Many Beauty Brains members are bloggers, so we often get questions about running a blog. Here are our top 25 tips to help you build traffic and improve your blog.
Keep checking back often
A blog differs from a regular web page in that it updates more frequently and contains more content. Blogs should be updated daily if you are serious about blogging. This will increase your search engine traffic. (Learn more about that later.)
Create original, high-quality content
Many beauty blogs review products. Try to give a new spin to product reviews. We answer product operation questions because we are Beauty Brains scientists. Find a way to tie your hobby or career to beauty. If you are interested in graphic design, you might blog about cosmetic packaging and graphics. You could blog about historical beauty products. Get creative!
Comment on other beauty blogs
This is an important tip if you are just starting your own beauty blog. Make sure you are visible to the beauty community. You should not be ashamed to ask for link love. You shouldn’t expect to get it all the time. It’s a good idea to remind other bloggers and new bloggers that you are still out there, even if you have been blogging for a while.
Register for TechnoratiIt is an Internet search engine that catalogs blogs and can make yours more visible. It can help you locate blogs that are similar to yours.
Send your stories to social networking websites like Digg or Reddit
You’ll get a lot more traffic if you have a great headline and your post is voted up. WordPress plugin even lets readers submit their stories automatically. Although we don’t recommend it as a way to build traffic, it can be a nice way to boost your numbers for the day.
Do something a little bit controversial
Do not be afraid to speak out on something that isn’t popular. You might get a lot more attention and passion, which could lead to more comments. You might lose some readers if you upset them but it’s more likely that you will spark discussion.
The number of posts on larger beauty forums will amaze you. One of the most popular is the Long Hair Community. Makeup Alley is another great resource. Your traffic can be greatly boosted by a mention on these sites. You’ll also find people who share your outlook.
Label them with interesting graphics
Many beauty blogs use the same types of photos. It’s okay to make a few choices that are a bit different. This will help you stand out among the rest. People searching Google image for graphics can find your blog easier if your graphics are tagged with names – even if it’s just a picture.
If you blog regularly about search terms, you can “own” them. Hit Tail allows you to find search terms people are looking for when they visit your blog.
Look beyond beauty
Blogs about wine, travel, maternity clothes, and beauty products are popular with women. Your readers may have other interests than beauty. This means that you can increase traffic by visiting other types of blogs.
Be engaging
To keep your readers engaged, use quizzes and contests. WordPress plugins are available for contests and polls. Blogthings.com also offers fun games.
Reach out to your readers
As many comments and emails as possible on your posts. You should respond to everyone who contacts you. It is a great way to “build your blog community.”
Register for a blog network
You’ll meet great people, receive “swag” and deals for your readers, and even be able to get help creating content. Sign up to a blog network such as Coutorture and all of these benefits are yours.
You can keep a list of post ideas in a social network
Writing block happens to everyone at some point. Having a list of tags on del.icio.us is a great help. Bookmark the page when you like an article and return to it later. Digg, Reddit and other beauty blogs can help you find stories.
Your emails will be responded to quickly
This is especially important when you are hungry for attention at the beginning and don’t receive many emails. Every email should be answered, except spam. If your blog is popular, you will eventually get too many emails. You won’t have the time to answer them all. This is the problem we are facing now.
You can link to other blogs and websites you enjoy
It’s a great idea to tell them. It’s a great way to talk about people. You might even get them talking about you. This is great news for blog traffic.
You don’t have to be a “techie” to learn SEO. This will help you understand what Google likes about your site. Aaron Wall’s SEOBook blog is one of the most popular.
A great headline will grab readers’ attention quickly
Here’s a link that will take you to one of our favorite headline writing tips posts. We have seen a lot of beauty blogs fail to pay attention to their headlines. There’s so much information on the internet, that good headlines can grab attention. Great headlines are made of lists and “How To” posts.
Make an About page
Make it easy for people learn about you and why they should care. You’re unique just like everyone else. People want to know the person they are reading about. Consider including a photo on your homepage. A blog with a picture on the front page is more likely to keep fans.
Make your posts simple to read
Use short paragraphs, readable fonts, and bulleted list (like this one). Blog posts that are short and concise work better than those with long paragraphs.
Optimize your blog design
Start your blog with one of these great free themes. You may eventually want to modify and monetize the blog. Your blog’s effectiveness can be affected by the layout of your columns, how you place your ads and any hidden code. You will likely need professional help if you are not an html expert. Although it will cost you, we recommend The Blog Studio for help with site design.
Monitor your traffic
It’s so time-consuming to create a blog. Don’t you wish to find out if someone is actually reading it? Yes! Although there are many free options, the best is Google Analytics or Sitemeter. These have been the most successful.
Keep going!
Our blog has been about beauty blogging for less than a year. We are now one of the “old-timers.” Many beauty blogs are abandoned after just 5 to 6 months. People seem to run out of ideas. If you can stay on the air for more than six months, there will be many people who want to listen to what you have to share every day.
