10 Habits of Effective Bloggers

by Tom on March 24, 2010 · 34 comments · Blogging


This is a guest post by Tom Walker of CreativeCloud, a refreshing blend of printer technology news, guides, and reviews.

There are tens of thousands of blogs out there, many of which will never make it past the initial stages of early bloghood. Sometimes this is just due to bad luck, harsh competition, and poor planning, but equally as likely is that the decline of these blogs is due to their owners’ poor management or inability to effectively maintain the site and communicate with their followers. To help ensure that you keep your blog active and popular, here are a few tips to make yourself a better blogger.

1. Go in with a Game Plan

So many bloggers begin with ideas of grandeur, but soon find that they have no real structure or organization for pushing their ideas forward. If you want to be a better blogger, go into blog ownership with a game plan. Lay out what you want to accomplish with your blog, where you want it to go, and what you want it to become, and then do it.

2. Follow the Golden Rule of Blogging

The Golden Rule of blogging is to “treat the visitors to your blog as you would want to be treated.” It’s as simple as that. Being respectful to your visitors, replying to their posts in a timely fashion, and making their visit as easy and effective as possible are important aspects to winning loyal followers. Unless your site is devoted to being rude and disrespectful, or acting this way is a part of your site’s mantra, it is important to remember the old adage, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”

3. Communicate Properly

A large part of enforcing the Golden Rule is by understanding how to effectively communicate on your blog. Sure, you’re busy and you may not always have time to respond to every comment or question immediately, but by making your best effort to respond constructively to as many visitors as possible, you can help keep your site visits high and your word of mouth popularity spreading.

4. Look Ahead

With the blogosphere constantly changing, it’s important to keep your eyes on the road. Just keeping pace with the competition probably won’t win you that lion’s share of visitors for which you might be hoping. Being constantly on the lookout for the latest and greatest when it comes to the subject matter of your blog can help keep you at the forefront of your blog topic.

5. Don’t Lose Sight of the Goal

It can be difficult when you get into the meat of your blogging activities not to get lost in the monotony of posts, replies, and updating of information. It is important to keep your larger goals in mind, and not become stranded in the swampy bog of your blog’s menial, everyday operations.

6. Provide Reliable Information

Try to make a habit of posting only the best information related to your blog topic. By staying current and posting reliable information, you will hopefully build a loyal group of followers and the quality of your blog will bring people back time and again.

7. Be Devoted to Your Topic

While you don’t necessarily have to love your blog topic, it can certainly help to have a strong interest in the subjects upon which you write. By being devoted to your topic, you can increase the likelihood that your subject matter remains consistent as well as get more enjoyment out of spending time working on your blog.

8. Present Information Effectively

Clear, concise writing, with a proper balance of information and graphics, and an easy to navigate structure can help keep your blog popular. There is hardly a bigger turn off for those visiting your blog than to be lost in a jumble of text and poorly placed links and graphics.

9. Develop a Routine

While not every blogger needs a set schedule when it comes to updating and maintaining his or her blog or blogs, at times, having a routine can help keep you on track. Having some structure to your blogging activities can be especially helpful if you are maintaining more than one blog.

10. Persevere

Being a successful blogger probably won’t always be an easy path to travel. It will take time and effort to create your blog and build a following. Making it a habit to understand this and persevere through the hard times might just be what it takes to raise your blog above the competition.

Your Effective Habits

What are some of the habits you adhere to in order to make your blogging effective and successful?

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{ 32 comments }

Ari Herzog from Online Media Strategies March 24, 2010 at 9:09 am

It’s amusing how often I receive requests from people seeking advice which blog platform to use as they start their blog. Of course, the platform is dependent on many factors, e.g. do you want to email content for it to be published, do you want control over how the layout appears, etc. They don’t think that way; they want to create a blog for whatever reason and want ideas of a platform. I think the platform is the last question to answer, not the first.
.-= New from Ari Herzog@Online Media Strategies Too Many Marketing Agencies Fail to Market Themselves =-.

Srinivas Rao March 24, 2010 at 10:10 am

Love all the ideas in this post. Here’s just a few that I use

1) Keep a list of topics: I think by keeping a list of topic ideas at all times you actually will never run into the issue of running out of things to write about. At anytime, I’ll have a list of about 25 ideas.

2) Write every day: You don’t have to publish every day, but doing a little bit of writing every single day will keep your chops up. Also, when you dont know what to write about you’ll have some archives to refer to.

3) Build relationships with people: To me this is one of the most important qualities of an effective blogger. Continually building relationships will ultimately be the the thing that propels you to the next level.
.-= New from Srinivas Rao Why You Have To Write Compelling Content with @thebridgemaker =-.

Arafat Hossain Piyada March 24, 2010 at 11:43 am

Hey Tom good to see you here. It’s look like you take guest post campaign. You really created a good list and I already follow some of it will try to follow all of those. :)
.-= New from Arafat Hossain Piyada Keyword or Phrase – which is better for SEO? =-.

andrew from Blogging Guide
Twitter:
March 24, 2010 at 11:57 am

A good habit I have got into is to break my day into:

blogging

marketing

product creation

I like to do all 3 each working day.

Andrew
.-= New from andrew @ Blogging Guide Blogging Guide : How To Write An About Page (video) =-.

Dennis Edell
Twitter:
March 27, 2010 at 12:01 pm

So we can expect a really informational post on your daily activities then? ;)
.-= New from Dennis Edell Holy Power Outage Batman, Not Again! Yep, Another Two Days Shot to Hell… =-.

Kissie March 24, 2010 at 1:15 pm

A habit is something you can do without thinking – which is why most of us have so many of them. ~Frank A. Clark =)

I want to develop these habits and think!

Thanks!

jared from wall decals March 24, 2010 at 2:07 pm

I need to get in the habit of a game plan before I start my blog. I guess I “fire, ready, aim” so to speak. Great Post !!!!!!

Mars Dorian March 24, 2010 at 3:08 pm

Cool list, and it makes all golden sense to me, but there’s one vital point missing that’s sort of the mantra of my blogging experience.

Treat your blog like your extended body. Make your blog so epic with all your personal awesomeness and one-of-kindness that people have no other choice but to eyeball you ;)
.-= New from Mars Dorian Your Blog, Your WORLD ? =-.

Julie - Inspired to Write
Twitter:
March 24, 2010 at 6:37 pm

Perseverance! This can be the hard one to follow. When you are just not increasing traffic or readers/subscribers, it can be disheartening! But, you are right – keep on truckin!
.-= New from Julie – Inspired to Write Finding Inspiration When All Hope is Gone =-.

KS Chen from Google Adsense Tips
Twitter:
March 24, 2010 at 7:00 pm

I quite agree with you with the ten habits that you listed. In my opinion, we need to be humble when blogging. This is a good habit that we need to have in order to survive in blogosphere. We should retain humble when writing the content or leaving the comment in others blog.
.-= New from KS Chen @ Google Adsense Tips Increase Adsense Revenue with New Feature =-.

Aminul Islam Sajib March 24, 2010 at 7:33 pm

Amazing article. I agree that all those habits do and should exist in every blogger.
.-= New from Aminul Islam Sajib BlogBuzzer – The Regular Dose for Search Engines & Directories =-.

Kidgas March 24, 2010 at 8:12 pm

I appreciate this list and think I am doing a reasonable job with most of them. My biggest problem is that I really haven’t had a plan overall. My blogging seems to be working out OK, but I clearly recognize that there is room for improvement.
.-= New from Kidgas Thinking About Michelle Adams Site Flipping Guide =-.

Danny from Blogs About Everything
Twitter:
March 24, 2010 at 8:41 pm

All your points were great I especially highlight point number two. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Appreciate every person that adds value to your blog when they leave a great comment.
.-= New from Danny @ Blogs About Everything DoFollow Vs NoFollow Debate =-.

Debbie from Heart Rate Monitor Watch March 24, 2010 at 9:10 pm

I would add
Don’t be afraid to write an occasional post outside your target area of interest. People have many interests and not hyper-focused on one idea.

It will make your blog more interesting and your readers will think you are more interesting.
.-= New from Debbie@Heart Rate Monitor Watch Polar F6 | Video Set Up and Use =-.

Ivan Walsh March 24, 2010 at 9:32 pm

Keep it interesting.

Zack March 24, 2010 at 11:20 pm

I would go with number 5, don’t lose sight of the goal. No matter what happens, a blogger should keep on doing he/she do. With perseverance, the goal would be reached.
.-= New from Zack http://www.Scottrade.com – Scottrade Login =-.

greenlants from Xbox Live Codes March 24, 2010 at 11:35 pm

A great list by guest author Tom. I especially like the line, “Unless your site is devoted to being rude and disrespectful, or acting this way is a part of your site’s mantra…..” I like it when blog owners reply to my comments, it makes me feel like I’m an actual part of the place and am wanted there. Sometimes when you first start something it can be exciting, and as time goes on, the excitement an newness of running a site/blog can go on a downward spiral fast. Reading articles like this one can motivate you to get back on track. Thanks!!!

Dennis Edell
Twitter:
March 27, 2010 at 12:11 pm

I think #5 – Don’t Lose Sight of the Goal – has got to be one of the easiest traps to fall into. I’ve caught myself more then once. I like to keep at least one, but no more then one other thing going on in multitasking.
.-= New from Dennis Edell Holy Power Outage Batman, Not Again! Yep, Another Two Days Shot to Hell… =-.

Mike from Computer Tips
Twitter:
March 28, 2010 at 10:28 pm

I believe that #1 (Game Plan) and #10 (Perseverance) and directly connected. You can continue to revise your Game Plan over time but if you don’t stick to it and if you don’t Persevere and work at it on a daily basis then all the other items may be futile.
.-= New from Mike @ Computer Tips ScanCafe Medium Format Black and White Negative Scanning =-.

SEO Company March 29, 2010 at 4:17 am

if you are a blog commenter i think best way is this you should have to read the whole post and make a relevant comment which is really real.
.-= New from SEO Company Apply SEO Techniques to your Blog =-.

Sami March 29, 2010 at 11:03 am

In my opinion “3. Communicate Properly” and “6. Provide Reliable Information” are the most important points. Blog articles should be written in such a way that the reader feels that article writer is talking with him. Reliable information is important not just for blogs, but for every website. It persuades visitors to come back for more info and you can make a strong and regular audience for your blog.

Jayce March 30, 2010 at 1:00 am

Think… Plan… Decide… Execute… :D
.-= New from Jayce Top 10 T-Mobile HTC HD2 Tweaks and Hacks =-.

Susan Young March 30, 2010 at 2:11 am

Great information and tips. The most important concept of blogging is to write about the reader. Help them solve their problems, address industry trends/challenges, be more successful. It’s never about you (the writer)—it’s always about them. That’s how you develop a following. Share valuable information without being self-serving and trying to sell. People ask me all the time “Why would anyone care about what I have to say?”—the answer is simple- because you are focusing on them.

Susan
.-= New from Susan Young 7 Symbols of Communication =-.

Alex from Darmreinigung Zuhause March 30, 2010 at 6:58 am

I just had that realization about a game plan a week ago. I was just generating content working on my blog but… where was that going? nowhere atleast not really targeted at all.

So I started writing things down that I want accomplish with my blog and what new project I want to start.

Yes, so true blogging is surely not easily earned money. It takes tons of discipline cause you are essentially on your own.

Thanks for the motivational article!
.-= New from Alex@Darmreinigung Zuhause Colon-Hydro-Therapie: Klingt komisch, was ist das? =-.

Scott from Forex Robot March 30, 2010 at 7:22 am

I really like number 2. Treating your bloggers with respect is def. a great habit to get into. It’s what keeps your readers coming back week after week.
.-= New from Scott@ Forex Robot Compare Forex Trading Software =-.

Starlight March 31, 2010 at 8:30 am

I think that is a good list, and I know you kind of touched on it with developing a routine at number 9, but I think the most important thing of all is to just keep posting. I run into so many blogs that have not had a post in years. All they are doing is just wasting space at a datacenter. Also, although I think it is good to try and stick to one topic some of the best blogs out there (well the ones I enjoyed reading the most) kind of lurch around between topics a bit!
.-= New from Starlight Land peel furniture revolution =-.

link building services April 1, 2010 at 8:41 pm

… Communicate Properly.. I think this is indeed the most important thing. I have seen blogs where I only could wounder about the person who posted it. There are so many uneducated bloggers out there that it is not funny anymore. They give out false data and false concepts in a language that only would do in the restroom and not even there. Sometimes it is really a disgrace. If you obey only this one rule you will make it with your blog. I hope that lots of bloggers will read this post and that they will have a cognition to the better.
.-= New from link building services Contextual Link Building – Is it Worth the Effort? =-.

American Bison April 3, 2010 at 1:04 am

From my experience the habits of a person definitely are a make it or break it in terms of weather the person will succeed or not. For me at least, one of the best things to do is being consistent, and to get things done. It is far too easy to do nothing, than to do something. At least that is my take on it.
.-= New from American Bison Yellowstone park =-.

Sire
Twitter:
April 8, 2010 at 5:48 pm

Persevering is really important. There are probably a lot of blogs that have disappeared which may be doing quite well if only they stuck it out a little longer.

I’ve always thought that the lifeblood of a blog was the comments that people left. The more comments you get the more alive your blogs appear. The thing is that comments do not appear out of nowhere. If you’ve just started a blog don’t expect to write lots of posts and to have comments magically appear on those posts.

You have to let people know those posts are there and there are a lot of social media sites that can aid you in this. It’s also a good idea to comment on other peoples blogs, as good well structured, informative comments will encourage others to visit your blog.
.-= New from Sire Win A Trip For Two To Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion =-.

JR from Internet Marketing April 13, 2010 at 11:47 pm

I always think of my reader before anything else, and I strive to provide them very comprehensive information, that is accurate, and also highly useful, with many resources and step-by-step guides that I hope can really help them to achieve success in their online biz, valuable content I think is the crux of any blog and readers will come back time and again for more.
.-= New from JR @ Internet Marketing Website Speed Now A Definite Factor in Google Rankings and 12 Tools to Check Site Speed =-.

Mansoor April 14, 2010 at 5:19 am

Thanx for the awesome article!
I think I more want the readers to get into the post, as I provide latest and relevent information. Can you post some more good and effective habits?
Happy Blogging!
.-= New from Mansoor Koobface Continues To Harm Your PC =-.

Grant in Nashville April 19, 2010 at 6:16 pm

I would say that habitual, to the point of obsessed, content generation about interesting and relevant topics that a set of dedicated people tend to read online.
.-= New from Grant in Nashville Q1 2010 Nashville Condo Closings =-.

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