5 Tips on Running a Good Blog

These days a good blog is essential for any small business, but if you dive in head first without a plan of attack you’ll simply be wasting time. Don’t write for writing’s sake, but put some thought into each post and you’ll increase both traffic and conversion rates thanks to the personal touch a blog provides. Here are five tips to think about while running your personal or business blog:
Update regularly It’s important to ensure you update your blog on a regular basis – once a week is a good minimum. Don’t post anything just to keep it ticking over, but find something interesting about your industry, or something in the world of current affairs that you can comment on, and you’ll be on the right track. A neglected blog makes it look like you don’t care about your website, and therefore that you don’t care about your website visitors.
Break up the text into chunks This one is a simple writing recommendation but one that is often ignored. Blog posts should always be a minimum of 300 words, and ideally they should be longer. But write all of that interesting content in one large paragraph and nobody will read it, which can increase your bounce rate and have a negative SEO impact on your website. Short paragraphs with subheadings are much more pleasing to the eye, and much easier for readers to process, giving your post more impact.
Use strong imagery In a similar vein to the point above, images help to break up your blog post and can support your writing. If you’re looking to have your post shared amongst your social networks and industry peers, you’ll certainly need to make sure you have good quality images to help make it more appealing to readers. If you can, use your own images of your business where appropriate, but free image libraries are available online if you need them.
Use URL slugs A URL slug is the part of your web address that directs people to the blog post. Use them correctly with the keywords of your blog and you’ll see a marked improvement in SEO performance, as it is easier for visitors and search engines to understand what the page is about. Are you more likely to click on www.blog.com/post/5-tips-for-a-good-blog, or www.blog.com/post/1232981?
Anti-virus software You should protect yourself and start using the best anti-virus software you can find, both on your PC and, if required, as part of your blog hosting software. Hackers are always looking to exploit weaknesses in websites, regardless of the size or scale of your business, so install and use anti-virus software to ensure your computer and website are protected and your work is safe.
What is your best tip for running a good blog?