9 Simple Changes Writers Can Make to Their Blogging Sites

A list of simple changes writers can make to get the most out of their blogging and website efforts (and get back to writing).

I’ll let you in on a little secret, blogging sucks. More so, if you’re an author (or aspiring author) who errs on the side of creativity rather than SEO-friendly, content marketable, keyword laden dribble. Even worse, the internet has become so inundated with such gimmicky nonsense that it’s almost impossible to distinguish the people from the marketing departments. The irony is, if you’re an industry newbie, having a website and blogging platform can help build your credibility within it.

Writers, luckily, are busy people. We have stories to tell, worlds to build and characters to put through obstacles. We don’t want to waste time making sure our websites have the proper keywords and SEO rankings. And, if we had the money, I’m sure many would rather spend it on notebooks instead of web “experts”.

Looking to improve your #author website? Here are 9 Simple Changes to Get the Most Out of Your Blogging Site. Click To Tweet

As one of those web “experts”, and someone who recently spent two grueling months updating my website, I get it.

Although marketing and SEO are (truly) disgusting words that detract us from doing what we love, they’re important to getting our work noticed. To help my fellow writers make the most of their blogging and website efforts (and get back to writing), I’ve assembled a list of simple changes you can make today.

9 Simple Changes to Get the Most Out of Your Blogging Site

1. CREATE A GREAT BIO

It doesn’t matter if it’s an entire page, or a simple paragraph, let your visitors know who you are. You’re a writer, so give them an impressive story. What was it that made you want to write? What are some interesting things about you? Who are some of your favorite authors?

2. INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL LINKS

Don’t forget to include links to your social media profiles in your bio, as well as, in the footer (or header or both) of your website. In addition, make sure your social media profiles list your website’s domain (your website is home base). While you’re on this step, check that your social profiles paint a professional picture of yourself.

3. PROMOTE YOUR PROJECTS

Visitors are coming to your site to learn more about you and your work, so tell them about it. Give an update on your current WIP, promote your last self-published piece (with a link to purchase) and tell them about any upcoming events.

4. ENGAGE WITH CONTENT

Keeping a blog is cumbersome but necessary. Websites consist of static pages, which search engines eventually ignore as time goes on. Blogging creates fresh pages (as posts) and thus requires the search engines to “crawl” the site more often. This results in higher ranking and better visibility. You can publish posts once a week or once a month and don’t forget to:

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5. SHARE YOUR CONTENT

There’s no harm in plugging your own content on social media. Remember to pepper in your posts among your regular posting/sharing and try not to be "gimmicky" about it. Even better, you can include sharing tools within your posts (there are several available for free) allowing your visitors the opportunity to share your content to their followers.

6. INCLUDE A SUBSCRIBE OPTION

If you’re attracting visitors, you want to keep them. You do this by providing a subscriber form somewhere on your blog. You can find these from your contact management website. Make it simple (the longer the form, the less interest) and entice new subscribers with a fun giveaway or a sneak peek at a recent project, etc.

7. KEEP IT SIMPLE AND ORGANIZED

Modern day websites are clean, organized and very much to-the-point. Don’t clutter your website with unnecessary graphics or extensive chunks of text. Use a simple font, an eye-catching color palette, and name your pages accordingly.

8. INSTALL ANALYTICS

Whether self-hosted or through a platform, your site must include analytics. Analytics help you understand the content which resonates with your audience, your traffic sources and the most visited areas of your site. Review your analytics once a month to develop/expand content that’ll keep attracting visitors.

9. MAKE IT MOBILE

Your blogging website should be mobile-friendly. Luckily, there are plenty of templates/services available which can help optimize your site for viewing on small-screen/mobile devices.

Happy Writing.