7 Tips for building a successful blog

Before I started my career in digital marketing as a digital strategist, I began my career online blogging. I grew up when blogs like Gizmodo, Engadget, and Android Authority, were coming to age. I experienced the tail end of the “golden age of blogging.”

I started a technology blog online, which garnered thousands of monthly views and generated a deceit sum from affiliate links. Digital Bounds, while around for years, didn’t begin to grow until I realized a few key things.

1. Write Daily to build content and gain experience in writing

I was terrible at writing when I began blogging on Digital Bounds. I had grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and run-on sentences everywhere. The way I got better was writing more. I would read back on articles, improve them, and learn from the mistakes I made.

I started writing daily. I would blog about any gadget and publish it. I’d edit and get better over time. I knew people would read an article with an error and not be upset.

2. Focus on SEO

I didn’t realize how big SEO was for blogs until a few months into focusing on blogging. SEO is beyond just keywords. It’s adding alt tags to images, setting a meta description, and proper page title.

When I added search engine optimizations to my blog, I started to see tremendous success very quickly from Google.

3. Write about what you know and what you’re passionate about

I love gadgets and technology – and still do! I couldn’t have improved my writing or grown a blog in a few years without being passionate about what I wrote.

4. Use unique, high-quality photos

The big game-changer for Digital Bounds was when I started taking pictures of the products. Instead of relying on the stock photos or press photos, I would take my own photos when I could. I realized unique photos drew readers in, and captured their attention.

I use sites like Unsplash or Pexels to find quality stock photos. I always try to avoid the standard images, opting for the more obscure images on the photo sites.

5. Create graphics for social

Creating compelling images for social media is essential. The image and small headline are what will draw readers to the website. I often work with a designer or create my own custom social media graphics when I’m working on a blog for a business or brand.

I use Canva to create social media graphics to share. I have also recently discovered PreviewMojo, which auto-generates social media graphics for your site or blog.

6. Link to sources

The most significant grip I have for any blog is when they don’t link to the source or the original article. If The Verge covers a story first and has a ton of information, even if you rewrite and cover the topic, you should link to the first source.

If you mention a tool, service, or product – add a link to it! In some cases, you could even add an affiliate link to help generate some money off the blog.

7. Use subheadings and lists to make posts easy to read

Most online users don’t read full articles. If you’re lucky, they may, but many skim. They’re looking for the key points and moving on.

Break up any article you write with subheadings, lists, and graphics. Having sentences of less than 20 words is also a big plus! The other must is keeping your articles simple. Don’t use jargon or acronyms; instead, spell out what you’re trying to say. This helps anyone understand the blog, even if they are not in your industry.

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Don’t quite or worry if your blog isn’t catching on quickly. I started Digital Bounds in late 2011 and didn’t see growth or strong success until early 2016. Success isn’t always how many page views or how much money you made. The part that kept me going with Digital Bounds was users’ comments and questions I received through social media. Readers want to know more and get more information about the gadgets.

Now, I guide SaaS companies through Digiboost in finding the best way “blogging” or “content marketing” can grow their companies. When these strategies are deployed with brands, the growth of the site’s organic traffic significantly increases.