Blogging is no longer a pastime but has become a way to earn money. Professional bloggers are gaining tens of thousands of followers and monetizing their work. If you are a blogger, then this is the time to use your blogging to increase your reach.
You need to know about the latest trends in the world of blogging. This will help you re-organize your blog, so you can get more followers. We present you some of the top trends in blogging you need to be aware of.
Top blogging trends
- Longer articles
In general, bloggers prefer to write short articles. The average article length is around 1100 words. It has been seen of late that many top bloggers are writing longer articles, more than 2000 words. The surprising fact is that many of them are doing well. It seems that when it comes to blogs, people prefer reading longer articles that provide more information.
In fact, Google would tend to recognize such articles and give them a higher search ranking. If you want your blog to be popular, you should consider writing more detailed articles. The blog you write must offer something of substance. Using the right keywords will help you do well in search engine ranks.
- Mobile first
In all spheres of the digital world, mobile-first is the way to go. Nearly two-thirds of people are accessing the internet using devices like mobile phones and tablets. This makes it inevitable to create a blog that is mobile-friendly. The chances of your blog being read on a mobile phone are very high. This is why you need a mobile-first strategy.
Ensure that your blog article looks good on a mobile phone. It must be readable and not make a reader drift away. Optimizing your blog for mobile phones is a must. Not doing this can be detrimental as you can lose a lot of readers.
- Add an estimated reading time
Nowadays, blogs include an estimated reading time at the top of each article. This is very useful since it gives an indication to readers about how much time it would take to read the blog. This kind of transparency is liked by readers and it is found that such blogs get more readers.
Some blogs even have an indicator that keeps moving to indicate how much of the blog you have read. WordPress has plugins that will help you find out the estimated reading time for your blog. Display it, so you are transparent and readers know what to expect.
- Frequency is the key
It is not enough that you write a blog, get some readership, and be satisfied. You need to keep writing regularly. Frequency is the key to a successful blog. If a reader likes your blog, they would want more. You need to have sufficient content ready. Further, a reader may come back to your blog after a few days. Ensure you have something new for the reader, so they bookmark your blog for repeat visits.
Studies have shown that bloggers who post frequently are 13 times more likely to get better readership. Make a plan for the month or a quarter and keep blogging as per the plan. Ensure you have at least one blog post every week (if not more). What is important is the blog must be interesting and engaging.
- Visual content
The power of visual content is well-known. A text-only blog may look a bit boring. Add visual content to make it look more appealing. Use relevant images, stock photos and add infographics to highlight key facts. Visual content would help you attract more readers to your blog. Apart from graphics, you can even consider adding videos to your blog. It is a great way to increase readership.
- Originality and Accuracy scores
You need to ensure the blogs you post are original. It is very easy to create a blog by copying content from somewhere else. You cannot fool people easily. If they have seen similar content elsewhere readers are unlikely to return to your blog. Ensure that the content you present is original and has something unique that others don’t have.
Also, it is important to gain the trust of readers. You can do this by ensuring the blog is accurate. Verify facts before posting them. Provide links wherever you share facts. Before you post the blog, do multiple rounds of proof checking. This will ensure there are no language or grammatical errors that can put off readers. There are many tools online that you can use for editing and proof-checking.
Use these tips to create a blog that is high-quality, engaging, and keeps readers coming back for more!
