Spectacular Content Creation Tips - How to Build a Blog That Counts

Building A Blog That Counts

Once you've decided put a blog on your page, and you've taken the time to make sure the content is fresh, timely, and dynamic-you want to make sure that you're writing to someone and not just posting by yourself into the vast well of cyberspace. So how can you do so? What can you do to drive readership and reassure yourself that you're not a lone voice out there?

1. Post a comment board. This is obviously a no-brainer but the hard part is to actually get comments. You'll find that many, many people may be reading your blog and then telling you in person (if they know you) that they read your post. But hardly anyone takes the time to post a comment unless they are on a message board or something of that nature-that is, unless they've gone to a comment site or conversation board specifically for the purpose of commenting online and spreading their opinions.

So, you need to take the next step and actively seek comments. Close each blog post with a request for other's take on the issue you've covered. Ask for others' opinions. If someone tells you in passing they liked a post, ask them to put it in writing and explain how it will help you. Just a couple comments can get your blog going-no one wants to be the first, but they'll pile on when others comment!

2. Give people something. If they comment, offer them a chance to win something-it doesn't have to be anything big, but even a little something has the effect of drawing out people who don't normally want to do something for nothing! You would be shocked and amazed to find what people are willing to do or post for a free sample of your product, a $5 gift card, you name it.

If your site is for a product (with the blog attached), it's easy to figure out what to give-a discount or product. If it's a service, give discounted versions of the service. If it's opinion, you can review products and might be surprised how quickly companies are trying to get those products into your hands-and then there's your giveaway.

3. Link to other sites. Link, especially, to other blogs. And ask that they return the favor. By so doing you'll build site traffic. Even if these folks aren't "commenting" on your blog, you can use basic analytics and free software available on the web to track unique visitors, page views, and the like.

4. Try to figure out what people are talking about and as much as it is relevant to your own site, include it within your blog posts. Not in a clumsy fashion-that will just immediately turn off readers-but smoothly, and most especially as it fits within your topic of conversation. Best case scenario is that then others are actively seeking out your blog to link to!

The more readership you can drive-and prove, via comments-the better your blog will be viewed and the further it will go.