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Many rules in the blogging world are set by business gurus, experts, and even bloggers who made them up as they went along in their blogging journey. However, not all rules are made equal. Some should be taken very seriously (like lawfully seriously), while others can be broken once in a while if needed.
This Book on Blogging Rules Was So Helpful
I came across this book on blogging rules from the local public library a couple of years ago and it was so helpful. I will summarize the ones I found the most helpful in this post. I highly recommend you get a copy if you want to find out all the rules the author mentioned and learn more from the examples he gave!
The author wrote this book for all bloggers regardless of the amount of experience. This book offers fresh perspectives on the blogosphere’s golden rules and shows us when, why, and how to break them. He also includes many real-life examples from other bloggers and advice from expert bloggers who had learned those rules the hard way.
Follow These 10 Rules for a Successful Blog
Rule 1. blog for your target audience
Be clear about the audience you want to reach. Then, write blog posts that they’ll find interesting. This will help you get more comments and shares, grow your audience, and maybe even earn more money! But if you’re blogging just for yourself and not worried about pleasing others, you can skip this step and write whatever you want.
If you’re promoting a service or product, talk about it in your blog. Share details about what you’re offering. Remember, being a blogger isn’t the same as being a writer. As a blogger, we want to build relationships and have conversations with our readers.
Rule 2. ALWAYS SELF-HOST
When you self-host, you have complete ownership and control over your website. This gives your website a more professional look and ensures a stable online presence over time. However, if you’re looking for something with higher security, more design flexibility, and lower costs, self-hosting might not be the right choice for you.
Rule 3. HAVE A PROFESSIONAL MINDSET
Treat blogging like you’re getting paid for your content creation skills and strive for top-notch content. Great content draws in more visitors and keeps them coming back. Also, your blog should show your passion and personality. Readers can tell if you’re going through the motions instead of writing from the heart.
Rule 4. KEEP BLOG POSTS SHORT
Contrary to popular belief, it’s best to keep your blog posts relatively short (around 300 to 500 words). If you want to post long articles, break them down into “episodes” and post them as parts. There is a difference between “short” and “thin” content.
Rule 5. ALWAYS include a call to action
Always wrap up your blog posts with a question if you want to encourage comments. Readers often need a nudge to take action, also called a call to action.
Endings are crucial! That is often what your readers will remember the most. Other ways to conclude a post include:
- Including relevant links
- Putting in an email sign-up box
- A concise yet impactful summary of your blog post
Rule 6. DON’T BE ANONYMOUS
Show your face and mention your name somewhere on your blog. The About page or sidebars (such as my About page) are commonly used for this. Anonymity is often linked with negative things like illegal activities or scams. To build trust, be authentic and open about who you are. Always provide your contact details (such as my Contact page) so readers can get in touch if they want to.
Rule 7. ALWAYS INCLUDE AT LEAST 1 IMAGE
The web is a visual medium. Adding images to your blog posts makes them more appealing, readable, and unique. Also, breaking up your text with images keeps readers engaged and encourages them to stay longer.
Also, pay attention to your formatting. Use short paragraphs, bold headings for important points, and bullet points to make your posts easier to digest. Avoid overused stock images as they can turn readers away.
Rule 8. PUBLICIZE YOUR BLOG POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Reach more people by promoting your blog posts on various social media platforms. Consider using automation tools like Tailwind for Pinterest to streamline the process. Timing is crucial, so figure out the best times of day to promote your posts for optimal results!
When promoting blog posts, follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of updates should be unrelated to you. Share retweets, for example. Then, 20% of updates should be self-promotional.
Rule 9. KEEP THE LOOK CLEAN AND UNCLUTTERED
I know. While it’s tempting to load up on ads to maximize income, it’s important to strike a balance. Having too many widgets and ads can overwhelm your readers and make your blog look cluttered.
Instead, aim for plenty of white space to give your content room to breathe. If you include ads or products on your page, space them out to maintain a clean and organized layout. Your readers will appreciate the clarity and focus on your content.
Rule 10. OPTIMIZE EVERY POST WITH KEYWORDS
Incorporate relevant keywords into your blog posts. Make an effort to do some keyword research as this will help to boost your search engine optimization efforts. To identify the right keywords, consider what someone might type into search engines like Google to find the information in your posts. Incorporate these words or phrases a few times throughout your content. Rather than solely targeting highly competitive keywords, prioritize long-tail and more specific search terms. This approach can help your content stand out and attract a more targeted audience.
Final Thoughts
In this post, we covered 10 blogging rules that any blogger should follow for a successful blog. This list is non-exhaustive, as I only summarized the most beneficial tips I learned from the book! These 10 golden rules are:
- Blog for your target audience
- Always self-host
- Have a professional mindset
- Keep blog posts short
- Always include a call to action
- Don’t be anonymous
- Always include at least one image
- Publicize your blog posts on social media (using automation tools like Tailwind!)
- Keep the look clean and uncluttered
- Optimize every post with keywords
I hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to incorporate the rules relevant to you. Remember, many of these blogging rules can be broken if needed. If you want to find out more tips and blogging rules you can follow to improve your blog, I highly recommend you to read “The Golden Rules of Blogging” by Robin Houghton!
Related Posts:
- The Ultimate List: 100 Blog Post Ideas for Fashion Bloggers
- The Ultimate List: 50 Blog Post Ideas for Lifestyle Bloggers
Which of these tips did you find most helpful? Let me know in the comments!
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