15 Actionable Blogging tips for beginners that actually work

Blogging is a crucial marketing strategy for businesses and companies aiming to boost website traffic, enhance brand awareness, and generate valuable leads.

There are millions of blogs on the internet, yet only a select few manage to gain recognition among readers. Whether you pursue blogging as a profession or a hobby, it presents an excellent opportunity to establish your personal brand and generate income online.

Starting a blog may not be difficult, but becoming a successful blogger is no easy task. Many individuals face challenges when it comes to achieving and sustaining success in the blogosphere, often leading to a high rate of bloggers giving up. To truly thrive as a blogger, it requires time, dedication, and a well-thought-out strategy.

You need to follow some basic tips and tricks to run a successful blog.

In this post, we will share 15 blogging tips for beginners.

Blogging tips for beginners

• Find your niche
• Find what people are searching for
• Use right keywords
• Aim for an engaging, catchy headline
• Write valuable, unique, engaging content
• Provide a visual break for your reader
• Use copywriting formulas to hook your readers
• Check your punctuation and grammar
• Post consistently
• Focus on link building
• Include clickable CTAs
• Promote your blog post on social media channels
• Start building an email list
• Ask readers for their opinion
• Keep your blog up-to-date

Find your Niche

Discovering your niche is the initial step in blogging. If you find yourself unsure about which niche to choose, or if you have an interest in multiple niches, the following questions will assist you in narrowing down the options and determining what kind of blog to create:

1. Do you have a genuine interest or passion for that niche?
2. Is it a topic with a high search volume and potential for attracting a large audience?
3. Do you possess relevant work experience or real-life expertise related to your chosen niche?
4. Can you identify opportunities to monetize your chosen topic?

When selecting a blog niche, conduct thorough research and consider your personal areas of interest and knowledge. Avoid choosing a niche solely based on high search volume or its popularity among other bloggers. Your genuine interest in the subject matter is crucial.

Although working in an area that lacks personal interest may initially appear easier, you will struggle to maintain the quality and uniqueness of your writing over an extended period unless it is a topic you genuinely love.

Opt for a topic that you are passionate about, has the potential for monetization, and possesses a significant audience.

Find what people are searching for

The success of your blog content relies heavily on your understanding of your audience. To effectively determine what to write about, it is crucial to identify the topics and subjects that people are actively searching for.

To find what people are searching for, you have to consider,

• What people are reading? 
• What are they discussing on social media?
• What are their pain points and needs? 
• Who may want to read your blog post?
• What kind of websites do they visit? 
• What apps they use and so on.

Start by using Google Trends, exploring the "People also ask" section in search results, and leveraging Google Keyword Planner. These tools can help you find relevant topics that are actively searched for by people.

Use right keywords

Keyword research is the process to identify which words or phrases people use to search for information. 

So, Even if you have great blog content, you need to use the right keywords to make your blog post discoverable. For more ideas, see our previous post on How to do keyword research for SEO – a beginner’s guide

There are several tools available to do keyword research. Once you have identified the main keyword, be sure to include keywords in the following places.

• URL
• Title
• Meta title
• Meta description
• The first paragraph of your blog content
• ALT text
• Internal and external links in your content

It is crucial to ensure that keywords are naturally integrated into the text and avoid excessive keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is considered a spammy practice that can negatively impact your SEO score and overall content quality.

Aim for an Engaging, catchy headline

Now it’s time to write an attractive headline for your blog post. Headlines are the most important part of your writing. An excellent, attractive, clickable headline can make your blog post more successful.

Your headline should represent the entire content of your blog post, it should grab the attention of your audience and it should convince the audience to click and read your blog post.

Use the following tips to write engaging, catchy headlines for the blog post.

Use numbers

Titles with numbers perform more than other types of headlines because our brains are normally attracted to numbers. Including a number can tell the audience how a number will be. A headline with an odd number performs better than a headline with an even number and a lower number performs well than a higher number.

Use question words

Question headlines instantly get people’s attention and it creates curiosity. It provides a solution to a specific problem. According to Backlinko, headlines with question words have a 14.1% CTR than those without question words in headlines. So, use 5 W and 1 H (What, When, Why, Who, Where, and How) in your headline to make it catchy and clickable.

Use negative words

According to a recent study, a headline with a negative word gets more attention than without. So, use negative words like avoid, bad, stop, worse, and never in your headlines.

Include power words

Include words like Excellent, instantly, effective, simple, and ultimate to make the headline entice your readers. Without these emotional adjectives, your headline would be boring.

Related post: 11 Tips to write attractive headlines for the blog post

Write valuable, unique, engaging content

Write well-researched, unique, in-depth, informational content. It is not only for engaging your readers but also for the success of why you started.

There are different types of content formats such as, How to guides, Comparison blogs, Case studies, Product reviews, Newsworthy articles, Listicles, Frequently asked questions, quizzes, Videos, Podcasts, and Infographics. Use the above types of content formats to present information according to the searcher’s intent.

Write in a conversational tone, like you are talking to a friend. Use some powerful words and inspirational quotes to make your content interesting.

In our previous blog post, we deeply discuss How to write engaging content- 10 tips to follow. You can also refer to that for further details.

Provide a visual break for your reader

If your blog post is a huge chunk of text, your readers will leave your post and look for another one, even if you have quality content. So it is really important to make your blog post visually interesting.

How to make your blog post visually interesting?

• Use headings, subheadings, and bulletins to make your blog post reader-friendly. It helps your readers to scan your content easily.
• Use visuals such as images, infographics, videos, screenshots, Animated GIFs, statistical charts, and funny memes to make your blog post interesting. Blog posts with visuals engage readers 90% more than blog posts without visuals.
• Use Bold and italics to highlight important information.
• Use short paragraphs. Keep your paragraphs no longer than 3-4 sentences in length to make your content easy to read.

 Related post: Ways to use visual content to increase blog engagement

Use copywriting formulas to hook your readers

Copywriting formulas will help to identify what to write and how to write and it helps to understand what works best with your target audience. It also helps to increase the efficiency of your work. Whether it is a blog post, social media post or an email copy, the copywriting formulas help to entice your potential customers. It takes your writing to the next level.

Here are some copywriting formulas you can use to improve your writing,

• PAS – Problem, Agitation, Solution
• AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
• QUEST – Qualify, Understand, Educate, Stimulate, Transition
• ACCA – Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action
• FAB – Features, Advantages, Benefits
• BAB – Before After Bridge
• 4 C’s – Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible
• 4 P’s – Picture, Promise, Proof, Push
• 4 U’s – Useful, Urgent, Unique, Ultra-specific

Check your punctuation and grammar

Even if you are a most experienced writer, take your time to proofread your blog post before you publish. Poor punctuation, typos, and Grammar errors will ruin your writing.

Avoid punctuation errors and grammar mistakes in your writing. If there are any grammar mistakes in your blog post, it gives a bad user experience. Your readers might instantly lose interest in continuing to read your blog, it is also bad for your SEO. Use tools like Grammarly and Google Docs to check your spelling and grammar errors.

Post consistently

Consistency is indeed the key to successful blogging. While blogging may appear easy initially, it can become challenging at times. Inconsistency can cause your blog to lose its momentum and impact. To achieve blogging success, it is essential to create and publish content on a regular basis.

Posting consistently serves multiple purposes. It keeps your blog fresh and up-to-date, indicating to both readers and search engines that your content is current and relevant. Additionally, consistent posting contributes to improving your search engine ranking, making your blog more visible to potential readers.

To maintain a consistent publishing schedule, it is recommended to create a content calendar. This calendar helps you plan and organize your content in advance, ensuring a steady flow of posts. By adhering to your content schedule, you establish a reliable presence for your readers and build their trust.

In situations where you may be unable to write for an extended period, it is prudent to have extra content prepared in advance. This way, you can continue to upload and publish content during vacations or other periods of absence, maintaining your blog's consistency and engagement.

Focus on link building

Focusing on link building is crucial for boosting readership and improving your SEO score. Three main types of link-building strategies deserve your attention.

Internal links

Internal links connect different blog posts or pages on your website, compelling readers to explore relevant content within your site. These links not only encourage a deeper exploration of your website but also contribute to increasing your SEO score.

External links

External links are valuable connections that direct your readers to third-party websites from your own page or blog post. It is a misconception that external links will drive your readers away and increase your bounce rate. In reality, incorporating external links can enhance your credibility and positively impact your SEO.

Don't hesitate to include external links when appropriate. These links serve as references and sources of additional information, enriching your content and providing value to your readers. If you are concerned about the bounce rate, you can set external links to open in a new tab or window, ensuring that your website remains accessible to your audience.

Backlinks

Obtaining backlinks from third-party websites to your own website or blog post is highly beneficial. When you receive backlinks from high-domain authority sites, it signals to search engines like Google that your website is trustworthy and reliable. As a result, search engines may boost your search engine rankings, leading to increased visibility and organic traffic.

Include clickable CTAs

Including clickable calls-to-action (CTAs) in your blog posts is indeed a best practice in blogging. Whether you are selling products, or services, or building your personal brand, CTAs are essential for converting anonymous visitors into customers.

Your CTA can take the form of a button or a text hyperlink, and it should be short, clear, and direct. Its purpose is to guide readers to take a specific action they desire. Ensure that your CTA is prominently visible on the page. Consider using contrasting colors, such as green, blue, orange, or red, for your CTA buttons, as they tend to grab readers' attention effectively.

In your CTAs, use strong and compelling words that encourage action. Creating a sense of urgency or scarcity in your CTA is an effective way to boost conversions. This can be achieved by using phrases like "Limited Time Offer" or "Act Now."

Here is some example of conversion-triggering CTAs,

• Download now
• Learn more
• Start my free trial
• Free download
• Join now
• Get a free quote today
• Book a 15-minute call
• Follow on social media
• Share the blog post
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Promote your blog post on social media channels

Creating unique and high-quality content is undoubtedly important, but it is equally crucial to promote your blog posts on social media channels. Social media provides an effective platform for connecting with your audience and expanding your reach. When you share your blog posts on social media, it not only strengthens connections with your existing audience but also enables you to reach new audiences and drive more traffic to your blog.

To maximize exposure efficiently, consider sharing your blog posts on various social media channels such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. These platforms offer diverse opportunities to engage with different audiences and increase the visibility of your content.

Check out our guide to 11 ways to boost your website traffic through social media

Here are some tips you can use to promote your blog post on social media channels

• Include a blog link in the bio
• Share engaging content. Including GIFs, Memes, Graphs, or Videos in your post will encourage your audience to click on links.
• Using relevant Hashtags will help your content to be found by the right people.
• Post regularly. Do some research to know how often you should share on a specific social network.
• Integrate social media icons into your blog that makes it easier for readers to share that blog content with their audience.
• Finding the optimal time for posting on a specific social media channel will help your post get more engagements and clicks.
• Join online social community groups that will increase the visibility of your blog.
• Use Social media management tools that will make scheduling and posting easier.

Related posts:

22 effective Twitter marketing tips for your business success

10 Powerful Tips to Use Facebook to market your business

Start building an email list

Email marketing is indeed one of the most effective methods for building an audience and promoting your blog. It is worth noting that email marketing has shown an impressive return on investment (ROI) of 42:1. This means that for every $1 spent on email marketing, marketers have received $42 in return. Such a high ROI highlights the immense value and profitability of email marketing as a promotional strategy.

There are several straightforward methods to increase your subscriber count. Implementing these strategies can help you attract more subscribers to your blog:

1. Add engaging signup forms with a clear call-to-action (CTA) on your website. Place static forms in prominent areas like headers, footers, sidebars, and splash pages to capture visitors' attention.
2. Strategically incorporate pop-up forms, but be mindful not to overdo it. Use them sparingly and at appropriate moments to avoid overwhelming your audience.
3. Encourage readers to sign up by including a CTA button at the end of each blog post. This prompts them to take action and subscribe to your blog for future updates.
4. Include a link to your newsletter in the bios of your social media profiles. This provides an additional avenue for interested individuals to subscribe to your blog.
5. Offer a signup bonus, such as a snippet from your course, an exclusive video, or a discount on your product/service. Incentives like these can entice visitors to subscribe and join your mailing list.

By utilizing these methods, you can effectively attract more subscribers and expand your blog's audience.

Check our previous guide to know how you make your email marketing more effective.

Ask readers for their opinion

Engaging with your readers by asking for their opinions is an effective strategy to encourage comments on your blog. Additionally, it is essential to reply to every comment received as it opens up new avenues for discussion. When readers see that their comments are acknowledged and replied to, it fosters a sense of connection and encourages them to return and participate in further discussions. This increased engagement positively impacts your blog's overall engagement levels.

Keep your blog up-to-date

Regularly updating content is considered one of the best practices in blogging. It is important to analyze the performance of your old blog posts and make necessary updates. By incorporating the following elements into your updates - such as relevant and up-to-date information, the latest images, or new screenshots related to the topic - you can enhance your search ranking and attract more organic search traffic to your previously published blog posts.

Conclusion

Blogging requires consistency, dedication, and patience as it takes time to see tangible results. By utilizing Google Analytics, you can gain valuable insights into the keywords that drive traffic to your blog posts and identify the days when you receive the highest traffic. This information can guide your content strategy, enabling you to create posts aligned with popular keywords and optimal traffic days.

I hope that the aforementioned tips will assist you in embarking on a successful blogging journey.