Keeping an active blog is a challenge. Not only do you have to come up with a subject for your blog and maintain a regular blogging schedule, but you have to make sure that what you post gets views. We would really like to tell you that you will attract readers if you only write quality content, but that's only part of the secret of getting traffic. Granted, it is probably the most important part, but there is more that you can and should be doing to get people to see your content.
Most of the tips to attract readers to your blog boil down to having a good strategy. This means keeping to a regular schedule when posting new content so people know when to expect it, but it also means considering what your readers are hoping to get out of your blog. The most successful blogs fulfill a certain need, and it's up to you to decide what that need can be. Even if you're just out to write a funny blog that exists solely to entertain, but that is still serving a purpose. You need to know what it is about your content that your readers find funny and entertaining and tap into that.If you're using your blog to tell creative stories, you need to know what kinds of stories people expect to read. If you're using your blog to market a business, you need to know what kinds of products and services are likely to sell. This can be tough, especially if you're still new to blogging and haven't built up an audience, but there are ways of finding out what your potential audience will like. Social media is always a great way to find out what your core demographic likes, as are sites such as Quora or BuzzSumo to determine what topics are popular or trending. If you're still at a loss while trying to find a topic for a blog post, you can always check out one of the many blog topic generators that can be found online.
Any content that you write should be evergreen. This means that it will never be dated no matter how old it is. For example, a blog post about the greatest movies ever made might cover a period spanning over a century and discuss movies that will probably be readily available for years to come. That post would be evergreen because it would contain information that will always be relevant to anyone interested in the topic. On the other hand, a post written about upcoming movies will only be relevant until those movies are released. It might make a fun time capsule for someone who is interested in those movies, but it will be largely irrelevant once those movies are no longer coming soon.
WordPress and other blogging platforms allow you to tag your posts with keywords and phrases that allow them to show up on search engines and social media. While you shouldn't go overboard with these tags, they can be a great way to increase the visibility of your blog. Try to keep your tags relevant to your content, and match them with some of the keywords that you're using in your posts. Again, don't overuse any keywords or phrases. Google might like to see some of these tags and keywords, but too many will cause your site's ranking to go down and become less visible. Focus on your content first before coming up with tags that match it.
It's said that the best writers are also readers, so don't be afraid to read other blogs for inspiration. It's a great way to find out what topics are trending while finding inspiration for your own voice. Feel free to link to other blogs if their author gives you permission, too.
Writing comments in other blogs can be a good way to introduce yourself and your own blog to potential readers. The same can be said for guest posts, but this will require you to communicate with other bloggers and get permission before you do anything. Find some blogs that are within your own niche, and send a message to their owners to see if they will be willing to accept a guest post or write a post for your blog. If all goes well, you will end up with a mutually beneficial partnership that will increase both of your blogs' Google rankings and traffic.
You can and should post about your blog on social media. Most blogging platforms even make that easy thanks to buttons that share your posts on Facebook and Twitter. Your promotion shouldn't stop with social media, however. You can also tell people about your blog in the "real world" by speaking with them face-to-face, and you can drop an email to someone if you think they might be interested in one of your posts.Keep in mind that this approach works best if you are an occasional blogger; you don't want to bug people if you blog once or twice a week. If you blog that frequently and stick to your schedule, those you've talked to before should already know when to expect new posts. If you post less than once a month, then it will pay to remind others when you publish a new post.
No matter how great a blog is or how much it has to offer, it will never become a success immediately. Building an audience takes time, so don't get discouraged if you don't have fantastic numbers right away. Keep on writing, and keep posting about your blogs on social media. Keep to a regular schedule, and keep reading and commenting on other blogs that are within your niche. Your readership will grow as long as you keep producing content. It may takes weeks or months, but it will happen as long as you're patient.