Clean Up Your Blog

5 Techniques From Lectures That Make for Healthier Blogs

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1. Don’t Overlook the Fundamentals

A good lecturer will cover the basics, either by providing you with additional reading materials or at the start of their talk or series. As a blogger, covering the fundamentals is important because it provides you with varied content, enabling you to answer more questions, while creating longer lasting impressions in Google.

Think about it, a quality article on a topic that people will always have to research out of interest for your field will drive traffic to your blog for much longer, and more consistently than a topical piece will.

*Fundamentals will vary, but every field has it’s basics. E.g as a food retailer, the basics of food include recipes, histories of recipes, explanations of spices etc.

Christina Aguilera went Back to Basics once, and today she’s known as “The Voice”

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2. Stay CurrentA good lecturer will draw your attention back to on-going issues with topical examples and use the news to highlight potential problems, hypotheses and solutions.

Being topical can increase your SEO ranking in the short term by driving high volumes of traffic to your site, for shorter periods of time.

Got budget? Try hiring an extra copy-writer just to produce news and opinion articles and commentary. If publishing in high volumes doesn’t meet your strategy then aim for striking a healthy balance between topical and fundamental pieces in your publishing schedule. (Aim for one of each a month)

Keeping up to date with current news and trends drives more traffic because it provides opportunities to be more vocal on social networks and make your blog appear relevant.

Think like Madonna. She’s been current for years

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3. Maintain and Establish an Expertise

Take a good look back to your university days and you’ll probably remember that most of your lecturers had a specialty. They spent time researching a particular area, perhaps publishing books and articles on the topic, establishing themselves as experts.

One thing that you can do for the good of your blog is to find a niche area (or two) of expertise. This is, in marketing speak your blog’s “Unique Selling Point” or USP. What you’re really doing, is shaping your blog’s “persona” and can help to cultivate a loyal audience for your blog.

Establishing your brand as an expert at ‘YXZ’ is a reputation building exercise that shouldn’t be overlooked and can help dictate everything on your blog, from appearance to style and tone.

Steven Seagal, for example, is an expert bad ass!

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4. Travel and Spread the WordYou’ve probably attended a guest lecture or two in your life, or at least heard the expression “the lecture circuit”. That’s because experts travel and spread the word... you should do the same.

You should really consider writing for other online publishers in order to strengthen your brand name, and your appearance on search.

No one’s asking you to contribute?

Then write column pitches to other blogs, targeted websites, and even offline publications in order to spread your word further. Choose your subject matters and target wisely, and you will lend your blog additional credence and reach.

Steve Carrell’s character took his sales expertise on the lecture circuit in The Office.

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5. Integrate Media

An entertaining lecture will incorporate various types of media. The same is true for blogs. You will be much more interesting and attract more attention by publishing content that is accessible to everyone.

Web comics, video series, infographics and charts are all compelling ways to communicate ideas and can be used to cultivate presences on other digital channels and create cross-promotion opportunities between your blog and other channels.

Mix media for better results.