Many people believe blogging is just a fun little hobby that people do during free time, but they could not be more wrong.

Blogging can be a hobby for some, but for others, it is a full-time job—serious bloggers devote every free minute to creating content readers will love.

As you might imagine, being a full-time blogger isn’t easy. You must be committed, passionate, and work hard to get your blog out.

Whether you’re new to blogging or you’ve been doing it for years, there’s always something you can do to make your blog better.

So, let’s talk about some actionable ways to rise above the noise and make your blog stand out from the crowd.

Whether you’re a veteran blogger or just getting started, you probably know you have to make your blog stand out from the crowd to succeed.

While becoming a recognized blogger in a world with thousands of bloggers isn’t easy, it’s achievable. Here’s how.

#1 Publish excellent content

Epic content can make a blog post stand out in a sea of content. you have to imagine your content as a piece of art you are creating for the world to enjoy.

Here are a few strategies:

When writing your post, dig as deep as possible into the topic. Readers want to have fun and be informed, so give them something they can chew on.

Focus on quality over quantity. Don’t write about what everyone else does. Find a niche topic or angle in which you can shine, and your readers will find it impressive and enlightening.

Mix different types of content to add interest. You don’t want all of your posts to be the same type. Switch up between listicles, long-form, affiliate, and informative posts.

But you don’t have to throw in more fluff, so don’t focus on the number of words. Instead, create something relevant, helpful, and beautiful.

#2 Post Frequently

Posting more often lets you grow your blog’s readership.

Publishing new content consistently can be difficult, but it’s well worth it. Plus, Google loves fresh content, so you’ll also draw in new visitors with frequent posts.

While you don’t have to post every day, try to post something new once or twice a week. Plan how often you’ll post and ensure you keep to that schedule.

If you’re busy, it’s a good idea to schedule your posts in advance so that you always have something to post.

Ultimately, quality is key, so put your heart and soul into each post.

#3 Don’t post content only to post content

Having a posting schedule is important, but it’s more important to avoid posting just to have something on your blog. Instead of simply trying to impress your readers, your content should be practical and helpful to them.

Most bloggers constantly face pressure to add new content, resulting in poorly written content that might turn readers off.

Therefore, it’s better to post one or two quality posts weekly than 6-7 short, uninteresting ones.

When you offer quality content rather than quantity that benefits your readers, you will find that it is far more effective than simply showing off.

#4 Create more long-form content

In an age of 140-character tweets and listicles, it can be hard to remember the value of long-form content. When blogging, though, writing longer posts can make you stand out from the rest in the sea of blogs.

But how? For starters, longer pieces are more likely to rank higher in search engines than shorter ones. As a bonus, they help keep people on your site longer since visitors stay longer when there’s good content.

Long-form content is typically 1,000 words or more and offers an in-depth look at a particular topic. This type of content is more likely to rank high and can be repinned on Pinterest or shared on social media.

Plus, detailed pieces give you more authority as a subject matter expert, allow you to go deeper, and offer more value to your audience.

But at the same time, you don’t have to keep every post at 2000 words or more—in fact, most readers won’t even make it that far. However, aim for at least 800 words per post while mixing short and long pieces throughout.

#5 Write catchy headlines

Headlines are important for any blog or post – they need to be easy to read, eye-catching, and contain keywords that will help with SEO.

Google loves headlines that contain keywords, so including them in your headlines can help improve your SEO.

Also, a headline that is interesting and easy to understand is more likely to get clicked. If you want to get more people to click, write short and snappy headlines without too much jargon or technical terms.

You can use free online tools like Sharethrough, CoSchedule, and Advanced Marketing Institute’s Headline Analyzer to make your headlines pop.

#6 Always use high-quality images

Your high-quality images show people you’re a serious blogger with a keen eye for details.

Image-rich content does better in search engines, so make sure your blog posts have original, keyword-optimized images. By adding visual interest to your post, you will earn more backlinks and get more shares.

Moreover, social media users love to share images with their content, so adding images can help you go viral.

Good news: you don’t have to be a professional designer to create quality images since there are countless stock photo websites you can use. To add a little personal touch to your pictures, you can use free editors, like Canva.

#7 Have an excellent logo

Your blog’s logo is the first thing people will see, so make it unique. If you’re making one, you should consider:

• Simplicity: make your logo simple enough so that it’s easy to remember and understand.
• Scalability: it should be scalable so that you can use it across different platforms, devices, and media.
• Memorability: It should be easily recognizable and reflect the overall focus of the blog.

Also, the logo must be easily readable. Pay an experienced designer to do your logo if you have extra cash, but if you don’t, don’t try to do it yourself. There’s nothing worse than having a bad logo, so use text rather than a poorly designed logo.

#8 Step up your blog design

A well-designed blog can strengthen your brand’s credibility.

The more user-friendly your blog is, the more likely your readers are to stick around. So, how can you spice it up?

Upgrade your platform. If you’re using a free blogging service like Blogger or WordPress.com, consider going self-hosted. With themes and plugins, a self-hosted WordPress site will give you more control over your design and branding, and you can add features like e-commerce or members-only area.

Go for a minimalist, clean theme rather than an overly cluttered site. Keep your design simple and streamlined, so your readers can focus on the message. The Astra theme is an excellent choice because it is fast-loading and lets you design your blog exactly as you like. I use this theme myself, by the way!

Use a website builder. Thanks to new technology and changing times, many website builders are best for blogs. These builders will help you build the blog of your dreams with a few clicks for an affordable price.

Add personality with typography. Pick a simple font. Some fonts are harder to read than others, so choose one that is easy on the eyes.

Consider a layout and color scheme that complement each other and that you think will look good together.

Finally, always test your blog design on different browsers and devices to make sure it looks good on any device your readers are using.

#9 Show your personality

Whether you’re a new blogger or a seasoned pro, one of the best ways to make your blog stand out from the millions of personal blogs is to be yourself.

Whether you’re funny, serious, or somewhere in between, let your voice shine through in your posts. Once the readers feel a connection with you, they’ll be intrigued by what you have to say and come back for more.

Make sure to reply to blog comments because this shows your readers that you value their opinions and take the time to respond to them.

You can also interact with your readers through social media and create your own Facebook group to connect with them.

#10 Write about what you love

Your passion for something will lead you to create content that others will love too. It will shine through in your work and engage your audience. Whether it’s through a blog, vlog, podcast, or course, finding your niche is the key to success.

• Brainstorm topics that interest you. Let your imagination run wild with ideas popping in your head, even if they seem random or off-the-wall. You can always refine them later.
• Stay yourself! Write in your own voice and include personal stories to add flavor to your posts. People will appreciate the authenticity and more likely return for future content.
• Mix up your visuals. Visuals engage people and make reading more enjoyable. As a bonus, creating a visual association with the topic makes reading more fun.
• Write from your heart!

So the next time you’re thinking of making content, think about what you love first and go from there.

#11 Update existing posts

If you want to keep your website traffic high and your quality content fresh, consider refreshing your old blog posts.

Updating existing blog posts can help with SEO since it shows the search engines that your site is active. Plus, it can help increase traffic quality and volume.

To refresh a post, take a look at the original article and make sure all the information is still up-to-date. If not, add the latest facts and figures. You can also add new images or videos to break up the text and keep the reader’s attention.

Add new information, change the format, or even just correct typos—it’s as simple as that.

Lastly, don’t forget to update your post’s keywords so they appear in relevant search results.

#12 Make email marketing work for you

Every blogger needs to use email marketing to make their blog stand out and make a living while converting readers into clients. For successful content marketing, your email campaign needs to be interesting and helpful to readers, or they’ll unsubscribe.

Below are some smart tips for a successful email marketing:

• Keep your emails short and crisp. A long, rambling email will not get anyone’s attention.

• Drive traffic back to your blog. Link to your blog from your emails, and track your results using analytics tools.

• Include affiliate links or sell products. Use persuasive email messages to encourage readers to buy.

• Test different subject lines and email body types to see what converts best.

• Make your emails as personal as possible to connect with your readers.

• Include a call-to-action in your email, asking your audience to subscribe to your blog or visit your website.

There are different free and paid email services available that you can use to grow your readers. AWeber, MailChimp, and Constant Contact are some of the top free ones you can use.

#13 Improve your SEO game

There is no point in writing great content if nobody can find it. Gain a deeper understanding of search engine optimization, which will help your blog grow. Good SEO rankings mean more traffic, and more traffic means more revenue.

Use these actionable tips to improve your SEO:

• Write keyword-rich titles and descriptions for your blog content. By doing this, your content will rank higher in search engine results.

• Optimize your website for mobile. Since more people browse the web on their mobile devices, mobile-friendliness is key. Therefore, make sure your site is responsive and loads fast.

• Link internally. Linking to related posts on your blog can help boost SEO. Use keyword-rich anchor text when linking internally so that search engines can easily index your site. Additionally, internal links make your visitors stay on your site longer and explore more of its content.

#14 Make your posts shareable

Adding a sharing button to your articles will inspire readers to share them and make the post easily shareable.

Adding a sharing button – usually through a plugin or widget – is simple. Just a click will allow your readers to share a link to your post on their social media pages.

Also, make your photos and videos easy to share. Ideally, they should be square (or close to it), so that social media websites like Facebook and Twitter can display them correctly.

#15 Maintain your social media profiles

I’m sure you’ve got one or two. How about using your social media profiles to your advantage?

Yes, it’s true! Your social media profiles can help you promote your brand and reach your target audience. But how do you figure out how to use social media for your blog?

Here are a few tips:

• Discover what type of content your audience enjoys. Do they want tips, tricks, or something else entirely?
• Once you figure out the best way to reach your target audience, start posting! Post regularly and mix up the content to keep it fresh.
• Promote your blog on social media. Don’t forget to include your links.

#16 Build your blogging network

Networking with fellow bloggers can help your blog reach a larger audience. Here’s how you can make it happen:

Share content. Share your favorite articles or blog posts on social media and tag the author or blog. Your followers will love the new content, and you’ll make new connections.

Join forces. If you have a project that you’d like to work on with another blogger, reach out and propose a collaboration. You can do anything from guest posting to a joint podcast or video series.

Engage with other bloggers and spread the love. You can do this through retweets, emails, or even comments on their blog.

Sharing content, collaborating, and interacting with other bloggers can help build a community around your blog.

#17 Focus on building a lasting brand

When you want to make money blogging, you have to think long-term.

Invest in building a brand that will stand the test of time. That means developing a style of writing that resonates with your audience and keeping the tone consistent.

Make sure your blog has a solid theme and voice. Beyond that, decide what kind of reputation you’re trying to create. Your brand’s influence will shine through your blog, and your mission will permeate everything you post and say online.

Another way to establish your brand is through regular blogging. You can build trust by committing to providing valuable content to your audience.

Posting relevant, high-quality content is also essential. Make a list of topics you want to cover and how you can add value for your readers.

Once you keep your long-term goals in mind and stay focused on creating content that will help you achieve them, you’ll be well on your way to building a successful blog!

The takeaway

When you use tactics that appeal to your readers, you will be able to stand out with your blog. Test different blogging strategies and see what works best for you, and always keep your blog fresh and exciting.

In the end, as long as you’re focused and truly enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll be able to make your blog stand from the crowd. So work hard, think smart, and focus on creating the best content on the internet, and you’ll get to the top.