5 Ways To Boost Your Blog's Appeal & Content in 24 Hours

Still only squeaking out 2-3 posts per day? Are you bored even by your own ideas? While a natural writing ability and creative style go a long way, it can be tough keeping up with the demand, especially when you're just starting out and want to fill up your blog quickly. Here's how you can boost your blog posts starting today! You have a passion, you have a blog. But you're stumped. You have some ideas for things you want to write about, but you either can't find a way to get started, can't stay focused, or the task of keeping your blog fresh with daily posts makes your carpal tunnel suddenly flare up, giving you a good excuse to just "take it easy today". Now. you've likely heard of real hotbloggers who run 10, 20 or more posts every day. I've seen many people complain they can barely get out 2 posts a day, which honestly, is like a snail running uphill. It can be overwhelming, discouraging, and one of the main reasons why people give up - because they can't keep up. So how do you add more appeal to your blog and increase postings? Here are some ideas.... 1. Have Fresh Daily Topics & Ideas Sent To You This is easiest way to start finding fresh new ideas to write about. Go to Google Alerts and sign up to have the latest news and websites on your favorite topics sent right to your inbox. I'm not saying copy every word verbatim, I'm saying this gives you an opportunity to bring fresh topics to your blog which you can put your own spin on. http://www.google.com/alerts 2. Add Interesting "Quickie" Categories & Posts Not every post has to be long and informative. Some of your most valuable posts can be the ones that consist of just a few simple paragraphs. These little hot spots have great appeal because they are quick to read, offer simple solutions or insights and can break up long days for both you and your visitors. Some ideas for new categories include: Word of the day, Book of the day, Site of the day, Freeware of the day, Gossip of the day, and Tip of the Day. Do some brainstorming around your blog's theme and see how many ideas you can come up with. 3. Create a Debate Everybody's got an opinion, so if you can create a debate on a hot topic, then you're going to have a lot of people commenting & reading. And because of human nature, these people will come back just to see who has commented on their comments. How do you start a debate? Again, Google Alerts can give you some ideas as well as keeping up with forum posts which are probably the best source. When reading articles, forum posts and news - look for the "conflict" factor, such as "MSN vs. Google - Who Will Be The Ultimate Winner?" or something fun like "Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard - Who Would Have Dinner With?". The trick is to create a fresh spin on debates that aren't covered everywhere else. They can be serious or just for fun. Don't forget to add your own opinion to get the ball rolling and ask people for their opinions. If it works out well, you might even want to create a new category for these posts. 4. Write Reviews - Even When You Haven't Tested A Product Reviews are extremely valuable and great opportunities for linking to affiliate programs. But what do you do if you don't have the money to buy all the products you want to use and review? Simple. Post "review summaries". A review summary is simply an overview of other people's reviews. Amazon is a good example to use here, but unlike an Amazon feed, this is more personalized and compact. Post an image, description, and an overall rating of the product based on customer reviews and votes, followed by a review summary. Here's an example: "Based on 39 reviews on 'Supplement X' from Amazon.com, the average rating was 14 out 18. The majority of people reported incredible results, with only a handful stating it didn't work. This appears to be one of the best supplements on the market compared with others." Review summaries give you the advantage of posting affiliate products on your website without looking like your just dishing out another product feed. I personally have used this method with a number of products and gotten very good results. 5. Catchy, Clever & Shocking Headlines! Posts are only as exciting as you make them. Nobody's gonna read your posts unless you trigger their emotions or interest with a clever title to get them clicking. While some titles are essentially informational in nature (i.e. how to bath a hairless cat), there is plenty of room for titles which get attention through strong emotion, exaggeration, riddle, rhyme or shock appeal. This is where developing a creative edge is essential. The idea is to hit the audience when they least expect it. This tactic should be used in moderation because your blog could start to look like a nuthouse and new visitors might get lost looking for basic information and general "how to" stuff. As with every good feast, adding a little spice here and there on occasion brings the flavour out. Now get writing!