The secret to responding to the rapidly changing needs of your audience is in fact no secret at all. The cold hard truth is every single blog in existence, can in one way or another be improved. Neglecting to continuously scan your much beloved site can often drag you into the bottomless pit of failure.
The following are an array of tips I have developed through trial and error.
1. Perhaps the most obvious, yet surprisingly the most neglected. Continuously updating your blog with fresh content provides an incentive for your readers to come back. Neglecting this point will also make any of the following tips practically useless. This is covered more in depth here and here.
2. Whenever giving out your email address, ensure it is made out on your blog domain.
3. Jump onto favicon.cc and learn how to create a favicon for your blog. Creating a favicon can consequently differentiate your blog by creating a lasting impression in the minds of your readers. Furthermore, your site is more visually appealing when your visitors are sorting through links in their address bars.
4. Make your blog user friendly by removing any unnecessary widgets from your side bar(s). Besides slowing your site down, an excessive amount of widgets will shift the focus off your content and may make navigating your site more difficult.
5. Simplify any contact forms that you might have on your blog. The epitome of blogging is being able to easily establish a dialogue with your readers and neglecting this can disadvantage you big time.
6. Create a permanent glossary section if your blog is of a technical nature. Besides adding value to your blog, it creates the impression that you’re willing to help out the less experienced visitors.
7. Remove any additional Flash images, videos or other content that might take time to upload and aren’t really necessary.
8. No tacky music please, as it is very irritating and increases uploading time. Furthermore, it creates the impression that you’re merely an amateur.
9. If you don’t post original creative content on your blog, add a copyright advisory note at the bottom of the page. Getting busted (which you probably will) will adversely affect your reputation and create a mountain of other legal related problems.
10. Remember to include an archives section, especially for a long running or complicated blog. While this provides a convenient way for your visitors to browse your older posts, it is also something search engines wish for under their pillows.
11. You can also create a map for navigation through various posts.
12. Add internal links within the content of your posts, linking up relevant posts for easy access. This promotes your other work, which consequently keeps users glued to your blog for longer. This is also an effective SEO strategy.
13. Add relevant pictures or diagrams wherever applicable. This can make a blog post much more tempting to read.
14. Your content should be formatted so that it is easy to read.
15. Run a spell check on every post before posting it. Neglecting this can damage your reputation as somebody who is both competent and committed.
16. And a grammar check.
17. Create a theme for your blog and stick to it. Your readers need to have a clear image of what it is exactly you’re offering.
18. Unless some content is more relevant, create all text in one uniform color; otherwise your blog may look too jarring.
19. Add you contact details and keep these separate from you private contact details. While point number 5 centered on the importance of a contact form, the internet is now a much more complex place than it previously was. Allowing your readers to reach you on several social media mediums can intensify the sense of community around your blog.
20. The font used should be large enough to be easily read but small enough to be considered a part of a blog for grown ups. Please don’t disregard this tip because it is last. I have seen this endlessly on a wide array of blogs, and cannot help but feel for the owner who is more than likely suffering as a result.