few blogging articles I have compiled here a list of a few tips you can use to promote your blog, and improve its quality:

Tip #1: Aesthetic Style
It is imperative to the success of your blog that it has an appealing visual style. People respond more to clean, simple layouts, not cluttered jumbles of links and buttons that simply confuse the reader. Its like how organizing yourself can help you in other areas; treat your blog as a workspace, so keep it neat and tidy. Also, be careful of colors; I personally hate reading white font on dark backgrounds. If colors are too dull, or too bright, it can become a chore to read the content.

Tip #2: Niche
Right now, I'm pretty much doing the opposite of what I'm preaching; I'm posting all manner of leeched videos and games, and am yet to find a particular thing that this blog is about. My strategy right now is to write a variety, get enough readers, and then pick a topic. However, what you really should be doing is picking one topic and sticking to it. People who are interested in that topic will appreciate the focus, while if you scatter fire, you're more likely to hit and miss numerous times. Also, if you target a particular demographic, you'll probably build a stronger readership if you provide a blog that's out of the ordinary.

Tip #3: Options
Give your readers options to stay connceted to your blog. The best way to do this is to add a few subscription chicklets in your sidebar; however, don't make it too cluttered. It can be offputting. Some websites, like Feedburner and Feedpass are great for providing simple RSS solutions.

Tip #4: Frequency
The frequency of your posts is an essential element to a successful formula. If you post too infrequently, readers can lose interest and move on. If you post too frequently, your posts can lose their quality. I believe that the right amount is a tricky question to answer; it should be a compromise between quantity and quality.

Tip #5: Rich Content
Diversifying the type of media you have on your blog is the key to keeping it fresh and taking the pressure off you to write lengthy, text-heavy posts; games, videos, music and other articles can create a more rounded, fuller blog that feels a lot more interesting than slabs of text. However, reposting other peoples material becomes addictive, and you often end up depending on it to sustain your blog.

Tip #6: Submit & Promote
Don't be afraid to spam the Internet with selfish plugs; its often the only way to reach new readers. Submit to various indexes, post on forums, tell your buddies. Make sure you have your blog pinging several services, such as Weblogs.com. Submit articles to various repositories.

Tip #7: Invite Comments
Comments are often the only way you'll know anyone is actually reading your blog. It really makes readers feel like a part of your blog. Ask questions in your posts, ask readers their opinions. And most of all, make it easy for people to comment. Don't add word verifications, unless you get too much spam; don't make people log in. It should be easy to comment.

Tip #8: Make Your Writing Accessible
If the content you write is difficult to comprehend, then most people will be turned off by it. Speak in simple terms, don't collude your message with unnecessary synonyms. If people feel like you're speaking casually, it feels a lot more personal.