By : With just a few days left, 2018 is soon to close and 2019 is just around the corner. Got any plans yet? Perhaps, your feet have been itching to travel off the beaten track. So, you come up with a travel bucket list you’re so excited to check off one destination at a time.
Or maybe, you’ve promised yourself that you’re finally going to take the first steps for your dream creative project you’ve been thinking about. It might be an e-commerce shop of products you love creating, a photography portfolio, a series of short indie films with lots of feels and meaningful message, or an awesome blog of something you’re so passionate to talk about. Need some inspiration? Find more ideas through this link.
Whatever it is you wish to achieve this coming year, don’t be afraid to put together those first baby steps so you can eventually create the bigger picture—your actual project, a hundred percent completed.
Now, if it’s a blog you’re looking to create as your next passion project, what features should you include?
- A Niche Topic You Know Too Well and Love Talking About
Give yourself some time to think: What is it that you love talking about the whole day without getting tired or bored? What is it that you’re so passionate about that you want the world to know? What is it that people would instantly think from one post alone that you’re an expert of this subject?
Just because some topics are in the trend, you’ll join the me-too republic once again and blog about those things, even when you’re not really an expert on those subjects. Or worse, you might include those different subjects in one blog and say it’s simply a blog of random things you love, targeting readers from all walks of life. Whoa. You got it all wrong. Remember: By trying to please everyone, you appeal to no one.
What does that mean? Find your focus. Don’t be afraid to niche down a broad subject. Don’t hesitate to create content for a very specific target market. Chances are, you’ll find a definite group of people who are as passionate as you about the niche you’ll blog about.
- Unique, Organized, Impeccably Written Longform Content that Give a Handful of Insights
Always strive to give your readers some fresh insights, something they possibly haven’t thought about before or something they can’t read elsewhere. Explore various angles of a subject. Loyal readers would always love learning something new.
For SEO purposes, longform articles of around 1,000 to 1,500 words are always preferable. Make sure, however, to provide real value to your readers. What will you do with such a long article that doesn’t provide useful insights? A 500-word article that’s impeccably written, full of great value is far better than a 1,500-word article that doesn’t even make sense.
What you can do is to put yourself into your readers’ shoes. If you were them, what do you need to find out about a certain topic? In what tone would you like the writer to communicate to you?
Also, pay attention to proper spelling and grammar, as well as the accuracy of facts and figures you mention in your content. Always do necessary copyediting and proofreading before publishing your content, unless, you don’t mind posting an erratum every time.
- High-quality, Captivating Visuals that Complement the Topics You’re Writing About
A great blog isn’t complete without the high-quality, captivating visuals that complement each article and the points it talks about. How we love a blog that uses a color palette that’s so visually appealing to us. Also, we love watching tons of photos that are at times enough to tell a story or make a point.
Thus, it is crucial to make your blog as visually-appealing as possible to your target readers. Give it a personality they can relate to. Invest in awesome photography. Give your graphics some serious thought. Learn more about that here: https://www.canva.com/learn/10-kinds-of-visual-content-to-curate-for-your-blog-and-social-media/
When a blog is visually-appealing, first time visitors would love coming back, eventually becoming a loyal reader. Hey, I’m saying it from personal experience!
- Internal and Contextual Links
Contextual links are an important part of your SEO strategies. Linking external authoritative sources in your content wherever appropriate, increases your blog’s credibility and trustworthiness. Thus, it helps your site gain better ranking on search engines. Need to up your SEO? Go ahead and click here.
In addition to contextual links, internal links would be also beneficial to your blog. For example, by linking three other posts in one article, you encourage your readers to stay a bit longer on your site and check out some other articles they might be interested in.
- Giveaways and Freebies Your Target Readers Will Love and a Call-to-Action in Every Post
A printable calendar, memo pad, daily planner, or bookmarks? Why not? In a world where you pay for almost everything, what is more exciting than to read the delightful word FREE? So, try to be more generous to your target readers. Doing so helps you gain a loyal fanbase for you blog.
Meanwhile, a strong, compelling call-to-action leads to more conversions. Every post needs a call-to-action somewhere appropriate and possible.
What other crucial features would you include in your blog? We’d love to hear from you.
