Blogging is hard – let’s get that out of the way. If you believe you can use AI to write up a few relevant posts for you, slap them into your blog, and become an overnight sensation with millions of followers… blogging is not for you.
It takes a long time to develop a blog, and it takes a long time to monetize your content. You need enough content to keep viewers interested, and you need traffic to actually have viewers. And you need both to start making money off your hard work.
It’s time-consuming, frustrating, and you will want to quit when you’re six months in and your blog is barely breaking even. But that’s why so many bloggers don’t stick with it! If you stick with it, if you’re consistent, and you persist no matter what, you will get that traffic.
Before we jump in, I’d like you to take a look over a few very successful bloggers who started exactly where you are now.
Blogging Success Stories
Pat Flynn: Pat Flynn is a blogger and podcaster who has built a successful online business teaching people how to start and grow their own businesses. He started his blog, Smart Passive Income, in 2008 to document his journey as an entrepreneur and share his insights and tips with others. Today, he is one of the most successful bloggers in the online business space, with a large following and multiple successful businesses.
Joy Cho: Joy Cho is a blogger and designer who started her blog, Oh Joy!, in 2005 to share her creative ideas and inspirations. She has since built a successful business around her brand, creating products and designs that are sold in major retailers like Target and Anthropologie. Joy is known for her bright and colorful aesthetic, and her ability to turn her creativity into a thriving business.
Brandon Stanton: Brandon Stanton is a photographer and blogger who started Humans of New York in 2010 to document the people and stories of New York City. His blog quickly gained a large following, and he has since expanded to include a book, a documentary series, and even a global philanthropic movement. Brandon’s success lies in his ability to connect with people and tell their stories in a compelling and authentic way.
Joanna Gaines: Joanna Gaines is a blogger, designer, and TV personality who, along with her husband Chip, has built a successful empire around their brand, Magnolia. They started their blog and home renovation business in 2003, and it has since grown into a multi-million dollar empire that includes a TV show, a magazine, a line of home goods, and a soon-to-be-opened hotel. Joanna’s success comes from her ability to create a strong brand and aesthetic, and to connect with her audience in a genuine and relatable way.
These bloggers all come from different niches and backgrounds, but they share some key characteristics that have contributed to their success. They all have a clear brand and aesthetic that sets them apart, and they are able to connect with their audience in an authentic way. They also all have a strong work ethic and a willingness to experiment and try new things, which has helped them stay relevant and adapt to changes in their industries.
SEO
First up, let’s talk about SEO. Search engine optimization is the key to attracting visitors to your site based on what they’re searching for. There are two types of SEO: on-page and off-page. On-page SEO involves optimizing the content and user experience on your site, while off-page SEO involves building authority through backlinks, social media, and other external activities.
To get started with SEO, you’ll want to focus on targeting your primary and secondary keywords, writing quality content, formatting it properly, and optimizing your page titles and meta descriptions. You can also use featured snippets and other schemas to make it easier for search engines to understand your content.
Here are some of the most important things a blogger can do for SEO on their post:
Keyword research: Identify the primary and secondary keywords that you want to target in your post. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find keywords with good search volume and low competition. Here’s a good article on free SEO tools that are actually worth using.
Title tag: Include your primary keyword in the title tag, which appears in search engine results and at the top of the browser window.
Meta description: Write a compelling meta description that includes your primary keyword and summarizes the content of your post. This will appear in search engine results under the title tag.
Headings: Use H1, H2, and H3 headings to structure your post and make it easy to read. Include your primary keyword in at least one heading.
Content: Write high-quality, original content that provides value to your readers. Include your primary keyword and related keywords naturally throughout your post.
Images: Use relevant images and include your primary keyword in the alt text.
Internal links: Link to other relevant content on your blog to provide context and help readers find related information.
External links: Link to high-quality, authoritative sources to provide additional information and demonstrate the credibility of your post.
URL structure: Use a clear, concise URL that includes your primary keyword and accurately reflects the content of your post.
Mobile optimization: Make sure your post is mobile-friendly and loads quickly on all devices. This is becoming increasingly important for SEO as more people use mobile devices to search the web.
By following these best practices, bloggers can improve their SEO and increase their chances of ranking higher in search engine results. However, it’s important to remember that SEO is a long-term game and requires ongoing effort and optimization.
Traffic
Next up, we have traffic. There are many ways to drive more traffic to your site, but it’s important not to try to tackle them all at once. Instead, focus on creating amazing, share-worthy content that you can promote on social media and through email marketing. Building your email list is essential for any blogger, as it allows you to communicate directly with your readers and build a loyal following.
Guest posting on other blogs is another great way to build authority and backlinks. Collaborating with other content creators, participating in online forums, and commenting on other blogs can also help you build your community and attract more readers to your site.
Finally, don’t forget to create various forms of content, such as videos, podcasts, and infographics. Advertising can also be a powerful way to drive traffic to your site, but be sure to track your results and adjust your strategy as needed.
In conclusion, by focusing on SEO, traffic, and content creation, you can supercharge your blog for success and build a loyal readership that will keep coming back for more. So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your blog soar to new heights!
Site Speed
In today’s digital age, we all have our preferred methods of consuming content. Some of us prefer to read and can quickly scan and digest written information, while others prefer to listen to audiobooks or feeds. And then there are those who are visual learners and prefer to watch videos. Therefore, having different forms of content available can not only cater to individual preferences, but also help to repurpose content and reach a broader audience.
However, regardless of the format, the speed of your website is a critical factor in retaining visitors and driving conversions. In fact, according to a statistic mentioned by our speaker, a one-second delay in page load time results in an 11% reduction in page views, a 16% decrease in customer satisfaction, and a 7% loss in conversions. Hence, speed optimization is a vital consideration for any blogger or website owner.
While speed optimization can get technical quickly, some general rules of thumb can help get started. These include externalizing JavaScript and CSS files, using caching systems, and avoiding image resizing in HTML. Instead, it is crucial to resize images before uploading them to your website and to use new file formats optimized for the web, such as Webp. By implementing these speed optimization techniques, you can enhance the user experience and improve your website’s overall performance.
Use Text As Often As Possible
In today’s digital age, having a website that is both visually appealing and user-friendly is essential. However, many website owners make the mistake of adding unnecessary features that can weigh down their site, ultimately impacting the user experience. One common mistake is using images to display text. This practice may have been popular in the past, but it is now widely recognized as a poor design choice.
There are several reasons why using images to display text is not ideal. For one, it makes the website less accessible to users who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers. These tools are designed to read the text on a website aloud to users who are blind or visually impaired. However, if the text is embedded in an image, it cannot be read by the screen reader, leaving these users unable to access the content.
Another issue with using images to display text is that it can slow down the website. Images are typically larger files than text, which means they take longer to load. This can be a problem for users who are accessing the site on slower internet connections or older devices. Additionally, search engines may have difficulty indexing the text in the image, which can negatively impact the site’s SEO.
So, what should you do instead of using images to display text? The answer is simple: just use text. There are a variety of tools and technologies available today that make it easy to style and format text in a visually appealing way. For example, you can use CSS to change the font, size, and color of the text, or add background colors or images to make it stand out. By using text instead of images, you ensure that your content is accessible to all users and that your website loads quickly and efficiently.
Text Versus Image With CSS
Here’s an example CSS code that will print out a call-to-action button with white text on a medium blue background:
.button {
background-color: #4e89ae;
color: #fff;
border-radius: 20px;
padding: 10px 20px;
}
.button:hover {
background-color: #43748e;
cursor: pointer;
}
The CSS above will go directly into your site’s CSS file, or you may choose to put in your header. Then you’ll use some basic HTML code to create the button on your webpage with the following HTML code:
<button class="button">Get In On The Action</button>
This will create a button with white text on a medium blue background, with rounded edges. When the user hovers over the button, the background color will darken slightly to indicate interactivity.
In addition to avoiding images for text, it’s also important to consider which features are truly necessary for your website.
Every element you add to your site, whether it’s an image slider, chat feature, or pop-up, adds weight to the site and can impact the user experience. Before adding any new features, ask yourself whether they are truly necessary for conveying your message. If not, consider leaving them out to keep your site fast and streamlined.
Essentially, using images to display text is an outdated practice that can negatively impact the accessibility and performance of your website. By prioritizing text and keeping your site lean and efficient, you can create a user-friendly experience that will keep visitors coming back.
How to Optimize Your Website for Speed and User Experience
By now, you know how extremely important (I can’t stress that enough) it is that your site is fast, loads almost immediately, and provides an easy-to-navigate user experience. A website that loads quickly, helps creates that all important seamless user experience that’s essential. After all, competition in any niche is high. How long would you stay engaged on a blog that’s loaded down with unnecessary features, slow-loading ads, and takes forever to scroll?
With so much competition on the web, visitors have high expectations, and a slow-loading website can quickly turn them away. Take these tips and best practices for optimizing your website for speed and user experience very seriously. These can make or break your blog!
Use a reliable hosting provider
When it comes to website speed, your hosting provider plays a critical role. Choose a reliable hosting provider that offers fast load times and minimal downtime. Avoid shared hosting plans that may slow down your website due to sharing server resources with other websites.
Minimize HTTP requests
Every time a visitor loads your website, their browser sends an HTTP request for each file that needs to be loaded, such as images, scripts, and stylesheets. The more HTTP requests your website requires, the slower it will load. Reduce the number of HTTP requests by minimizing the number of files that need to be loaded.
Optimize images
Images can be a major factor in slowing down your website. Optimize your images by compressing them and reducing their file size without compromising their quality. Use appropriate image sizes and file formats to ensure fast loading times.
Minimize plugins and scripts
Plugins and scripts can add functionality to your website, but they can also slow it down. Use only the plugins and scripts that are essential, and delete any that are no longer in use.
Don’t use images to display text
Avoid using images to display text as this can increase load times and negatively impact user experience. Instead, use HTML and CSS to display text and keep your website lightweight and fast.
Avoid using too many ads
While ads can generate passive income for your website, too many ads can slow down your website and negatively impact user experience. Avoid using too many ads, especially if your website does not have high traffic.
Prioritize mobile optimization
More and more visitors are accessing websites from their mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly by using responsive design and optimizing images and content for mobile devices. More on this in the next section.
Mobile
Another important aspect of supercharging your blog is to optimize it for mobile devices. Nowadays, more and more people are accessing websites on their mobile devices, and if your site doesn’t load properly or isn’t optimized for mobile, you’ll lose potential readers and customers.
To optimize your blog for mobile devices, there are a few things you can do. First, make sure your site is responsive, which means it adapts to different screen sizes and orientations. You can also use mobile-friendly plugins and themes to ensure that your site is optimized for mobile viewing.
In addition, consider implementing AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) technology on your site. AMP is an open-source project created by Google that enables web pages to load faster on mobile devices. By using AMP, your pages will load quickly, and this can have a positive impact on your SEO and user experience.
Optimizing your site for mobile devices is crucial if you want to reach as many people as possible and provide a positive user experience. It may take some effort to get it right, but the benefits are worth it.
Site Security
In the world of blogging, there are few things more important than maintaining the security and stability of your website. Whether you’re running a self-hosted WordPress site or using a platform like Squarespace or Wix, there are certain steps you can take to keep your site running smoothly and protect it from security threats.
First and foremost, it’s important to keep up with security updates and make sure your site is secure from hackers. WordPress is a popular platform, powering close to 36% of the web, and as such, it’s a prime target for hackers looking to break into sites. Ensuring that your site is secure, both from your host and through your own efforts, is key to keeping your content safe and your readers protected.
Another important consideration when it comes to maintaining your blog is choosing the right hosting company. There are countless options out there for WordPress sites, and not all of them are created equal. A solid host can make all the difference in terms of site speed, security, and support, so it’s worth taking the time to find the right fit for your needs.
In addition to security and hosting, it’s important to keep up with SSL certificates. These certificates ensure that your site is secure and can have an impact on your site’s ranking in search results. Look for the padlock icon in the address bar of your browser to confirm that your site is secure, and make sure to keep up with certificate renewals.
Fortunately, many hosting companies offer SSL certificates free of charge, so it’s worth checking with your host to see if this is an option. If not, it may be time to consider changing hosts or finding a different solution.
By taking the time to prioritize site maintenance and security, you can ensure that your blog is always up and running, delivering quality content to your readers and helping you build your online presence.
Backups
Backups are extremely important for any website, particularly if you’ve invested hundreds of hours into your content development. And you need to have both on-site and off-site backups.
On-site backups can help you restore your site quickly in case of any issues, but having off-site backups ensures that your data is safe in case of any catastrophic events, like a hosting company going out of business.
A few years ago, a hosting company suddenly shut down without informing their customers. They shut down all their social media accounts, email, and support networks, and even their website disappeared. As a result, the websites of all their customers, including bloggers, were also shut down. When customers tried to contact the host, there was no response. All the backups were stored on the host, and they were gone as well.
This situation left bloggers and other website owners in a difficult position. They had lost all their data, content, and online presence. They had to start from scratch and rebuild their websites and their businesses. If they had kept their own backups, they could have easily restored their sites on another host and continue running their blogs without any significant downtime.
It’s also important to test your backups regularly to make sure they are working properly. You don’t want to realize that your backup is corrupted when you need it the most.
Lastly, don’t forget to update your website regularly. Keep your plugins, themes, and WordPress version up-to-date to ensure that your site is running smoothly and securely. Regular updates also help prevent any security vulnerabilities.
Overall, maintaining your website is just as important as creating content for it. Taking care of the technical aspects of your blog can help keep it secure, fast, and reliable, which will ultimately lead to a better user experience for your readers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, best blogging practices include a variety of factors, from SEO and site security to backups, mobile optimization, and site speed. By focusing on these key areas, bloggers can create a strong foundation for their websites and attract more visitors over time.
It’s important to keep in mind that the world of blogging is constantly evolving, and what works today may not work as well tomorrow. By staying up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices, however, bloggers can stay ahead of the curve and continue to grow their online presence.
To give you an idea of just how important blogging can be for businesses and individuals, here are a few statistics:
- According to HubSpot, businesses that blog receive 55% more website visitors than those that don’t.
- The same study found that companies that blog generate 126% more leads than those that don’t.
- Blogging can also help improve search engine rankings: websites with blogs have 434% more indexed pages than those without blogs, according to TechClient.
Overall, blogging is a powerful tool that can help individuals and businesses alike build their online presence, attract more visitors to their websites, and establish themselves as experts in their respective fields.
By following best practices like those outlined in this article, bloggers can create a strong foundation for their websites and set themselves up for long-term success.
Please always keep in mind that blogging is not a short-term process. To be successful you have to start and commit and you can’t waiver. Persistence is key to success when it comes to blogging, and most other things of value in life for that matter.
You’ll want to quit many times. You’ll become worn out and feel like a failure when your website traffic isn’t jumping up week over week. But this is where real bloggers are made! Most of your competitors will give up – if you don’t, you’ll become the next success story over time, so stick with it!
