Congratulations! You have a blog with content and a nice design… however that isn't enough!
How are you going to make this your best blogging year yet?
You need to do something out of the ordinary, gain attention and do it better than your competition!
Right now may be the best time for you to take a look at your blog and see where you can find room for improvement and get creative.
This is exactly what I have been going through with my blog at BloggingTips.com.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I haven't been able to give the site the dedication and attention it deserves, but that is going to change in 2013!
I've already made plenty of changes to the site to improve navigation, remove excess advertising, bring in a new team of writers and I have a personal goal to bring the site into the top 10,000 ranking on Alexa and to at least double the traffic.
So how can all of these big goals be accomplished?
One of the best ways to do this is to put yourself in the spotlight and gain the attention of others.
This is exactly what I am doing with my blog case study, which not only highlights the changes I've made to the site, but it also puts me out there in front of everyone to make good on my mission to create an authority niche blog from scratch, and share the process with all of my readers at the same time. If I fail… I fail in front of everyone!
If that isn't motivation enough, then I don't know what is!
Now getting back to some areas that you can improve your blog for the new year, here are some areas that you can quickly improve your blog and increase your overall brand value, social sharing and readership.
Give Your Logo or Brand a New Look
First thing… if you don't have a logo then you definitely need to get one.
It's one of the first things people see and it also gets branded in their minds every time they see your content and visit your site.
Another important thing to remember is that you can get a really great logo design in the $50-$200 range. You don't need to spend big money to have a big identity!
Make Your Content More Shareable
Google is now killing web sites that are using old and unethical backlink methods and are rewarding sites for being more social.
This means that you need to not only create killer content that people share, but also to make sure your content can easily be shared!
Focus on adding sharing buttons to all of your content for Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
Don't waste loading time and space on adding a bunch of buttons for social networks that people don't use.
Improve Your Site Navigation
You probably have a lot of people coming to your site for the first time. What are they doing when they get there for the first time?
Once someone gets to your site they are going to leave right away or stay for the content.
Keep visitors on your site longer by giving them exactly what they want, and telling them exactly where to go.
Clean up your site navigation and create a “Start Here” page for your first time visitors.
There are plenty of WordPress plugins that will also help with the overall navigation and ease of use of your site.
Bring In Some New Writers
If you currently have a blog that requires a lot of content and updating, you may want to explore your options for bringing in new writers.
For example, on BloggingTips.com the focus is everything blogging, which can range from writing, social aspects, WordPress and so on… This means there is a ton of content and way too much for just a couple people to handle and keep up with.
With the new year here I decided to bring in a whole new set of writers who know what they are doing.
You can find writers all over the place, whether they are people you know online of if you post a blogger job on other job related web sites.
The important thing is to check quality and only bring in the best writers that will contribute to your overall brand and site experience.
If you don't have the funds to pay for more writers on your site, you also have the option to bring in guest post bloggers at no cost.
Are You Going to Make 2013 Your Best Year Yet?
I've been making money online for over 15 years now and blogging for over 6 years now!
One thing I've learned is that you never know what is around the corner, but you always have to keep working towards whatever your goals are and be ready for what's next.
The best way to make 2013 your best year yet, is to set yourself and your blog up for success!
Follow these steps for blog improvement and find where you are currently falling behind or not achieving your goals.
Write a list. Take action. Do better every day!
Hi Zac,
Its a great post, today competition is on top, and if you want to survive then you have to do something different with your blogging to leave a mark on others, otherwise you will get busted with fate.
Thanks for the awesome Ideas, I think re branding really helps if your old style not working.
Those who stand out and build a brand and following of their own will continue to grow in the coming years and social becomes more important. Glad to hear you got some ideas from the post.
I strongly agree with you Nishant,re branding is what works for the most of bloggers,who were not getting success for a long period of time.
Saying your objectives out loud is also a great way to commit to following through.
I am currently working on an editorial calendar to make my 2013 better. I have no problem creating content for the site, what’s lacking is s system to go through the static pages on the blog, to revise the plugins etc. A calendar (a list) might help me getting it done.
Calendars definitely help. I actually picked up a big one for my desk today to schedule out some case studies and blog reviews I need to schedule in and stay updated on.
Super tips Zac!
I adopted a few recently for my blog and cash gifting brand overall. Gotta switch things up once in a while to stay current and add positive energy to your campaign. Create value and connect but a nice little overhaul can put you over the top.
I am refocusing on staying the course as far as my marketing campaign. No more straying off topic. Now I am on purpose each hour of each day to send out a clear and consistent message to help program my audience.
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent, glad you also got some ideas from the post.
I did a horrible job with a social media presence for bloggingtips.com and currently working on all of that now. It sucks to be behind, but better now than later!
Hi Zac,
Thanks for sharing these stips
I started off with changing my theme and getting a better one and signing up to AWeber for listing building. In fact, one of my objectives this year is to build a solid list of targeted subscribers and I’m hope to get there with hard work.
I think my logo is still good to go this year. Still looking into other aspects of my blog to look better.
Helpful tips really 😉
Definitely a good idea. If you haven’t already, be sure to create a quality ebook/product/bonus that you can give away to get people to subscriber to your mailing list.
Great tips, Zac!
I agree that guest posts can be a great way to open up doors to a broader variety of content and (hopefully) more traffic. It’s also a great way to bring in new readers by allowing your new authors to self-promote their articles to their audience/followers.
Here’s to a great 2013!
–Sean
You’d be surprised at how much more effective it is to write a quality guest post for a site, then having to pay for advertising or a review.
I am working om improving my blogging and the tips you have discussed will surely improve my publicity.
Classic article on how to take your blog to the next level. I like the idea of the redesigning of the logo or at least the banner. Making the site more navigable is a good idea, the webmaster needs to make it easy for users to find content.
I’m thinking about doing a logo redesign for bloggingtips.com too. Not sure if I will change, but its only around $50 to get 6 draft logos designed. Could be worth seeing if they are any better than the current one.
I would think that most bloggers are looking for guest bloggers because it’s tough to crank out engaging content on a regular basis without some help.
Lots of blogs are accepting guest posts now, but I’m noticing a massive increase in the amount of bloggers trying to sell link placement within their guest posts… very annoying and obvious!
Creating a new logo is a good idea to help give your brand a new look. You could take it a step further and give you website a new logo by installing a new template.
I have seen many sites do this already this year. If you choose a simplistic template that is mobile responsive, it can help improve your page loading time and it will work well on mobile devices.
As always thanks for the great information, I really am hoping that this year will be a great year not only for my blog, but for building my online presence in general. Will continue to read this blog for more great info throughout the year.
For me Zac, it is going to be the best yet!
Last year was the first year for Internet Dreams, and the second year I fell is going to so much better.
I am going to be making serious money 🙂
Thanks for writing this awesome article!
HI Zac,
Great information!
I think redesigning of the logo will surely bring a refreshing energy and shareable content is the key in present context.
Thanks for sharing these useful tips.
Sapna
The best way to bring your blog to another level and have the best year possible is by cultivating relationships with other bloggers. People on your level and people that are more popular than you. I have found that when you shoot for famous bloggers, sometimes you get the cold shoulder, but when they actually allow you to become friends with them, it brings in a lot of opportunities.
Great tips Zac, there are so many millions of blogs out there we have to find ways to stand out and offer valuable content to our readers to have them keep coming back. I’m not sure how often I’d change my logo – sometimes change is not always good. I’ve toyed with the theme too but have left it the same for the past year. Last year I went from Blogger to WordPress self-hosted 🙂
I like the idea of having new writers, I have had some contributors but could ask a few more too. It’s nice to get them and a difference audience too as long as they are adding valuable information to the blog.
Here’s to a super 2013!
January hasn’t finished and I am already seeing a big changes on my site , my list has tremendously grown lol , I am seeing many return visitors who come and join the conversations on my blog and traffic has pretty much increased by 60% from social media.
Enough talking about me lol , Zac you have always been an inspiration to me and I follow your advices that you have given on your blog.
Great post there , wishing you and all the bloggers good luck for 2013.
Hey,
I really appreciated this tip “Make Your Content More Shareable”. I believe you nailed it on the head and really enjoy reading through this list.
This list is a great and simple steps to really help expand your blog. I can see that you have led by example through your blog BloggingTips.com.
Lastly, how could I apply for some of your potential new writers for your blog?
Thanks so much,
Eric
We are currently filled on writing jobs, but you can fill out the “Write for Us” form on the site and we sometimes make exceptions. Send a mailing over.
I have been making a logo for a long time but I always thought that i might getting a head of myself but now I might reconsider.Thanks for giving us the sharing link I really need to step up my social networking
Always go for a logo creation if you don’t have one. Make sure it’s memorable and clearly displays your site name.
Blogging is getting flooded day by day .Hope that Year Will Bring me much inspiration. Struggling since 9 Months but yet no success . Thanks for the tips Dear Zac .
Definitely. The more bloggers, the more competition… or the more people to follow your success/advice! Strive to become a leader within your niche.
Actually 2012 was not so good for me regarding my blog. But in 2013 i want to change that. I have changed my blog’s logo and gave my blog totally a new look. I am also participating in guest blogging also i will try to follow your suggestions. Thanks for your help.
Here’s to your success in 2013! Learn from your mistakes and failures last year to make this year even better.
Hi Zac
Great idea to add a “Start Here” page. I’ve seen that on a few sites and must get it added to mine.
I had a go at designing my own logo some time ago as an experiment to see if I could do it however a new logo for 2013 would give my blog a fresh outlook I think. I wouldn’t change the logo too often though otherwise people won’t know your brand!
I’m starting a Mastermind Group this year with a couple of people so that’s going to be a way of keeping motivation going and give some accountability.
The best way to make money with your audience or tell them how to use your site is by telling them exactly what to do. First time to my blog?…”Start Here!”. It works very well.
Congrats on the mastermind group, I’m sure it will do great!
competition is very tough today and you have to think out of the box if you want to survive otherwise things will be hard or you in blogging arena, Anyway Thanks for the awesome Ideas and Keep up the good work Zac Johnson…
Hey Zac,
Good to hear new changes on Bloggintips, really like your move.
Well I too have many things planed this year.
After reading your post thinking to list it on a paper to increase my focus.
~@Khajamoin1
This is the best blogging year because I touched the 2000 visit mark!
Really useful points, It’s important to make your content more shareable so that more and more people could know about your blog.
Yes, I’m trying to blog more seriously now. Not just for fun. There really does seem to be a lot of things to learn!
WordPress is absolutely your best friend in this endeavour. I want to try and find new ways to share my content on sites like Twitter.
Hi Zac, Thanks for the useful tips. Nowadays blogging is really competitive and it is difficult to build successful blogs but few people can do this only because they are better than other. This article is informative.
My advice is to focus on tight niche topics… way too much competition to become an authority for generic search terms and topics.
Thanks a lot, that is something that every site owner/blogger has to know by heart! I think SEO is also vitally important. I wish to all of us a good blogging year and we shouldn’t miss our chance!
Hi there Zac:
I wanted to take a minute and thank you for the article. I am without a doubt one of those bloggers that are looking to do better. Some things are out of the question though, logo for example as of have the same logo for the last 7 years it certainly part of my branding.
I’m currently working on updating my site and in the end the navigation should be as simple as child’s play. But my biggest problem is content and everyone says content is King. When I write about topics I know it does attract other photographers like myself but simply put photographers are going to hire me to do a job they can do themselves so I need to learn to develop content that will attract my targeted clients.
Perhaps it may sound simple for many but for me it is a long hard road.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the post!
If you have a well branded logo then you will definitely want to stick with it. Some very well known and branded companies made logo redesigns in 2012… such as Microsoft, JCPennys and Arbys!
As for content creation, take some time to use tools like Google Keyword Tool and see what photographers are search for (such as “how to take better photographs in dim light”). Create a post for each of these questions and try to rank as much as you can. Become “the source” for photography information.
Very good advice Zac.
Also sorry about the typos. I should know to never wake and get right on the computer. The results are always — hieroglyphic.
Thats essential to have a good design and quality content for a good blog. If content is more share-able, it would be beneficial for us. New writer will surely draw readers attention.
Good post. I have just started blogging my things. I appreciate your advices, include great learning material. I will be using your blogs from time to time and provide you feedback if it helps.
Thanks for share this article.
It is energizing to see someone starting the New Year with such confidence and clear plans. I believe information is power, so together with some fresh content and a good SEO strategy it is impossible not to receive appreciation for your work. Good luck with your plans!
Great advice there Zac (as always!).
I am making big changes to my blog at the moment, spruce up the design, bring in new writers, concentrate more on SEO and add a new logo. But my biggest improvement is to finally implement a mailing list to the site.
I’ve been talking about doing this for years!
Mailing lists are great. I also admit I could have done a better job at growing mine over the years, but the important thing is that I set one up and kept building it over time. It’s the one thing Google and search engines can never take away from you!
Good list. I feel you with the amount of attention you’re paying to your blog it can be tough. In any case I decided to concentrate less on SEO, more on social media and more on quality. I made a few changes with more to come including blog volume per month. So far, so good.I’m totally looking forward to seeing how my blog performs by the first quarter. THanks Zac!
If done right, I can easily see social media bringing in more traffic than SEO. Google+ and Authorship will continue to play a big factor in how Google ranks web sites and content. Let’s see how this all pans out during 2013.
Hey Zac, first of all what an inspiring post, if this doesn’t make you want to get up and go sort your blog out I don’t know what will.
Like yourself I’m working on making huge improvements on my own blog. At present I’ve been busy fixing 404’s and improving navigation and usability. But I’m also finding it hard to keep the blog updated being a full-time work at home dad, so I’ll also be looking upon bringing in more guest writers throughout 2013.
I think to be really focused and committed to making improvements one really needs to set themselves realistic achievable goals, and then begin working towards them. Thanks again and all the best for 2013.
Always great tips, I’ll give your advice a try, but I get pretty lazy sometimes 🙁 so i don’t know if I’ll be able to keep it up.
Thanks Zac for inspiring me to get off my behind and revamp my blog.
I wish you best of luck for 2013 for your blog.
I’m a newbie blogger who just started making money online, but from the points above
” You need to do something out of the ordinary, gain attention and do it better than your competition!”
everyone must can be blogger but only a few people can be a real blogger, do wholeheartedly and totality will probably be my grip to be real blogger.
Your story very inspiring me,
nice post zac,
the design of your site (navigation and logo and other things) should be good because it is the first thing that people notice. and then you need to write killer content so that people could get benefit from it.
thanks for the ideas.
There are so many things to do for improving our sites, that I don’t know what to begin with. That is why, I will write down the priorities and tackle them one by one.
We should post something new and interesting contents in our blog. Most of the bloggers keep posting on same topics and methods.
Johnson I started my blog recently so I can only hope that this year will be the best for me. I like your logo concept and will work on it.
Great idea Zac!
Blogging becomes boring by years.
And it’s the biggest problem for blogger who run a blog while need to generating a good income online.
If want to survive (at least) you have to win and make blogging more enjoyable.
And I do agree with the points above (even it can take your blogging to the higher level, instead of “just survive”).
Happy blogging! 😉
Hi Zack,
In 2013, my blog visitors actually decreased. This made me lose my spirit to write and update my blog entry. I hope by visiting this blog I can get new ideas for writing
Whoa! you have a completely different focus to mine, instead of change theme or others. This year in 2013, I’d love to produce more quality content and might just wanna change a little in theme and the way I display posts at my home page.
Thanks – Ferb
Good tips. I think it’s important to just add your personality into everything you write. Stale won’t work!
Yes of course I want make 2013 my best blogging year and am really working hard on it. As you said the branding that works like champ and instead giving new look to site it will be better to stick with good and informative contents in which users seek interest. The every steps you mentioned are damn good and will be effective. Thanks a lot man for sharing this valuable post.
Good one Zac. I didn’t feel the importance of having a logo earlier. You have just made me think for this. Would like to have professional one soon. I have already given my best effort to make my contents shareable and navigational though.
The sooner the better. Logos are great for making your blog and brand stand out from the norm.
Hi, great post! 2 things you said especially struck home with me – 1. being out there and public with what your doing and goals, that way it HAS to be done! I started telling people about my plans and it makes me more committed. 2.Site navigation! definitely! it’s actually also on my blog tips too 🙂
hi,
really zac your idea bring a new change in my life i strongly appreciate your thought and your views.the theme change idea and logo change bring a new fame towards my blog.
thanks@zac
Improvement is required for success in blogging. I wanna be better blogger than last year , so i need much improvement. Tips above give me some insight to increase my performance in blogging.
one of my biggest attention is to make my content more shareable, it’s because google give good points for website that are being more social. Beside that it will attract many visitors when my content is easily to share. thanks zac for share this information
Awesome list! I’m glad I’ve been following some of that already. Fingers crossed that it is the best blogging year!
A new year is here and these are some of the useful and inspiring ways to start this year. Rebranding the site and pulling in some writers will certainly be helpful in growing the image of the blog. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Zac,
Regarding finding writers for the blog, between hiring a writer and looking for co-operator, which one is better? 🙂 I am planning to extend my blog this year, but I am still confused between these 2 choices.
It usually depends on the web site. For well branded blogs I like to hire people I know. For niche and information based sites I usually find writers through sites like TextBroker.com.
Awesome! Awesome!! Awesome!!!
Zac this is my first time reading your article/post, and now i am getting some good tactics i would use for my blog.
I really appreciate your tips i would follow them.
Thanks Zac.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
With the ever increasing competition in blogging, there is need for working harder to stay on top. However many do not know how to go about this and they end up loosing considerable ground. To overcome this every blogger must have a strategy of how they are going to approach things and the starting point is to have a time table of when to work on your blog that you must strictly adhere to.
The other thing is planning on the sequence of the topics you are going to write on because you could be having a timetable you are committed to sticking to but when the time comes you do not know what topic you will write on and considerable time is lost in trying to figure out what to write on.
Excellent. Let’s see how the year works out for all of use with these new goals and points in place to keep us on track.
Excellent, I’m all about creating logos for sites!
Logo is must necessary part of blogging and it should be tag on every blog’s head.And site navigation is also min factor for a blog.Really Zac sir you give awesome tips to me.I’m going to work on it.Thank you sir for this great post.And i also hoping that this year make me best 😉
Halo Mr. Zac Johnson,
What you said above are things that must be performed by a blogger and the most important thing in a blog is quality content. I think the content is everything. Thanks Mr. Zac Johnson for your post.