Everybody’s doing it—blogging about their passion, their business, their travels. If you’ve created a blog you’ll appreciate how tough it is to stand out from the crowd. There’s a lot of competition out there. Creating trust with your audience starts with creating a blog that looks professional.
Here are some quick and easy ways you can make your blog look like the real deal:
- Give your readers a search bar that’s easy to find
Ever come out of the mall and forgotten where you parked your car? That’s how your readers feel when they’re looking for a post you wrote a while back.
Don’t let that happen. Put a search bar in your header or sidebar and make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for.
- Include links in your sidebar and blog posts
This is the perfect way to keep your readers engaged. Adding links in your sidebar to your most popular posts will keep readers on your blog devouring your content.
Another clever trick is to include links to other posts you’ve written in the body of your article. Let’s say a visitor is on your blog reading about the hottest hairstyles for 2016. At some point in your post you could include a link to another post you’ve written about hair colour trends. Ensure that your links are on topic and you’ll see how engagement improves.
- Add links to your social media accounts
Not all of your readers want to leave a comment on your blog. Some people prefer to interact via social media because it’s easy for them. So give them the option of getting in touch with you using social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
- Use a professional photo of yourself
Don’t rely on a blurry selfie for your bio or About page—get a professional photographer to take the shot instead. It will make a real difference to the way your readers perceive the quality of your blog and the content you offer.
- Add a quality image to each blog posts
A compelling image helps capture attention and draw your reader in. Place it near the top of your blog post for maximum effect. Alternatively, you could include a photo in the middle to break up your text.
Images are essential for social sharing. If someone likes your post enough to share it on Facebook, the link will include your image and make it stand out.
Even if you’re an amateur blogger, your blog doesn’t have to be. All of these tips take less than 10 minutes to set up. But they’ll leave your blog looking more polished and professional. Try them out and let us know how they work for you.
About the Author – Olivia Colville
Since she was a little girl, Olivia has always had her nose in a book. Her curiosity knows no bounds and she spends her time collecting stories. Her greatest wish is to become a sought-after copywriter. Fingers crossed!