10 WAYS TO ADD MORE BLING TO YOUR BLOG!

Seems these days everybody’s doing it.
Blogs are indeed the “new black.”

For writers, these online journals are a virtual showcase for bragging about recent accomplishments, posting online Bios, cultivating a consistent readership, displaying clips and editors’ comments, or promoting products and services.

Some authors even report that their Blogs helped them to establish a platform and seal the deal with reputable book publishers.
But, with so many folks saturating the Blogosphere, your Blog had better be bodacious if you want to generate repeat traffic, create a buzz, make money, or merely “win friends and influence people.”

WITH THIS IN MIND, HERE ARE TEN CREATIVE WAYS TO ADD MORE BLING TO YOUR BLOG!

1. Have a catchy title to jazz up your joint---Just like with print magazines, readers are drawn to dynamic titles. Choose something that will ideally identify what the Blog is about, yet also make it memorable. Read it aloud to yourself. How does it come across?
   
2. Use quality photos and graphic images---People like visual variety. Add pictures to your site to personalize its appearance and create greater interest.
   
3. Remember that there is a psychology to colors. Use the right combination to create the right effect. For example, beige and earth tone colors have a calming effect. While green is often associated with money and vitality.
   
4. Make sure to use colors, font styles and sizes that are complementary and easy to read even for older eyes that may not have 20/20 vision.
   
5. Organize the content so that it is easy to navigate and user friendly. Use tags and categories accordingly.
   
6. Make sure that your Blog has take away value. In other words, what’s in it for online visitors? Will it educate? Entertain? Provide money making opportunities? Be interactive? Decide then deliver!
   
7. Provide useful links that give additional info or related resources.
   Keep it simple. With online readers “less is more”.
   
8. Infuse a little personality with some substantive reading for a winning combination that keeps em’ coming back for more.
   
9. Experiment with different templates and designs that suit the topic and tone of your Blog, and your individual style of expression. Don’t be afraid to check out what other authors have out there to determine what works and what doesn’t.
   
10. Keep in mind that just because you’re recording your own personal views and vents, your online entries should still be presented in a tasteful manner. As a writer, I definitely defend 1st amendment rights, but you just never know who might click on to your site, (it could be a potential client or editor) and as they say, first impressions are important.
    

By following these ten tips you’ll increase your readership and potential revenue, and be blessed by the Blog Gods!