Want to blog better in 2011? We’re here to help.
For those of you who want to take your blog to the next level in 2011 (perhaps you’ve stepped up to the Post a Day or Post a Week challenge), we’ve got your back.
From now on, we’ll be offering tips on blogging best practices to help you produce high-quality content, boost your readership, and make the most of all the fabulous WordPress.com features.
Here’s a handful of resources to get you started:
Need an idea?
Check out The Daily Post for a daily dose of writing tips and encouragement, or browse the Freshly Pressed posts or tag pages for inspiration. You can also combat writer’s block by tackling a thought-provoking Plinky prompt.
Keep in mind that the some of the best blogs are focused on one main subject and often target a specific audience. If you feel like you’re losing your focus, think about the reason why you started blogging in the first place, and how you define blogging success. Still feeling lost? Give these brainstorming exercises a shot.
Think you don’t have time to post?
Sure you do — WordPress.com users publish about half a million new posts every day. If so many others can find time, you can, too!
If you’re in a pinch, keep it simple with QuickPress. If you’re on the go, use WordPress.com on your mobile phone or create a post by email. You can even phone in an audio post! Writing posts in advance and setting them to automatically publish in the future is also a great idea for times when you’re going to be busy.
Want more visitors?
As long as you’re enjoying your blog, you’re successful. But if you want to draw a larger audience and interact more with other bloggers, there are plenty of ways to do so. Here’s one suggestion to get you started.
Consider this: You probably search the web for information frequently, and you’re able to find what you need pretty quickly (most of the time), right? That’s because you don’t carefully peruse all the information on a given topic, you rapidly scan page titles and headlines for specific keywords and phrases. Even when you’re leisurely browsing the web with no specific destination in mind, you use page titles to quickly determine whether or not a link is worth clicking.
Your blog post titles show up in a variety of places on the web and in the WordPress.com community. So if you want to boost traffic to your site, take the time to write descriptive, captivating headlines for your posts. For example, a post titled “Summer Vacation 2010” might be descriptive enough for you and your friends, but “Beaches, Bungee Jumping, and Backpacking: My Adventures in Costa Rica” has a much better chance of attracting new visitors.
Check out Are You Writing Rockin’ Blog Post Titles? for tips on how to write better headlines.
Make 2011 your best blogging year ever!
Remember that you’re a part of a huge community of people who are passionate about blogging. We hope you’ll utilize comments and likes to offer feedback, support, and encouragement to one another as you work toward your blogging goals for 2011.
- January 21, 2011
- Better Blogging, Resources
Very nice. I try and post daily–helps to keep an audience
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So WordPress bloggers post half a million posts a day — and people have a hard time finding MY blog? I wonder why?
You’re challenging people to post something every day. That’s well and good for those who actually have something useful to say once per day. I’m afraid you may be contributing to the syndrome of “more content, less meaningful stuff.”
Just my two cents’ worth.
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I very like your idea
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Great info, EJ. Just changed some titles and will keep these tips in mind.
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This post was so inspiring. I have made countless goals to post at least twice a week. Since 2011, I have been blogging more. It feels great to have a blogging community to vent to. Enjoy your evening WordPress.
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Yes, thank you for the ideas…LOVE the effort…Keep me posted 🙂
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I am going to try the post a week challenge too. Kind of new to blogging so it should be fun!
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This is great¡ Thank you so much. I have done my brainstorming and it really works¡¡
I definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking forward to blog but not quite sure what to blog about yet.
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I did not know that you could have posts set to be automatically published at a set time. That’s pretty awesome. I learn something new about this place every day. Thanks for the ideas!
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Awesome Erica, thank you
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Great article!
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thanks
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Thanks for all the tips.
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Good point re the jazzing up of blog titles – now wheres that thesarus (or News of the World headline generator….!)
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Thank you 😉
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Nice, informative post.
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Thank you!!!!
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Great post!!! Inspirational Post. Motivating hints.
Thanks.
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Thanks very much for this. We’re tabling this at our project meeting on Wednesday for discussion of 2011 goals.
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Thanks.
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Thanks, Nice motivations
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good advice for us. Thank you
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definitely doing the post a week challenge this year!
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Very helpful as usual. It is like riding a bike I guess… takes time to get up to speed. WordPress advice is greatly appreciated.
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Nice!
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I’m loving my blog so much, I just started out in September and it has literally kept me sane through the past 4 months. The community here has been so great, l would never dream of another blogsite. Keeping us sharp with articles like these is a really good reason why. Thanks!
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Thanks for your valuable Tips.Keep going
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I found the best way to generate reads, is to look at it the other way around… The more people’s blogs I read and comment on, the more people do the same back! ^_^
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Great tips! Thanks! 😀
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I thought I’m the smartest guy in the world :> but you gave me simple good advice about titles, thnx Erica!
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Thank you very much!
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The tips are very useful. Thanks!!!
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Thats very interesting and helpful. Thank you
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I’m having my go at the Post-A-day challenge. So far, it’s been working. Doubled at times. Then again, I’ve only just begun. 😀
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Nice tips. I’m a newbie here. Nice to know you all 🙂
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It’s quite embarassing to say I’ve signed on for plenty of blogs and never actually stuck to one apart from the one I had in Xanga agessss ago…so even though I’m not sure if I’m up to participating for PostADay or PostAWeek yet, I feel that my current blog is finally substance and something I’m passionate about. Great article!
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Thanks for your help…I´ll try to improve myself ; )
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didn’t know you could write and have them published at later dates automatically…..brilliant, thanks for the tips
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A blog a day…… well you know the rest 🙂
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Appreciate all of the tips….have so many wonderful human interest stories to share from the fabulous world where our active aging are truly LIVING the WHOLE LIFE with passion, zest and purpose!
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Hey great post Erica..
I specially liked the “Title” tips you gave..
Their all awsome tips that if applied well you will soon see your blog rock n’ rolling…
“I’ll stick with the post a week mood..”
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I’m new to this blogging and it’s a bit strange at first but I think I’m getting the hang of it.
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Thanks for the article! Definitely helpful!
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Thank you so much for The tips.
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Simple & direct! thanks lots I do have problem squeezing in time to blog as much as I love to. 🙂
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thanks for the tips.. it really help… a lot.,..
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amazing words… thank you…
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thanks!
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saludos desde venezuela apenas comienzo a realizar mi primer blogs se que seran utiles estos consejos gracias
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very good ideas! =)
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I totally made a better blog title for my blogs today. Thank you!
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Thanks!!!
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great to blog…. thanks
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Good tips. Keep up the good work , I am a newbie will be trying the post day trick in the near future. I have allready scheduled numerous posts.
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Interesting article – many thanks!
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This year, I do plan to be a better blogger.. Thank you for sharing such useful tips Miss Erica! 🙂
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This is really helpful, mostly for new comers on WordPress like me. Thanks
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Thanks for the tips!
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I am an novice at blogging and the entire internet process, but I am trying to learn. I found your article interesting and will try some of the ideas.
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this will be very helpful in hoping to gain more awareness and support for my gaming review blog.
I’m hoping to attract other blog gamers, communicate as well as improve my blog all the time
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thank you so much for your help….
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great
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Your stuff is so helpful to me.thks so much.
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thanks.
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thank you. I am getting good stats especially last year. nearly reaching from 100 – 200 readers a day….. in my 3rd year as well. Its getting exciting. I am also stepping up my game with catchy titles.
Also following a blog schedule I have made up for myself. Being a hobbyist I am a hobby blogger and really enjoying it a lot.
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thanks for the tips!
they’re great!
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thanks for your information. it’s such useful for me
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yap, i’m trying to post everyday in this 2011 🙂
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Thanks for the info, really helps, especially about how to get more traffic on a blog. Awesome work thanks.
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I agree with you about the title. The title is very important! I do go for the titles that appeal to me and it’s usually more descriptive. If the title is a bit ambiguous, it does not draw my attention. I enjoy blogging and I always try to tell myself that that’s the most important thing, but it’s hard not to want more traffic because I work so hard for the blog!
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good one…!
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This is great advice! I’m def going to improve my blog for 2011!
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Thank you 😉 .
I completely agree with you, especially about creating a blog focused on a main theme, targeting a specific audience. If not, it´s more difficult to blog. Also I´d like to ad: never forget to put tags on your posts. When people use search engines to find a certain topic, it works with tags; if you take the time to put the right tags, it´ll be easier to get your blog more accessible.
Thanks for the helpful post!
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Nice tips! Thanks for sharing… 🙂
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great advice.thank you
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Thanks Erica! I’m about to write a post aimed at new librarians about how to establish a professional web presence, and I’m going to include a link to this blog post! I struggle with writer’s block a lot, but since my blog is on my C.V., it’s important that I stick with it.
Much appreciated. 🙂
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Thanks
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I just started blogging and feel a bit lost in the technology, thank you for the tips i appreciate the time it takes to put this together.
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im very much excited this year, am glad i came back here in wordpress to start a new beginning to online success…
thank you so much for the great tips.
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Thanks for these reminders!
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Thanks ! Great advice and enthusiasim!!!
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lovely post …has motivated me a lot 😀 …thanx for sharing your experience …!!!
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Thanks much. 🙂
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Great article! Should result in a lot of great entries!
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Thanks. Especially thankful for the ways to attract more traffic. My blog kind of hides in the shadows. I think of it as Batman to ease my true feelings of aggravation. :):)
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thanks for your help
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Awesome challenge, I just started my blog again, and what a way to get in the habit of sharing your thoughts. I am so going to accept the challenge. Good job on continuing the great content.
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Thanks so much for this Erica! I’m writing a post for new librarians about how to create a professional presence online, and I have linked to you great article — bravo!
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Nice tips
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Thanks for the helpful information!
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I really love your advice, thanks Erica.
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very helpful tips. i decided to work on my blog more serious in this 2011, and i read your article and i find it very useful.
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Matur nuwun sanget ( Thanks )
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wp team rocks for all fresh and great ideas they invent and discover for bloggers.
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I wonder how many I words I can post this year? Well I’m not a blogging maniac quite yet but I have a feeling I soon will be.
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thanks for this adivice
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Nice tips.. thanks…
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Yup keep up the great work.
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You know, I actually can’t remember why I started blogging in the first place. What I do remember is that when I started the term blog hadn’t even been coined. The web’s graphic interface had come along, I’d been writing on Usenet, various BBSes and email lists for years, and I think I just moved across without thinking too much about it. So I lost my focus a long way back, which means my blog, on its various platforms, has changed, changed and changed again. I suppose that’s why it’s still going—I never got bored with it. As for keeping it going, well, it would be nice to write a 20th anniversary post in August 2014. And that’s not too far off.
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nice idea.. i like it.
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