5 Things to try in 2018 to keep your blog fresh

 

 

The New Year has well and truly rolled in and now is the perfect time to have a deep and introspective think about what you want to achieve in the coming year. One thing you might want to add to your list is to try out some new techniques for your blog. The New Year is the perfect time to try out some of those platforms or programs that you’ve been putting in the ‘too hard basket’ or simply haven’t had the momentum/energy/time.

We’ve put together some ideas for you to try out this year to really keep your blog fresh and keep that traffic coming in! Some of these might seem a bit obvious for the experienced bloggers, but with all the information out there, it’s easy for it to quickly become overwhelming and things can get missed or fly off your radar!

1. Create an Instagram page for your blog

Instagram isn’t just for the models that post pictures at the beach or a place for people to post all of their pet pictures (although it is super adorable!). Instagram is one of the most used platforms today and is used by people of all ages and industries. Due to being used by such a widespread demographic it can be a fantastic platform for your blog.

One of the benefits of having an Instagram account for your blog is that it allows you to reach a large audience and use hash tags to get likes and followers which can result in more traffic to your blog. Instagram is a fantastic way to get your content out there. When used ‘correctly’ Instagram can really showcase your brand so that people are likely to visit your blog because they like what they see.It’s also a great way to build a relationship with the public and it gives people a sense of trust that you are who you say you are! If you still feel a bit unsure about the best way to create your own Instagram page for your blog, we’ll be putting up another article that talks about the best way to go about it and how to get the best results. 

2. Tweet Tweet

I know what you’re probably thinking, isn’t Twitter for people who just want to talk about their day and post pictures of their lunch? How could that be beneficial for a blog?Of course there are people who do that on their personal accounts, but Twitter is so much more than that! Twitter is a way to share your content to a wide range audience and it’s a good way to share frequent content. One of the benefits to Twitter is that content is consumed quickly, so it’s not strange to post important posts several times a week etc. Much like Instagram, it’s also a great way to utilizehashtags and make them work for your brand, which attracts people to your blog.  Much like all the social media platforms, Twitter is a great way to show people you are an active user and not simply a bot that uploads random content.

Having a Twitter account and actively using it is good way to really showcase who you are as a blogger and as an influencer. When people see this, they are more likely to have people interested in your blog, which means having the right audience actively following your blog.This is the goal, since these people are more likely to take your advice on affiliate products or spend money on your Shopify account.

3. Share the love – reach out to others in your community

The great thing about blogging is that there is plenty of traffic to go around! One of the best things you can do is reach out to those within your community (aswell as outside of!). By making friends and connections, you are in a great position to share ideas and support each other in succeeding. More minds are always better than one.

Another great thing about making connections within the community is the ability to do ‘guest’ posts on each others blogs which means that you are reaching more people and it’s a win-win situation! So, in 2018, try to reach out to some people that you wouldn’t normally be inclined to and get yourself some blogging companions!

4. Time to rethink those pixelated, dark or faded images!

Do you post pictures to your blog that you took with your phone? Or maybe ones you’ve found on the Internet? Images are so important for getting the interest of your audience and can really be the deciding factor on whether a post does well. That’s because as humans, we are attracted to nice looking images – it’s as simple as that! If you haven’t already, this year you should try out some image editing programs. Some of my favorites are Canva and Photoshop but you should try some different ones that are out there (there are so many available that are free!) and get a feel for what you like. Learning to use photo editing programs or apps can really take your blogging game to the next level and allows you to create eye-catching content that people simply can’t help but click on!

5. Try spending a bit of money on your blog – sounds counter productive but hear us out!

I’m sure you’re familiar with the tune ‘you have to spend money to make money’, as it’s been hounded into most people throughout their lives and it is absolutely true for the blogging world as well! Spending a bit of money on things like Facebook or Instagram campaigns, higher quality programs (Photoshop pro etc.) or experienced writers to add content to your blog can make all the difference, especially if your time is limited.

You don’t have to spend much, we’re not suggesting you dish out thousands of $$, but a bit of money can go a long way and can really bring more people into your site and/or give you a more professional looking site. So this year, try putting a little bit towards something that can make your blog better/get more visitors!

The New Year is a great time to think about all those things you wanted to try last year but never got around it! We hope this has been helpful in getting you to think about different approaches and we hope you have fun exploring the different things there are to try out there – after all, it’s about making the most of what’s available and making it work for you!