Seven simple steps to create a popular blog with engaging content...

Blogging is something I do regularly. In fact, I presently host two blogs. This blog is about online platform development, and my other blog deals with issues related to faith and spiritual growth.

I consistently post content in both blogs each week, and I've discovered that doing so is one of the most helpful things I'm doing to reach new people and serve a growing online audience.

My blog posts are regularly indexed in Google. Recently, I received a report that indicated that 57 of my posts were ranked #1 for their specific subjects in Google search results. That was a nice surprise, but it didn't happen overnight. In fact, I have been consistently blogging since 2017, and it took several years before I started seeing results like that.

But even before I had 57 pages get a #1 ranking, I was still able to get one or two pages to rank really well. Then the ball started rolling, and before I knew it, traffic to my website exploded.

If you have an online audience that you'd like to serve, let me encourage you to try what I'm doing. I don't think the results are unique to me. In fact, I'm creating content for two very different platforms, and this approach seems to be working in both places.

If you want to reach new readers, here are seven things I would recommend you do with your blog...

1. Post weekly.

Many people start a blog, but never develop a consistent rhythm for creating content. Some months, they'll post twice. Other months, they won't post at all. Then they eventually forget about their blog altogether (as do their readers and popular search engines).

If you have a blog, post to it at least once a week. Your post doesn't have to be the best thing you have ever written. Just make it helpful, clear, and pleasant to read.

2. Create a title that answers a question someone might be searching for.

Many bloggers think they need "artsy" titles to convince readers to read their content. I think that's counter-productive. Readers are searching Google for answers to their problems. If you choose a title that shows that your post might have an answer to that question, a reader is more likely to click your link and Google is more likely to recommend your post.

3. Break your post down into several logical steps.

Most readers like checklists or logical steps that can help them solve a problem in an organized way. In case you haven't noticed, that's exactly how I'm writing out the core content of this blog post. I'm giving you a helpful checklist with several logical steps that you can implement almost immediately.

4. Write like you talk.

Textbooks are usually boring. If you ask a student why they don't enjoy reading, many will tell you that they associate reading with dull textbooks that get assigned to them at school.

When you're writing, you should write like you talk. You have a unique and interesting voice. It's also helpful to keep things light and engaging. If you do that in your blog posts, you'll maintain a reader's interest much longer than if you write in a technical fashion.

5. Use stories and personal examples

The human brain is wired to remember stories. The best teachers, writers, and speakers use stories to make their points memorable and understandable. If you use interesting stories and personal examples when you're writing, your readers will frequently come back for more.

6. No fluff. Just helpful content.

Don't fill your post with fluff just to make it longer. Create helpful content that's written with the reader's needs in mind. If you help him or her solve a problem, you may become a subject-matter authority in their life, and they may keep reading the other content you're creating.

7. Don't stress about the word count. Some posts can be long and some can be short.

The other day, I received an email from a member of Platform Launchers. She wanted to know how long her blog posts should be.

Sometimes I write long blog posts. Sometimes I write short blog posts. After doing this for as many years as I have, I now believe that I don't need to stress about the word count. It's better to focus on being helpful than it is to focus on reaching an arbitrary number.

--

So that's my list, and that's the pattern I follow each week to create content that I hope will be helpful to my readers.

-John

--

And if you'd ever be interested in being a part of our group of content creators and entrepreneurs who are developing their online platforms, we'd love to invite you to give Platform Launchers a try. We host weekly training calls and are building a strong community of creative people. We'd love to have you on board!