Finally puckered up the courage to start a blog? Congratulations! Blogging is a tried and tested method of getting your ideas and expertise out there for the world to see.
Having said that, none of that matters if there’s no one to read the content you painstakingly put out. Growth in blogging can be slow and takes a lot of effort, but it can be made less gruelling by making some strategic choices along the way. Here’s the layman’s guide on building your blog audience from scratch.
Find Your Niche and Target Audience
The foundation of building a blog audience is understanding who it’s going to be. Trying to appeal to everyone will just result in run-of-the-mill content (and no one wants to read a blog that is for ‘everyone’). Instead, write about something you have passion for; or expertise in (preferably both). Identify the demographics and psychographics of your ideal reader. What are their interests, challenges, goals and questions? Create reader personas and craft your content to provide them with value that they can’t get at any old blog.
Some key questions to ask yourself:
- What topics am I most knowledgeable and passionate about?
- Who would benefit most from my experience and insights?
- How can I help solve my target audience’s problems or enrich their lives?
- What makes my perspective and voice unique compared to other blogs in this niche?
Really understanding your niche and readers allows you to create content that cuts through the noise and builds a dedicated following.
Create High-Quality, Compelling Content
Once you’ve identified your audience, you can start working on what will attract your demographic to your work. At the end of the day, the actual content is what attracts people to your blog. Quality content is king. Focus on improving the general quality over the sheer volume of content you are churning out. Having a regular schedule of uploads also helps.
Some tips for creating quality blog content:
- Focus on evergreen topics that will remain relevant and valuable to readers over time
- Conduct keyword research to identify what your target audience is searching for
- Structure posts for readability with subheadings, short paragraphs, lists and visuals
- Provide actionable takeaways, frameworks, worksheets and other resources
- Make your writing engaging through storytelling, personality and examples
- Edit ruthlessly and triple-check spelling, grammar, facts and links
Eventually, your audience will recognise you as a source worth returning to. They will trust your research and integrity. This takes time to build, but it’s well worth the effort.
Develop a Strategic Publishing Calendar
Consistency is key when building a blog audience. Publish too infrequently, and readers will forget about you. On the other hand, if you publish too much too often, the quality may suffer, or people may feel overloaded. Try starting with one high-quality post per week and building up frequency as you streamline your research and writing process. Whether you’re putting out content writing jobs to build up a base of freelance writers or creating all blog posts in-house, it’s important to have a mix of different content — from quick tips to deep dives, and guest interviews to personal stories.
Map out an editorial calendar at least a month in advance with target keywords, titles, outlines, and publishing dates to keep yourself accountable. Dedicate time blocks to researching, writing, editing and finding visuals. If outsourcing, provide writers with detailed briefs and build in time for revisions. With practice, you’ll find a rhythm and publishing schedule you can stick to.
Promote Your Content and Engage With Readers
Even the most epic post will go unread if no one knows it exists. Promotion is a crucial part of building your blog audience. Start by making it easy for current readers to share by including prominent social sharing buttons. Build an email list early, and send new posts to subscribers. Share each post across your own social media channels using hashtags and tagging any experts mentioned.
Engage in relevant online communities like Facebook and LinkedIn groups and forums, linking to your blog when appropriate. Consider syndicating content to sites like Medium and Quora, and comment thoughtfully on other blogs in your niche, linking back to related posts on yours. Relationship building is key for earning backlinks, social shares, and word-of-mouth buzz.
Most importantly, engage with the readers you do have. Respond to every comment. Follow them back on social media. Solicit their feedback, ideas and questions. Treat your blog like a community, not a one-way broadcast, and your readers will become your best promoters.
Analyse and Adjust
Finally, make it a habit to regularly check your blog analytics using tools like Google Analytics, or the built in insights offered by your content management system. See which posts are getting the most traffic, comments and social shares. Look for patterns in topics, headlines, visuals and promotion channels that are resonating. Double down on what’s working and let go of what’s not. Consider surveying your audience on what they want more of. By making data-driven iterations to your content strategy, promotion tactics and publishing schedule, you’ll start to see momentum build.
Building a loyal and sizable blog audience may take serious commitment, grit, and determination. But the payoff might be very well worth it. By following these actionable tips, you’ll be well on your way to making great progress. Good luck!
