So, is blogging still alive in 2023? In no particular order, here are some tactics, hacks, and blogging strategies that are dying or, in some cases, already dead in the blogosphere.
Blogging strategies to avoid
“Clickbait” Headlines
At one time, “clickbait” headlines were considered an effective blogging strategy to draw readers to an article. You might remember these types of ads featuring gigantic images resembling Jaws leading to articles about baby nurse sharks accidentally bumping into divers; titles included things such as, “This Floridian thought they were on a routine dive… You won’t believe what happened next!” Though I may exaggerate a bit here, you get my point.
Clickbait fails to meet user intent, which is key in SEO for blogs. When promising something remarkable that cannot be delivered, people often become disillusioned and leave quickly from your website, sending signals back to Google that it lacks value and meaningless posts are being published on it.
Facebook recognizes this issue and is taking proactive measures to prevent clickbait blog posts from showing up in users’ news feeds. Engineers at Facebook acknowledge that most people dislike stories that are misleading, sensationalized, or spammy in nature.
The same logic holds true with YouTube videos: while garnering high views with titles such as “HOW TO EARN $45,000 BLOGGING TODAY IN YOUR PAJAMAS” may appear attractive, such attempts will only lead to downvotes due to inaccurate information presented and will ultimately cause YouTube to reduce the visibility of future videos, making your channel less effective at driving traffic.
Therefore, it is vitally important that headlines accurately represent the value you offer through your content. By doing this, you can build trust amongst your target audience and enhance long-term engagement.
Blogging a Ton of Different Topics
In the fast-paced world of blogging, the most successful bloggers these days adhere to a critical rule: sticking to no more than a couple of topics. When you share a multitude of posts covering various subjects, you run the risk of confusing your readers about your blog’s expertise and what your particular area of knowledge truly is.
Now, you might wonder why this matters so much. The answer lies in the fact that people seek specific individuals who can address their precise problems and offer tailored solutions. When faced with a challenging issue, you’d undoubtedly prefer the assistance of a specialist who deals exclusively with your particular concern, just like seeking advice from a specialized oncologist rather than a general doctor when dealing with lung cancer.
Consider the distinction between receiving generic advice from a Men’s Health article versus insights from someone your age and demographic who shares their personal transformation experiences. The desire for specific information from trustworthy experts is only part of the equation. The other crucial aspect is the ability to connect with these individuals on a personal level.
Starting a generic fashion or food blog in today’s digital landscape may not yield fruitful results. The vast number of media companies dominating those broad, generic spaces makes it challenging to gain traction. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t venture into the realms of fashion or food blogging.
On the contrary, it merely emphasizes the need to make your blog specific. Niche down to target a particular group of people who can identify with you for a specific reason. For example, if you narrow your focus from general fashion for women to fashion for women ages 20-30 living in colder climates like Chicago, you’ll strike gold!
Blogging About Your Personal Life
Personal blogging that details daily life details has transitioned from websites to more accessible social media platforms, like Instagram. While you can still blog about personal experiences like sharing photos and updates from Instagram stories, alone, this will not guarantee success; for blogging as an online business to achieve real growth, you must educate rather than entertain your target audience – while memes or short videos might do the job on social media, websites are where people come to find solutions to their problems. This is one of the count blogging strategies to avoid.
Posting All the Time to Get Traffic
Another outdated strategy in blogging is posting more blog content in an effort to increase traffic, but in today’s multi-media landscape of an abundance of information, quality over quantity must be prioritized. Your posts need to stand out and attract enough readers that they reach the top search engines or platforms such as Pinterest.
Blogging Without Supplemental Video or Audio Content
To stay relevant, your blog needs to evolve into a multi-media site that includes videos and podcasts. People nowadays prefer listening to podcasts and audiobooks while multitasking, making supplemental audio content more appealing than purely written blog posts. Embracing multiple content formats will allow you to reach a broader audience and make the most of the time you invest in creating content.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the blogosphere is witnessing the decline of several tactics and blogging strategies. Clickbait headlines once thought to be brilliant, are losing their appeal due to their failure to satisfy user intent, leading to high bounce rates. Even social media platforms like Facebook are taking measures to combat clickbait. Similarly, posting an abundance of content for the sake of traffic is outdated, as quality content that stands out is now paramount. Bloggers should also consider incorporating supplemental video or audio content, as multi-media engagement is preferred by today’s audience.
Lastly, focusing on specific niches rather than blogging about everything is essential to establish trust and connect with targeted audiences seeking expert advice. As the blogging landscape evolves, adapting to these trends will ensure a more successful and engaging blogging experience.
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