There are more than 600 million blogs online, and thousands of new posts are uploaded every minute. One of the best ways to make your blog stand out is to understand and adopt current trends. Here are the top five blogging methods, styles, and techniques for you to focus on today:
1. Good Content Always Wins
Prioritize Fact-Driven and Well-Researched Content
Today’s consumers want factual, informative content. With easy access to so much information, readers are drawn to sites they can rely on for accurate and unique insights. As a blogger, it’s important to include well-respected sources and data to keep your readers’ trust.
It can even be worth it to invest in gathering your own data. New insights give your audience something unique while showing you know them and their interests. Taking the time to contribute to your field could lead to other sites referencing your blog, which improves your credibility and SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Write Quality Long-form Posts
On average, the top posts on the first page of Google are 1500-2000 words in length. Longer articles allow you to include more keywords, which can create organic traffic to your site, and readers value posts that explore topics in greater depth.
2. Find Ways to Monetize
Use Content For Lead Generation
Blogging can be an excellent way to make money both passively and actively. Still, with Facebook ads and other channels becoming more difficult and expensive, many bloggers are turning to content creation to generate leads. When done right, blogs are a great way to drive traffic and increase leads organically. Sarahsayspets.blog exemplifies authentic monetization with her storefront and content marketing.
Utilize Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is an easy way to earn passive income, and adding affiliate links to your blog posts is one of the tactics you can use. Today, there are various affiliate platforms, most of which are free to join, and individual programs.
Regardless of your niche, there are tons of options for organically integrating affiliate marketing into your blog.
3. Give People Content Where and How They Want It
Include Visual Content
Blogs need visual content. It keeps readers more engaged by appealing to shorter attention spans, can break up blocks of writing, and allows your audience to consume the same information in multiple ways.
Visuals don’t just mean pictures; blogs can benefit from graphs, charts, infographics, and videos [link to new video article].
Integrate Social Media
Almost everyone is on social media in one form or another, and integrating yours with your blog gives you a more complete blogger profile. Treating your social media channels as an extension of your blog [link to new social media article] helps you connect with your current audience and is important for finding and building a larger one.
Content Marketing
Focusing on content marketing gives you a broader strategy across multiple channels. Blogs are one form of content marketing and can be a place to display other types. Your blog can serve as a resource for readers to learn new information about the services you offer, and as a platform for finding your ebooks, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc.
4. User Experience Matters
Prioritize Mobile Optimization
Today, most people have a mobile device with them at all times and as a result, they regularly read blogs on their phones. Rather than treating mobile optimization as an afterthought, keep mobile formatting at the forefront of your strategy to give mobile users a positive and user-friendly experience.
Make Content Scannable
As attention spans have shortened, people often prefer easily accessible information they don’t have to spend time searching for. Subheadings and visual content help keep your posts more engaging. Many readers also look for a TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) at the beginning of blog posts, a short summary to appeal to those who prefer a quick overview over a longer article.
5. Build a Brand, Not a Website
Whether you’re a business, organization, or individual blogger, building a brand matters. Blogs aren’t simply places to share information; they can help create and advance your brand. Your color, font, format, and writing style all speak to a larger image. When paired well with social media, podcasts, and e-commerce shops, your blog helps your audience form a picture of who you are and what your brand is all about.
The Takeaway
One of the most exciting things about the world of blogging is that it’s constantly changing and evolving. Staying educated about current trends keeps your blog fresh and modern. The more trends you adopt, the more you can stand out and achieve success.