Blog Republic

Making your blog sticky - Earn money blogging Part 3

by Darren

You need people to come back to your blog. One of the easiest and most consistent ways is to add new content. If you update your posts frequently, a number of people will look you up each day to see what you’ve written. There’s a few basic ways to get people to return to your blog:

• Use RSS Feeds - you RSS readers will check your site often for updates
• Manage a newsletter - a lot of people enjoy receiving email updates
• Stay focused on your topic - people will appreciate your in-depth knowledge
• Listen to feedback from your readers

RSS is a cheap and easy way for you to keep your readers interested. Not everyone uses RSS readers yet, but the people that do tend to be computer-savvy, and they’re looking to receive constant updates about your subject. The more people you can get to sign up for RSS, the easier it will be to drive return traffic to the website. A vibrant RSS readership ensure that you’ll always have visits when you first publish your post. You won’t have to wait long to receive feedback.

Newsletters can be another good source. Many more people still use email than they do RSS. You need to professionally manage your newsletter, or you could run into trouble. Make sure you have a clear opt-in and opt-out policy, so you’re not accused of being a spammer. There are a number of free services that will manage your mailing list for you. You need to publish your newsletter on a schedule, so that you build customer loyalty. It’s probably best for you to write unique material, so your readers haven’t already seen it. Newsletters offer another potential revenue stream, as well.

One other factor which will have an enormous amount of influence on your ultimate success is how focused you stay on your subject matter, and how you handle the presentation of the material on a daily basis. If people continue to gain something from reading your blog, they’ll return. If they feel the value proposition is too low, they’ll quit coming. Make sure your value proposition is quite high: an offer they can’t refuse, so to speak.

Building a readership takes time. Most people will not be overwhelmed the first time they hit your blog. If you start to show up a few times, they may finally sign up and start reading. You need to always present your blog in a positive light, so it’s a well-lit place on the dark side of the internet. Your blog should be a shining beacon of illumination in a dark sea of cyber ignorance. Keep the quality coming, and you’ll keep the readers returning.

Let your readers inform you about what they want more of. Listen to their feedback carefully and craft a blog that suits their needs, as well as your own. If you create value, and your readers approve of it, you’ve already won the battle. Blogs are the best source of two-way communications you can use right now, so opening a dialogue with your readers is easier than ever before.