Want to blog better in 2011? We’re here to help.
For those of you who want to take your blog to the next level in 2011 (perhaps you’ve stepped up to the Post a Day or Post a Week challenge), we’ve got your back.
From now on, we’ll be offering tips on blogging best practices to help you produce high-quality content, boost your readership, and make the most of all the fabulous WordPress.com features.
Here’s a handful of resources to get you started:
Need an idea?
Check out The Daily Post for a daily dose of writing tips and encouragement, or browse the Freshly Pressed posts or tag pages for inspiration. You can also combat writer’s block by tackling a thought-provoking Plinky prompt.
Keep in mind that the some of the best blogs are focused on one main subject and often target a specific audience. If you feel like you’re losing your focus, think about the reason why you started blogging in the first place, and how you define blogging success. Still feeling lost? Give these brainstorming exercises a shot.
Think you don’t have time to post?
Sure you do — WordPress.com users publish about half a million new posts every day. If so many others can find time, you can, too!
If you’re in a pinch, keep it simple with QuickPress. If you’re on the go, use WordPress.com on your mobile phone or create a post by email. You can even phone in an audio post! Writing posts in advance and setting them to automatically publish in the future is also a great idea for times when you’re going to be busy.
Want more visitors?
As long as you’re enjoying your blog, you’re successful. But if you want to draw a larger audience and interact more with other bloggers, there are plenty of ways to do so. Here’s one suggestion to get you started.
Consider this: You probably search the web for information frequently, and you’re able to find what you need pretty quickly (most of the time), right? That’s because you don’t carefully peruse all the information on a given topic, you rapidly scan page titles and headlines for specific keywords and phrases. Even when you’re leisurely browsing the web with no specific destination in mind, you use page titles to quickly determine whether or not a link is worth clicking.
Your blog post titles show up in a variety of places on the web and in the WordPress.com community. So if you want to boost traffic to your site, take the time to write descriptive, captivating headlines for your posts. For example, a post titled “Summer Vacation 2010″ might be descriptive enough for you and your friends, but “Beaches, Bungee Jumping, and Backpacking: My Adventures in Costa Rica” has a much better chance of attracting new visitors.
Check out Are You Writing Rockin’ Blog Post Titles? for tips on how to write better headlines.
Make 2011 your best blogging year ever!
Remember that you’re a part of a huge community of people who are passionate about blogging. We hope you’ll utilize comments and likes to offer feedback, support, and encouragement to one another as you work toward your blogging goals for 2011.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:44 pm
I’ve taken on the Post-A-Week challenge! Thanks for the tips!
January 21st, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Some good ideas here. I can recommend scheduling posts to publish in the future. Just write a few when you feel in the mood so you have a few spare for when you don’t feel in the mood to write.
January 21st, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Several good reminders here, perfect timing for this weekend’s Bloggiesta!
January 21st, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Oooh! I’m all excited about this series. I’ve been SO LOVING the Post A Day challenge (and I’m still looking for blogging buddies, so hit me up) and I’ll be checking in to see what sorts of inspiration and insight you have to offer. =) Yaaaay!
January 21st, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Nice tips…
January 21st, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Awesome tips! I think I’ll go change some blog titles now
January 21st, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Thanks for the excellent advice
January 21st, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Great advice. I intend to write articles about different topics of law both Criminal and Civil. I just started this year but I intend to do aregular series of articles.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:07 pm
I need to get cracking on better blog titles…. Thanks! K
January 21st, 2011 at 10:07 pm
Hmm… I’ll try it. Thank you for the tips!
January 21st, 2011 at 10:10 pm
This is great. Thanks for the support.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:12 pm
I like the “Are You Writing Rockin’ Blog Post Titles?” tips…good stuff.
January 21st, 2011 at 10:26 pm
I’ve been posting like crazy ever since joining Post-A-Day 2011, and ironically enough, my MOST POPULAR post was where I simply mentioned I’d added the Post-A-Day badge. Who’d know that’d be so popular?
Ingenious ideas Word Press, you’ve certainly upped my motivation!
Keep the updates coming, I look forward to them.
And if anyone else needs topic ideas, I’ll be posting a huge list of ideas sometime this weekend.
Good luck to all – step up your blog’s pace with one of the challenges! [Post-A-Week / Post-A-Day]
It’s not a drag, not boring, rather, it constantly keeps you on your toes. It’s great coming up with ideas
with something motivating you to do so!
Cordially,
-Adventure Writer
January 21st, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Agree so much. Particulaly on constructing titles. I’d say descriptive titles beat ‘creative’ ones for grabbing traffic.
Best wishes
January 21st, 2011 at 10:30 pm
thanks for info
January 21st, 2011 at 10:39 pm
So grateful for this info…you’ve answered many of my questions!
January 21st, 2011 at 10:53 pm
As usual, you folks, from wordpress.com out do yourselves!! All advice, and information is greatly appreciated from this grateful blogger, who loves wordpress. God bless you all…..
January 21st, 2011 at 11:00 pm
this really gives me a lot o motivation. I already have several posts in the queue…
thanks a lot!
January 21st, 2011 at 11:09 pm
Super!
January 21st, 2011 at 11:14 pm
I love it.
January 21st, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Awesome tips thanks for all the help. I can definitely use it.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:03 am
Good idea to schedule posts.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:16 am
Excellent Erica,
Thanks for taking the time to pass on some very inspiring tips and Kicks!
I am always complaining about ‘Not enough time’. And the title keyword tip is great. I never really know where one should put the keywords. Never quite sure if the best place should be in the body of the post, or elsewhere. So, I am another who is looking forward to the ‘Challenge’. I have half joined in! I’m gonna do the weekly challenge….Well it’s a start!
Many thanks
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:26 am
Good practical advice. Started my blog just yesterday but will keep it going.
January 22nd, 2011 at 12:29 am
Encouraging advice! I’ve posted 170,000 words since February of 2010 and am aiming to produce 200,000 more by the end of 2011. I find that, like any muscle, once it gets some exercise the writing bug starts to enjoy the workout. I feel incomplete if I go for one day without posting.
Love your Hapa site, by the way