New Start: 5 Things Beginner Bloggers Struggle With the Most

Thursday, March 3, 2016

5 Things Beginner Bloggers Struggle With the Most

Software developer Dave Winer published the first blog post in 1994, ushering in a new wave of self-publishing and online communication. In their early days, blogs were largely reserved for people trying their hand at a creative outlet. Today, the biggest corporations on the planet are vying for attention and engagement on their blogs.

It has become increasingly difficult for bloggers to compete in the Internet landscape. Blogging isn’t as simple as choosing a platform, writing and hitting publish. It takes some ingenuity and strategy to stay in the game and take their blog to the next level.

Do you need some tips to improve your blog?

Here are five things beginner blogger’s struggle with the most and how to fix them.

Not Making Your Posts Visually Captivating

Articles with images get 94 percent more views, according to successful blogger and author, Jeff Bullas. Images in blog posts affect everything from search engine results to how often they’re shared on social media. Start by carrying your smartphone everywhere you go to snap spontaneous photos on the fly. Choose a device with an updated camera and storage like the Samsung Galaxy 6, which has a 16-megapixel auto HDR camera and 5-megapixel wide-angle lens. Incorporate videos into your visual blogging strategy as well to keep your readers guessing on what you’ll post next.

Not Choosing the Right Content Management System

There is an endless sea of blogging platforms to choose from, ranging from free accounts with Blogger to premium systems like WordPress. Pick something that’s manageable for your current skills and can scale as your blog grows. A free platform like Blogger gets you up and running in minutes, but it has limitations on its designs and customization. Meanwhile, WordPress offers thousands of professionally designed templates and plugins to do everything from track your blog traffic to change the font on your site. Whichever platform you use, remember to back up your content and treat your blog like a personal asset.

Not Finding the Right Traffic

Seasoned and new bloggers alike struggle with traffic building. There are a lot of tactics, such as buying Facebook ads to drive interest to your site, as well as SEO methods. However, as a beginning blogger, you should choose a system that drives the right audience to your site. Start by guest posting on other people’s blogs who write for a similar audience. Send the blogger a few emails to get acquainted and pitch your idea. As you drive more traffic to your blog, refine the type of content you’re writing to specifically target an audience you want to connect with.

Not Focusing on a Niche

New bloggers often come into the blogosphere without any idea of what type of content they’re creating. You need a niche to stand out, even if that niche encompasses different themes from time to time. A niche provides focus and accountability for your readers and helps them connect with you. A niche also helps you stand out as an expert in your topic and evolve into a go-to resource.

Not Engaging With Others

New bloggers often get caught up in the idea that their blog is a vacuum and all about them. But blogging is a two-way street where your audience serves as a vessel to absorb the information you’re providing. So make it valuable and meaningful to them. Engaging with your audience is part of the process, whether you’re responding to comments or fostering connections on social media.

What other tips can you offer to a beginner blogger who may be struggling?

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