5-reasons-why-nobody-is-reading-your-blog-and-how-to-change-thatYour blog is a force of nature; a carefully crafted masterpiece of many parts; an oeuvre of the utmost order – so why the heck is nobody reading it!?

We’ll assume you have the basics of blogging for business down i.e. you’re producing timely, relevant content that provides your target market with information they actually want. That’s great – but without readers, you’re hosting a world class party without inviting any guests.

So what could be holding the hoards of readers back? Why are they not crashing your website in a frenzy to read your latest blog?

In this post, we’ll take a look at the 5 possible explanations why nobody is reading your blog, and provide you with the best ways to remedy this sorry situation.

1. You’re invisible

The internet’s a pretty big place you know, and without sticking to a few basic rules, your latest offering will be lost in the ether, never to be seen again. Creating content people flock to is as much about the distribution and promotion of your content, as it is the content’s, well, content. Google offers a few basic tips to help you promote your blog, but here’s a few of our own:

  • Growing your social media presence should be at the top of your to-do list. Getting active on the platforms where your target market hangout is an excellent place to start. Don’t just promote your latest posts, do plenty to engage and contribute too.
  • Riding on the back of industry heavyweights is another effective method to attract the attention quality content deserves. A little bit of flattery can go a long way, but maintain your dignity if you can. If you can get a shout out from an ‘industry expert’ with a truck load of followers, your readership could increase dramatically.
  • Say what you like about guest blogs, but they’re back with a vengeance in 2015. The caveat is that you should not guest blog solely for SEO reasons, but if you’re reading this post, you’re not. Getting your name out there by posting on a well known blog with an active readership is an excellent way of introducing yourself to new readers. Make you sure you include a strong author bio, some social buttons if the blog’s editor allows, and the new readers should soon trickle in.
  • Adding a blogroll to your homepage will give your blog the prominence it deserves. Focus on enticing titles, intriguing descriptions and, where possible, eye-catching thumbnails too.

2. You’re inconsistent

You know what we humans love sometimes? A little bit of consistency. It’s vastly underrated in the transitory online world. Think of your blog as a physical asset. It has plenty of value, it’s just not tangible. So, please don’t forget it’s there. If you post fresh content every week, make sure you stick to it. If you post fresh content at 2.55 on a Wednesday afternoon, stick to that too. If your readers enjoy your content, they’ll want to come back for more. But how many times will they check back if they see the same old stale content sat there on the shelf? Here are a few things you can do to keep it regular:

  • Think of a couple of regular features like Eat As Many Dumplings as you can Monday (a video would probably work best), or One-Liner Friday (these are poor ideas but you get the idea). Set your schedule and stick to it. If your regular dumpling eater has the Monday off, find yourself another victim.
  • Schedule posts to be published in advance with the help of a few well chosen plugins. This will ensure your readers are not left disappointed if you take a few days off.
  • Make hay while the sun shines and build your content bank when you have the chance. If you’re feeling inspired, take a couple of hours out of your day to transform your creative thinking into a top notch post. You can then schedule the post for publication to ensure your content never runs dry.

3. You’re the same as everyone else

That’s a pretty serious accusation, but if you’re not taking the time to create original content, should you really expect your readers to take the time out of their day to visit your blog?

  • Brainstorming is a horribly clichéd corporate term, but gathering your team together in a comfortable space with a hot drink and maybe a couple of biscuits is a great way to throw some ideas around. Sometimes the best ideas come from the most unexpected sources, so it’s important everyone has a voice Think of new angles, features and research you can do to pull some blog worthy information together.
  • Be wary of researching content ideas on the web as you’ll only end up rehashing the same old s**t. Don’t become part of the sausage factory. Stick to your guns and keep it fresh.

4. You’re overly promotional

Stop writing sales pages and dressing them up like blogs. You’re not fooling anyone; instead, you’re alienating any readers that come for a peek at your blog. We don’t like being sold to at the best of times, but certainly not on a blog.

It’s such a simplistic way of thinking. Selling online is rarely a route one process. In most cases, individuals will be aware of your brand through content you have produced, word of mouth recommendations, social media, or any number of other avenues. Your content is just one part of the lure that channels readers towards your website. Once they’re on your website, then you can start selling.

5. Your content’s awful

Sometimes honesty is the best policy. If your content features any of the ideas we mentioned in our regular features section, there’s good reason why the readers aren’t falling over themselves to visit your blog. Your content should ride the crest of the wave of industry shifts and surges: solve your readerships’ problems; help them out; shed some new light on a topic; show them how to fix that guttering!

  • Creating a content calendar allows you to take a long hard look at the reality of your content. You should only go ahead with content that really excites you. If you’re not sold on a piece of content, you can hardly expect your readership to be jumping for joy.

Are you a master blogger with some top tips to share with our readers? Or, would you be grateful for a single blog post read? Either way, we’d love to hear what you have to say, so get in touch on Twitter.