Tips for Growing Your IT Blog

Ok, we brought up some of the things we've seen or heard were working for many of IT-bloggers. These are the best practices or "Tips for Growing Your Blog" we're sharing with new bloggers as they get started in the community. Consider this the beginning of the evolving list and as you gain your personal insights you'll update these items in your mind by adding or revising points.
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Aim to provide quality content
Your blog is a resource for industry peers, publishing content that is professional and vauable will help you gain attention and respect.

Regular publication schedule
Users must be able to anticipate how often updates will occur. Whether it's daily or weekly updates that work best for you, pick a publication schedule and stick to it to keep your most loyal readers engaged.

Write descriptive post titles
Post titles represent your blog in external contexts (article listings, search engines, RSS feeds). Headlines that stand on their own, make it clear what the post is about, and integrate topical keywords are likely to generate interest and connect you with your target audience.

Tag posts with relevant keywords
Good keyword tags, similar to subjects or categories, will help you gain exposure through blog aggregators and searches by indexing your blog and individual articles under relevant topics.

Get involved
The blogosphere is filled with discussions on topics similar to those you're writing about. Establish your presence by getting involved with related blogs and, when appropriate, sending a trackback or linking to your own articles.

Actively promote your blog
Be entrepreneurial in building your following. Tactics such as recommending your blog to acquaintances,adding a link in your email signature, and linking your blog to other blog sites will help you maintain consistent reader growth.

Interact with your audience
One of the most rewarding aspects of blogging is the discussions that take place around your posts. Encourage participation by inquiring about reader perspectives and, when they do comment, make sure to respond and continue the discussion.

Provide a detailed bio
Readers want to know who they're dealing with - it's a simple matter of trust. Having a bio that outlines your credentials and reason for enthusiasm on certain topics will give your writings much more credibility. Having a photo available is also important for making a personable impression.

Avoid sensitive information
You should always be comfortable with the possibility of your co-workers, boss, clients, and other affiliates reading what you publish in your blog. When detailing sensitive experiences, use faux names for people, locations, companies, or industries as necessary.

Stay on topic
Keep to the subject matter your blog purports to cover. While humor and interesting anecdotes are great for adding personality to your blog, straying too far from the blog's topic could alienate key readers.

Be yourself
Establish your own voice and style -- don't try to mimic someone else just because they're popular, or blog on topics you don't really know just to get some hits. Be yourself and you're more likely to be consistent and you'll last a lot longer.

Do it for the right reasons
Becoming popular shouldn't be your goal. If you're in it to share a bit of yourself and what you know with others, and maybe help someone or yourself along the way, you're more likely to find satisfaction and enjoy the blogging experience.


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