Estimated reading time: 4 mins
When we start blogs, most of us assume that people will read them. Even if you know that there are over 500 million blogs in the world, you might think that yours will get read as soon as you hit publish. Most new bloggers go in with wildly unrealistic expectations. Many hope to earn money from the off, having seen successful bloggers make a living from their sites, and are disappointed when the readers don’t come, never mind the money.
Most people blog for years before things really start to take off, and unfortunately, many new bloggers give up, disappointed with their progress, long before this happens. The harsh truth is that if you want your blog to do well, you need to give it your time, effort, and often, money.
But, that doesn’t mean that you will have to wait for years before anyone reads it. Take your time to get it right, and you could hit the road running. You should still keep your expectations realistic, but here are some of the things that you can do to get the ball rolling from the off.
Find the Right Designer
Investing in web design and development can be a great way to get your blog noticed straight away. Web design can help your blog to stand out from the crowd, ensure it’s responsive and works well across different platforms and on different screens. It could boost loading speeds, and help you to create a reliable site. There are many advantages to hiring a designer for your website, and it’s certainly something that is worth considering.
Make Some Investments
Blogging takes a lot of time and effort. It can be hard to fit it in around other commitments. But, many bloggers start out with a full-time job, in the awkward position of needing our blogs to make money so that we can reduce our working hours, but not being able to give our blogs the time that we need while working full-time. Investing in help can be the answer. Tools like social media schedulers can save you a lot of time and make life easier. A VA can take a lot of the pressure off you, and freelancers can help with anything that you are struggling with.
Start with Plenty of Great Content
Start your blog with one post and a vague about me page, and no one will read it, no matter how good it looks. Delay launch until you’ve got plenty of great content and you are happy with how your blog works. This will help you to hit the ground running.
Build a Buzz
Perhaps the best way to get people reading straight away is to build a buzz and get people interested before launch. Start social media feeds, share sneak peeks, start a countdown and let people know what you have got to offer. Hiring someone to help with marketing is another option.
Spend Time on SEO
SEO is crucial to getting any website noticed. It’s certainly worth your time, and as your blog grows, SEO is what will bring most of your readers, not social media or other forms of marketing. Get your SEO right straight away, and it will pay off for years to come.
Offer Your Readers Value
Ask yourself what you can offer readers? Don’t just expect that you will write and they will read. They’ll only read if you provide them value. Are you teaching them how to do something? Offering them something that could save them money or time? Will your site improve their health and fitness? Make sure that everything you write offers your readers value.
Think of it as a Business
If you want your blog to be a business, you should treat it as one from the very beginning. Create an office space at home, see blogging as work, and take yourself seriously. Putting yourself out there is hard, but treating your blog as a business can help it to get taken seriously much faster.
Offer Something Different
So, you are offering value. But, is it the same value that countless other people are offering? Your voice will make your site unique, so find it and start using it, but also think about your content. Are you offering something different? Why would people come to your new site, over others that have been around for much longer?
Spend Time Finding Your Audience
Who is your audience? So many bloggers waste time by advertising to absolutely everyone. Instead, think about who you want to read your blog and spend some time thinking about where you might find them. This allows you to market and devote your time where it’s worthwhile.
