Is blogging dead? No, blogging is far from deceased. But the harsh truth is a lot of old practices and strategies of blogging have become completely obsolete. Many writers have ‘niched down,’ and this is exactly how you can blog today without blending into the noise. When starting a blog, don’t play it safe and repeat what other experts are saying. Similarly, don’t talk about everything under the sun. If you express something authentic and specific, the right people will tune in.
5 Strategies That No Longer Work in Blogging
Alex Nerney of Create and Go recently wrote some tactics and strategies that are either dying or already dead in the blogging world.
1. Clickbaity Headlines
It used to be a good idea to use an enticing headline. The titles that shocked the reader couldn’t help but click through the article. The problem with clickbait titles is when the headline does not fulfill the promise – the main reason someone clicks on a blog post.
You are trying to promise something mind-blowing, and you generally can’t deliver on that promise. And when that happens, people quickly leave your website.
If you want to win against your competitors, focus on writing headlines based on the real purpose of your content.
2. Lack of Focus
Sharing too many posts on diverse topics will confuse your readers about what your blog’s expertise is.
For example, if you start a generic fashion or food blog today, it’s not likely going to work. Or you will at least have more difficulty monetizing it than other blogs. However, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start a fashion or food blog. You have to make it more specific. It would be best if you found your niche to reach a targeted group of readers.
3. Blogging About Your Personal Life
Gone are the days when bloggers posted about their personal lives on their websites.
There was a time when people would follow personal or lifestyle bloggers through their websites. People would share stories about their kids, what they ate that day, or share weird personal details that people connected with. This is entertainment content.
Entertainment content and personal blogging have moved from websites to social media, particularly Instagram. You can still blog about your personal experiences but doing this today can no longer guarantee blogging success. You’ll need a legit Instagram or YouTube channel to support your blog.
4. Posting All the Time to Get Traffic
Another outdated blogging technique is posting more content to drive more traffic. More blog posts indeed mean more chances for more traffic. To some extent, yes. But that was in the past when content was more scarce on the internet.
The internet has since evolved into multimedia with a mixed bag of more blogs and other content than ever. And it is tremendously growing.
5. Blogging Without Supporting Video/Audio
Starting podcasts and YouTube channels are the trends these days. More people are listening to podcasts and audiobooks while multitasking instead of sitting on the couch reading a book. Your blog needs to level up into a multimedia site if you want it to survive into the future.
Well-known bloggers are primarily reaching people through the following:
- Blog
- YouTube
- Email List
- Podcast
Five Ways to Get More Blog Readers
It’s time to scrap the old strategies mentioned above and devote your time applying these practical ways to reel in more readers to your blog.
1. Adopt At Least One Social Media Platform
The reality is that people aren’t staying on blogs to read authors’ stories like they used to. Today, people have seen traffic stagnate or decline. This could be attributed to many factors, but a big part of it is that readers spend their time on other things. Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn have increased in popularity. Most users can spend time on one of those platforms and see content from all the bloggers they admire.
If you want your blog to flourish in 2022, you need to pick at least one other platform for your content and promote your content. For instance, if your site contains pretty images and photos, you should go for Instagram. On the other hand, if your videography is your thing, invest in YouTube. Or, as an expert on your chosen niche and want to get more business-to-business (B2B), you can benefit from LinkedIn.
Embracing at least one platform will increase web traffic, income, and audience loyalty.
2. Invest in More Video Content to Supplement Your Blog
As you’ve noticed, video content is blowing up in popularity online. It’s because it is easier to create videos nowadays. People have built entire brands simply around their Instagram Stories. Blogging isn’t dead, but blogs benefit from supporting video content.
Clue: It’s not for fame, subscribers, or traffic. Instead, it all boils down to a single word: Trust.
3. Use Email Automation and Segmentation
Creating an email list is the most effective method for building a real business around a blog. This is the best way to monetize a website and, once again, an excellent opportunity to build trust.
By embracing advanced email automation and segmentation, you can give each of your subscribers more helpful information for their daily lives. It entails extra work at first, but you’ll benefit more if you group your readers into like-minded segments. Doing this will enable your targeted email subscribers to speak precisely about the topics they are interested in.
4. Become An Expert Writer
If you want to run a successful blog, you’ve gotta be a good writer! It’s a no-brainer. The most valuable skill you can master in life and business is copywriting. Here are the advantages and uses of copywriting skills:
- Write compelling sales pages
- Do reviews for affiliate products or services
- Send emails that are read and responded
- Convince your loved one to see an action thriller rather than a romantic comedy.
5. Find a Supportive Community
You’re already going against the grain and doing something unconventional when running a lifestyle business. Because of that, it’s essential to find people who connect with it.
Specifically, it’s important to find two communities: The first is people going through the same thing as you. They’re motivated, accountable, and dependable.
The second community comprises people who have “been there, done that.” We’re not talking about Richard Branson or Elon Musk here. We are talking about the people who are just a few steps ahead of where you are. They are the ones who can mentor you and help you stay in the game.
Blogging Isn’t Dead
So, is blogging dead? No. It just evolved. While it’s more challenging today than it was in the 90s, there are many perks to starting a blog. And if you apply the five ways to encourage more readers, you will potentially beat 99 percent of bloggers out there. Plus, you’ll experience growth well into 2022 and in the future.
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