You write on a regular basis. You post on a schedule that’s worked before in the past. You’ve taken care to listen to your fan base so you’re writing about topics you know they like. But even though you’ve done all this and obviously care about your business, your readership drops every week. What gives? 

What They Want to Hear 

When I was in college, some friends were big into the college radio scene. Many of their fellow DJs were playing more popular tunes while they stuck to obscure, indie type stuff. When asked why they went this route, one friend told me “other DJs play stuff the audience wants to hear. We play what they NEED to hear.”

And that’s the problem with your blog. You’ve been telling people what they want to hear so much that you’ve forgotten to be innovative and unique. Your readers have become bored and have no reason to read anymore as the posts are formulaic.

It’s time to get back to your roots. When you first started your blog, you were anxious to educate the masses why your point of view is the best. Get back to that by thinking ahead of the pack rather than looking around at what everyone else is doing.

You’re Forgetting Pictures 

Your writing is on point and you definitely take quite a bit of time getting everything right. However, there’s more to blogging than just writing all the time. Like a great meal at a fancy restaurant, there’s a lot to be said about presentation. If the blog just looks like a wall of words, many of your readers will turn out.

Adding pictures can change things significantly. Not only does it break up the text to make it easier to read, it also makes it more presentable and interesting to the average viewer. Also, by adding captions and tags to your pictures, you can boost your SEO. The more people who can find you, the better your chances of people reading your blog.

Formal vs. Informal 

You know what you readers like to talk about, but you’ve forgotten to do any research on how your readers actually talk. While it’s true you want to form a brand identity, it’s also important not to stick to it 100% if your readers want something different.

For example, because you’re a financial start-up you try to stick to formal, bank-like speech that shows how serious you are. However, your readers all skew younger and they don’t care about formal language – they care about having fun while learning how to manage their money. If you stick to your guns, you could lose them as readers, while listening to how they actually write and speak could lead to a bigger audience.

What’s the highest one-day reader count you’ve ever had on your blog?

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download How to Get Your Company Covered on Top Blogs here: http://www.ereleases.com/offer/blogs.html