But how can you know which topics your readers really care about?

It’s actually pretty easy. You just have to pay closer attention, and your readers will leave you little clues that can help you pinpoint their favorite topics.

• Look at your most popular posts—Installing the Popular Posts plugin on your blog will help you instantly see which posts your readers responded the most to. Popular Posts clearly displays the posts on your blog that have received the most comments, views, or average daily views. Once you get it installed, take a look at your most popular posts. What do they share in common? Is it a particular topic? Is it the style of writing…the way the headline is phrased?
• Monitor what people search for in your blog—Do you have a search box on your blog? If so, Search Meter can record what people are searching for. This gives you a clear idea of the topics that interest your readers, allowing you to create content that matches their interests. It also allows you to improve the categorization and tagging of your posts to make searches more successful.
• Track your search engine traffic—I’m going to assume you already have some sort of analytics plugged into your blog. You should be studying these analytics on a regular basis, monitoring where your traffic is coming from and what visitors do once they land on your site. Take note of the various keywords searchers use to find your blog. This helps you see the type of information they’re looking for, allowing you to target these phrases better in future posts.
• Read your comments closely—What are your readers talking about in the comments? Are there any topics they bring up that you can expound upon in a future posts? Be a good listener, and get in the comments and talk it up with your readers. You’ll get to know them better, and as a result, you’ll be able to write content that better matches their needs.
• Follow your readers on Twitter—Most of your readers are probably on Twitter. Find them. Follow them. Pay attention to what they talk about. Look at the links they drop in their Tweets. The more closely you pay attention, the better able you’ll be to see which subjects they find most interesting.

How do you know which topics your readers are most interested in?

Now, you might be saying to yourself: What does TMZ have to do with my blog? I don’t cover celebrities or silly gossip.

That’s fine. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn anything from the way TMZ approaches blogging. Here are just some of the lessons you can gain by following TMZ.

Lesson #1: It’s all in the headline

The importance of a good headline can’t be overstated. No matter what niche you’re in, there are other blogs, podcasts, and articles pulling at your reader’s attention. You need to stand out from the crowd and hook readers to draw them in. A great headline can help you do this.

Consider TMZ. The headlines on this blog are successful for a few reasons. They’re interesting, short, and a combination of clear and clever.

Here are just some of the top headlines I see when I visit TMZ right now.

Lindsay Lohan—I don’t need prison or rehab

Kobe Bryant—Six-figure silent treatment

Michael Madsen: Little Crazy? Yes. Suicidal? No!

Daisy Fuentes: Good Genes or Good Docs?

For people who are interested in celebrity news and gossip, these headlines are like magnets. You almost can’t help but click on them to find out the details of the story.

You need to create the same sense of interest with your headlines.

Lesson #2: Be timely

One of the top reasons TMZ has gotten so popular is their propensity for being the first to break a story. The TMZ photogs seem to be everywhere, getting exclusive shots and details on stories that even the top networks don’t have yet. TMZ was the first place where most people heard about Michael Jackson being rushed to the hospital and ultimately passing away. Most mainstream media was hesitant to confirm the story, but TMZ had inside sources and scooped the competition.

TMZ was also the website to first break the story of Mel Gibson getting arrested for driving under the influence and making anti-Semitic comments during his arrest, and they were the first to break the report of actress Brittany Murphy’s death late last year.

The point is TMZ is always covering the latest topics. Even when they aren’t the first to break a story, they have a knack for going into deeper detail and offering a unique perspective that no one else sees.

Lesson #3: Humor is your friend

TMZ isn’t mean spirited, but they do poke fun at the ridiculous things celebrities say and do. People love to laugh, and it’s one of the things that attracts readers back to TMZ.com and to the TV show day in and day out.

The TMZ website has a very distinctive voice that is edgy, sarcastic, and gets people talking. It’s important for you to also create an identity as a blogger.

Lesson #4: Know your stuff

You can’t fake your way through blogging because sooner or later, you’ll slip up, and when you do, your readers will call you out and never let you forget it. The bottom line is if you want to position yourself as a trusted resource, you need to know your stuff inside and out. You need to always be learning new things so you can know more than your competition.

Here, TMZ succeeds. They seem to know every single detail about all celebrities, from the A-listers to the Z-listers. Like them or not, TMZ is one of the authorities when it comes to Hollywood and celebrities.

Lesson #5: Make your blog interactive

TMZ is known for including polls in many of their posts, hosting contests, and even having fun games visitors can play. They understand that the more interactive their blog is, the longer visitors will stay and the more connected they’ll feel to the brand.

What are some things you can do to make your blog more interactive?

So, to help out myself and my fellow bloggers, I’ve come up with some of the ways we tend to slack off over time. By identifying these dangerous mistakes, hopefully we can all avoid them and continue to grow our blogs.

1. Decreased posting frequency—When you’ve been writing on a daily basis for years, it can be difficult to keep up the pace. Over time, a lot of bloggers start to write less and less, because they’re burned out. I’m not saying you need to write every single day, but I am saying that decreasing your posting frequency can be a slippery slope that leads to you writing less and less until you’ve reached the point that you’re losing readers and your blog rarely gets updated.

2. Uninspired content—After writing hundreds or thousands of posts, it can be pretty hard to find fresh topics to write about. This can lead to rehashed, uninspired content that readers won’t respond to. The best way to combat this is to make sure you stay in tune with the latest news and developments in your industry, and you should push yourself to keep learning new things so you’ll have something new to write about.

3. Less blog promotion—When you first start your blog, you have to promote it like crazy just to get people to read it. Over time, your readers start helping you promote your blog by ReTweeting your content, submitting it to voting websites, emailing it to their friends, etc. However, that doesn’t mean you’re promotional duties are over. There are always more readers to be had, and you need to keep working to spread the word about your blog.

4. Forgetting to moderate comments—If your readers’ comments take days to get approved, they’re going to eventually stop commenting. Blogging is supposed to have a conversational element to it, and to capitalize on that, you need to moderate your comments on a regular basis.

5. Not taking the time to respond to comments—Speaking of comments, approving them isn’t enough. Now, as your blog starts to grow, you’ll start getting more and more comments. Responding to them all can be time-consuming, but you should do your best to be active in your comments section. This helps to build relationships with your readers, keeping them coming back.

Have you ever slacked off on blogging? Share your experiences by leaving a comment.

It was totally unprofessional, but it highlights an important subject that often gets overlooked: blog etiquette. Here are some blogging etiquette guidelines that would make Emily Post proud.

1. Never repost someone else’s content without asking their permission.

2. If you quote a small excerpt from another post, provide a link to the original source.

3. Thank those who link to you.

4. Respond to your comments in a timely manner.

5. Let readers know when you’re posting affiliate links.

6. Don’t attack others personally; respect should always be given to those who disagree with you.

7. If you comment on other blogs, add value to the conversation. No drive-by comments like “Great post” or “I agree.”

8. Don’t use a keyword for your commenting name. It’s a cheap tactic that makes you look like a spammer.

Do you have good blogging manners? Which rules of blogging etiquette would you add to this list?

But blogging is more than a job for me. It’s something I truly love to do. I’m passionate about it, and I’m always trying to improve my blogging skills. I still have a lot of improving to do, but I think I’ve learned quite a bit over the past few years. Today, I want to share some of the blogging lessons I’ve picked up along the way.

Lesson #1: You have to write regularly if you want to get better

Michael Jordan didn’t become the world’s greatest basketball player by sitting on his butt all day long. He was famous for his work ethic. He practiced longer than everyone else, and as a result, he became better than all of his peers.

The same concept applies to blogging. You can’t expect to become a better blogger if you don’t spend time writing. I’m not saying you have to write a new post every day, but you need to blog on a regular basis. You don’t even have to post everything you write. Just write and push yourself so you can grow into a strong writer.

On a side note, you should also be reading other blogs to see what works for other people. Don’t rip off their style, but you can pick up helpful traits from others that will make you into a better-rounded blogger.

Lesson #2: It’s important to mix things up so you don’t fall in a rut

I admit it. I tend to fall back on the list style post a little too often. Hell, I’m doing it right now, but I have been making an effort to mix things up. I try to write differently formatted posts, and I try to play around with different styles of writing (e.g. straightforward vs. telling a story).

Don’t be afraid to try something new. It’s the best way to grow into the blogger you want to become.

Lesson #3: Passion is more important than knowledge

A while back, I wrote a post talking about the importance of passion in blogging. Rather than repeat everything I said in that post (I encourage you to go back and read it), let me just say that I truly believe passion trumps even knowledge in terms of blogging skills. That’s not to say you can be successful by writing about things you don’t know about, but my point is that even if you’re an expert, if you lack passion for your subject, your blog won’t last. You won’t be able to create quality, interesting content on a daily basis for years to come.

Lesson #4: Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come

Too many new bloggers think that blogging is some miracle tool that will get their company in front of millions of eager customers with just a few short posts. That’s not how it works. There are hundreds of millions of blogs out there. Whatever subject you’re blogging about, you can be sure there is plenty of competition. So, just starting your blog isn’t enough to get results.

You have to put the time and effort into truly promoting your blog. This means not only writing quality content, but also networking with social media influencers who can help you promote your posts far and wide.

Lesson #5: Readers do judge a book (blog) by its cover (design)

Your blog’s design is important. You can’t expect to draw readers in with a boring, poorly designed website. That’s not to say you need to drop thousands of dollars on a custom WordPress theme, but you do need to use a catchy, creative theme that fits the tone and personality of your blog. Check out these 5 SEO friendly WordPress themes for some ideas.

How long have you been blogging? What have you learned during this time?

1. Taking too long to approve comments—While blogging isn’t quite a real-time conversation like Twitter, it still moves pretty quickly. Readers comment on a post, interact with other commenters for a little bit, and then move on to something else.

If you’re taking several days to approve comments, you kill the momentum of your post. This removes the conversational element of blogging, turning your blog into a one-way channel of communication, thus defeating the purpose of having a blog. You need to stay on top of moderating your comments. Get them approved as quickly as possible to keep readers engaged and talking.

2. Allowing low quality guest posts—Allowing guest posts on your blog offers many benefits for you and the blogger. However, you do need to remember that your blog is a brand, and a low-quality guest post can cause you to lose readers and create a poor image for your blog.

So, while I encourage allowing people to guest post on your blog, you need to make sure you review the blogger’s work before giving him (or her) the nod of approval. Check out his blog and other guest posts so you can decide if his posts are up to your standards.

3. Not starting a conversation—Like I said earlier, the conversational element is what makes blogging so popular. As a blogger, it’s your job to get the conversation started. You can’t just expect readers to start commenting in droves. You need to give them something to talk about.

One easy thing you can do is simply ask your readers to leave a comment. Think of it as a call to action. Another thing I like to do is to leave some information out of my posts so that readers have something to add to it. After all, if you’ve covered everything there is to say about a topic, your readers won’t have anything to say.

4. Rushing a post—Everybody has different opinions on how long you should spend blogging. However, I think we can all agree that being productive, no matter how much time you spend, is extremely important.

That being said, you need to be careful that in your quest to be a productive blogger, you don’t rush your posts. When you quickly crank out content, you’re much likelier to make mistakes and to write low-quality content.

5. Not having drafts saved for creative lulls—Every blogger suffers from writer’s block at one time or another. Rather than writing a sucky post or no post at all, the ideal solution is to have a backlog of drafts saved so you can publish one of those. Whenever you’re feeling creative, write some drafts and save them in WordPress. Trust me, they’ll come in handy.

What are some of the biggest blogging mistakes you’ve made? Share your experiences by leaving a comment.

In light of this, I think it’s important that you do everything you can to make sure blog more interactive. The more interactive your blog is, the more participation you’ll get from your readers. As a result, they’ll become more loyal.

To help get you started, I’ve come up with 5 easy ways to make your blog more interactive. If you can think of other good tips, please leave a comment.

1. Use TwtPoll—TwtPoll allows you to include a poll or a survey in your blog posts. This lets readers who are in a hurry to quickly share their thoughts with the click of their mouse, rather than taking the time to type out a comment. Creating a poll takes just a few seconds, and embedding it in your blog is easy.

In addition to making your blog more interactive, TwtPoll can help you gather useful information. If you have a fair amount of people who vote on a poll question, you can use those results for a future blog post.

2. Respond to your comments in a timely manner—When you think of interactivity on a blog, you probably think about the comments. Comments let your readers share their thoughts on the subject being covered in your post. But it’s not enough to let your readers comment. You need to set aside the time to respond to these comments thoughtfully. Don’t just say “Thanks for leaving a comment.” Instead, try to push the conversation forward with the commenter. This keeps them engaged, and it helps you build relationships with your audience.

3. Feature Twitter followers in your posts—I got this idea from the SmallBizBee blog. Every Friday, they would hold what was called “Twitter Fest Friday.” The blogger would ask his Twitter followers a question, and he’d feature their responses in his post. It adds a social element to the blog, and it shows your readers that you value their opinion.

4. Start podcasting—I’ve already gone over all the reasons to start podcasting at great length, so I won’t repeat them here. You can set your podcast up to be interactive by allowing listeners to call in and leave a voicemail with their questions. This gives the podcast the interactive feel of a live talk radio show.

5. Let readers suggest topics for future posts—This is a win-win. Allowing your readers to suggest topics for posts not only get them involved, but it also ensures you’ll be writing about content that they’re interested in.

How do you make your blog more interactive? Leave a comment with your best tip.

There must be a better way, right? Thankfully, there is. It starts by following these 8 simple tips for becoming a more productive blogger.

1. Write down your ideas—If you blog regularly, you’re always trying to come up with new things to write about. You may have noticed that ideas tend to strike you at the weirdest times and in the strangest places. An idea for a new post might hit you while you’re shopping at the grocery store. It might enter your brain just as you’re ready to go to sleep. Whenever you get a new idea, write it down immediately. It doesn’t matter if you put in a notebook or make a memo on your phone, just make sure you save the idea somewhere so you’ll have a starting point the next time you write a post.

 

2. Outline your posts before you start writing—While some writers find outlines restricting, I find that they help me stay focused so I can deliver my message clearly and concisely. Outlining your posts before you begin writing gives you direction so that you don’t find yourself staring at a blank monitor for hours at a time.

 

3. Eliminate distractions—If you want to get your new blog post done as quickly as possible, you have to eliminate distractions.
   • Close out internet tabs that don’t have anything to do with writing your new post
   • Turn off the TV
   • Stop checking your text messages
   • START WRITING!!!

 

4. Give yourself a break when you earn it—When writing for long periods of time, you sometimes get to the point that the Law of Diminishing Returns kicks in. In other words, your productivity and quality of writing starts to decrease because you’re getting tired. Whenever you’ve been writing for a while, give yourself a well-deserved break. Go grab a snack, or head outside to enjoy a few minutes of fresh air. Just don’t make your break too long or else you’ll never get back to work.

 

5. Find your favorite times to write—We all have different times throughout the day when we’re most productive. Some bloggers like to do their writing early in the morning. Others are most productive when burning the midnight oil. Find your favorite time to write, and schedule your blogging accordingly.

 

6. Set a deadline—If you don’t treat your blog as something that needs to be done, you’ll never get around to writing. You’ll keep telling yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” That’s why setting deadlines is so important. It forces you to stop screwing around and to start writing. Set realistic deadlines you are capable of meeting, and stick to them.

 

7. Create the perfect writing environment—I prefer writing my blogs in silence. Other bloggers that I know like to have music on when they write. And others like to do their writing at a coffee shop. Figure out what your perfect writing environment is, and create it so you can get your work done.

 

8. Practice writing regularly—Writing is just like anything else. The more you do it, the better you become. I like to write every single day so that I continue to improve my skills and find new ways to increase my productivity. Practice. Practice. Practice.

How do you stay productive as a blogger? Share your best tips in the replies.

• Pay attention to your comments—Blog comments are great because they give you direct feedback from your readers. You should pay attention to the posts that receive the most comments. Ask yourself: What topics are these posts focused on? What is the format of these posts (e.g. lists, how to, etc.)? What is the tone of these posts?

             In addition to identifying the posts that get the most comments, you should also read all of your comments to see what your readers are talking about. You’ll often find that they bring up interesting topics that can be explored further in future posts.

• Use a ratings plugin for WordPress—On the SEO Hosting blog, we use the GD Star Rating plugin for WordPress. This allows you, the reader, to rate posts on a scale of 1 to 10. For bloggers, this allows you to see which posts your readers like and which they don’t really care for (don’t let your ego get bruised). Take a look at your highest rated posts, and do your best to emulate the formula in your future posts.

• Study your blog traffic—If you’re blogging, chances are you have some sort of traffic analysis program. Take a look at your blog traffic to determine which posts get the most traffic and which pages readers stay on for the longest period of time. Again, ask yourself the questions listed above to find out what exactly it is about these posts that makes them popular.

• Follow your readers on Twitter—There’s a good chance the people commenting on your blog also have Twitter accounts. Connecting with them on Twitter doesn’t just help you build strong relationships, but it also lets you see what topics they care about most. Take a look at what they’re Tweeting about and what type of content they’re linking to, and write content that focuses on these subjects.

• Check your incoming links—One of the good things about WordPress is that it alerts you whenever someone else links to your blog. Check out your posts’ trackbacks to see which posts gain the highest number of links. Many of the bloggers linking back to your posts are also loyal readers, so these are the people you’re writing for. Visit the source of these incoming links to see what the bloggers are saying about your posts.

How do you make sure you give your blog readers content they love? Share your best tips in the replies.

1. Write the way you talk
2. Don’t just copy what everyone else in your niche is doing
3. Always proofread your posts
4. Do your best to respond to comments in a timely manner
5. Don’t fight with commenters who disagree with you. Respect their opinions.
6. Optimize your posts for maximum search engine performance
7. Create a strong internal linking structure
8. Link to other blogs as well
9. Focus on writing headlines that beg to be clicked
10. Always deliver on the promise of your headline
11. Hold reader interest by posting on a regular basis
12. Have a place where you jot down ideas for new posts so you never suffer from writer’s block
13. Make sure every post is the best work you’re capable of producing
14. Don’t ignore proven formulas like top 10 lists and how-to posts
15. Make your posts easy to scan by using bullet points and numbered lists
16. Fact check your content before posting. Failure to do so could cause a permanent loss of credibility.
17. Spend time promoting your blog. Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will automatically come.
18. Give and receive guest posts
19. Don’t overlook the design of your blog. People do judge a book (your blog) by its cover (its design).
20. Place a subscribe link above the fold to attract more blog subscribers
21. Use pictures to spice up your posts
22. Break really long posts into a blog series whenever possible
23. Never stop trying to improve your blogging skills