We always strive to improve our blogs by modifying the website designing, performing better SEO, adding more links, and numerous such activities that gradually enhance your blog’s quality.

However, what is that one thing which you can do today and boost the quality of your blog? How can you improve your blog in a day?

Here is a simple answer:

Know what the reader wants, and give it to them. Know what their problem is, and solve it. You blog should serve as a reference book they always want, something that solves all their problems.

When you do this, readers are often satisfied, and remember you for a longer time. Think about how many blogs do you remember, and why do you remember them. Is it because those blogs solve your problem? Is it because you get exactly what you want? The answer is a BIG YES.

By giving readers what they want, you are helped in following way:

• They will come back to your blog again, and if you solve their problem that time as well, they will become your loyal reader.
• They start believing in you, your suggestion, your reviews, and whatever you talk about.
• If they like your blog, they will definitely refer it to someone else, so you have more readers.

You can solve your reader’s problems at two levels: Macro and Micro Level

Macro Level: Your Blog

Think about what problem your blog solves. If it doesn’t identify a big problem and start writing posts on similar theme. For people about to start their new blog, I would request them to take time and think about a problem that readers are finding solution for. You should, however, know about the problem and its solutions thoroughly.

Micro Level: Your Posts

Every article you post on your blog must solve a specific problem. You can do this by breaking down into various parts. A big problem, health for instance, would have many small problems like skin disease, obesity, and blah, blah, blah.

There are several kinds of problems, some specific ones, some general ones. But solutions to all these problems would make your blog more equipped and resourceful.

So, if you want to improve your blog RIGHT NOW, do this:

• Create a list of all possible problems your readers (also includes potential readers) might be facing.
• Select any one each day, find a solution, and post it how you did it.
• Make it interesting, getting bored is another problem readers face while reading your blog.

That’s it. Improve your blog NOW.

You will agree with me when I say it’s not possible to be at our blog all the time. However, you will find it little difficult to concur when I declare that not being at our blog doesn’t mean we can’t improve the blog. We definitely can, that is, if we want to.

And you probably wouldn’t believe if I say that being away from your blog is actually the best you could do to improve it.

If you are among those who are always thinking about their blog, its performance, its traffic, etc. then probably these tips a re tailor-made to suit your needs. Sometimes, I just sit against my computer and stare at the blank word document because I don’t know what to write. My mind is as blank as the word document. Perhaps, it might have happened to you as well.

That’s the time you need to be away from your blog. Here is how it helps:

1. Coming up with Fresh Ideas
   This is something that even the best blogger of the world might not be consistent in. It requires a calm and clear mind to generate new ideas. And do you really think sitting in front of your computer for hours would help? It wouldn’t.One possible option is to get away from your PC and relax for a while. Then, take a pen and paper and start jotting down all the topics that you have written about. Select any topic among them and try to look at it from a very different perspective, from all the possible angles.

   Ask yourself: have you covered all the sub-topics that could possibly be created from this topic? What else people would need to know about this topic? For instance, ‘Blogging Content’ is a topic or an idea. However, there can be numerous sub-topics or sub-ideas created from this topic like ‘How to write good content?’, ‘What is bad content?’, and so on.

   This is a very good exercise that promises consistent flow of ideas. You would never have to stare at the blank screen and keep thinking for hours.

2. Relate with the real world
   The real, refreshing outside world probably has much to offer. It can help you to come up with something that the internet wouldn’t. How do you think a new idea is generated? It is generated when we look at various things and think about it differently. Look at everything around you, everything in the outside world, each or any of them could be your next topic, or a new blog.Let’s look at something concrete for now. Pick up any magazine and you will find hundreds of article, which is no different from a blog. Magazine itself is a big blog.

   Next, a business. Any business. My father owns a departmental store. His business, in many ways, can help me to improve my blog. No, I cannot start writing about shopping habits or prices of groceries, if my blog is about improving the way your blog. But I definitely can learn  lot from the smart business models, new ideas applied in the store, how advertising affects the business, or just the way people act, and apply it in my blog someway or the other.

   If I can’t apply it, at least I would know how to operate a business. However, that’s not what we are focusing on right now. According to me, you will get something out of it. Remember, it all depends on how we look at something.

3. Use the technology
   If it’s really urgent to update something on your blog, or replying a comment, and your are traveling, or just far from accessing a computer, don’t fret. Just relax and enjoy the benefits of the improvement in technology. You can access your blog or edit it through your mobile, iPod, blackberry, PSP, or many other devices.An application called WordPress for iPhones can allow you to type and post your article on your blog. You can also edit blog pages, upload images, or reply to a comment. So, you aren’t actually away from your blog, are you?
4. Offline Advertising
   It is the most effective way to utilize your time improving your blog while you are away from it. Unfortunately, very less percentage of the bloggers today use offline advertising as a source of promotion. This can be very effective if your blog discusses something about the real outside world. Offline blogging can be done by distributing t-shirts, car stickers, posters etc. I will be soon writing about the various ways to advertise offline because I rally think it’s quite effective and least used.
5. Just Relax
   Here is another point on which you won’t agree with me, but relaxing does help to improve your blog.
   I have seen many bloggers face something known as ‘Blogger’s Block’ i.e. a time when they are not able to write, not even a word. Relaxing, then, is the best solution. Even if you are a bit overworked, relaxing will help you to soothe you mind and body, which is quite important to come up with new ideas regularly.Being relaxed is a way to calm your mind.
   Being relaxed is a way to be creative.
   Being relaxed is a way to be in a proper state of mind.
   Being relaxed is a way to improve your blog.

Okay. These were my suggestions on how can you make optimum utilization of the time you are away from your blog. Some people have the habit of carrying a pen and paper along with them, wherever they go. I do believe it’s a great idea because it helps you to jot down every idea you come up with.

I would really appreciate if you can discuss how you can utilize you “non-blogging” time. Would love to read your inputs.

Suggestions Please!

I am sure yours isn’t a perfect blog. Neither is mine because attaining perfection is impossible. However, reaching close to perfection is also a splendid achievement. So, how is anything that’s perfect or close to perfection different from common, dull things? There isn’t much difference, just one: Attention to minor details.

Even if we can’t attain perfection, it’s necessary to keep improving in order to be noticed. Here are five minor changes that could raise you a step up toward perfection. But before I start with the first one, I expect you to share your views on this article and add some points. Deal? Alright, here we go.

1. Adding “Back to Top”:

   

   This is simple isn’t it? And will it make any difference to my blog? Yes, it will. The home page of many blogs is quite long. Readers keep scrolling down to search a good article. Whether they get it or not, it becomes quite annoying to scroll back up. This results in reader closing the window, instead of scrolling up. Hence, you lose a reader every time he/she visits the posts lying below.

   So, it’s wise to place a “back to top” link at suitable intervals, to retain the visitors. And it’s not at all difficult. Just add this code:

   <a href=”#header”>Back to top</a>

   Yes, it’s this simple. Adding this code will create a link that will direct the reader on top of the page whenever they click it.

2. Small Attractive Icons:

   A well designed blog comprises of many things. However, lets not get into all that and focus one of the components – Icons. Keep adding small but attractive icons besides several links. For instance, you can add a small icon of envelope besides the “Email Updates” link, which makes it pleasant for reader to sign up. Start using the RSS icon with or without the textual “RSS” link. Similary, you can use such attractive icons for many other links that makes the overall view of the blog quite eye-catching.

   However, you need to make sure that the icons are not very big. Also, don’t clutter your blog with such icons.

3. Trendy input forms:

   Input form is an indispensable part of blogging. These forms are used limitlessly everyday all over the globe. These forms include signing up for email updates or newsletters, posting a comment, or any such spaces which involves acquiring reader’s information.

   Very often these forms are quite ugly, uninteresting, and usually avoided, making it one of the major reasons why people don’t subscribe or comment on your blog. You can make it a bit interesting by changing colors, making the edges round, using background images, etc. I am not sure whether readers would be attracted to write a comment, bu at least they won’t run away.

4. Adding a thumbnail to your posts:

   

   People love thumbnails. It improvers the overall look of the blog. Don’t just list down the posts under “Recent articles” tab with a link; add a thumbnail. It really makes the blog quite interesting and uncommon making it distinct from other blogs. People will love to visit your blog.

5. Easy and copious page navigation options:

   Under every page, not only homepage, list down numerous options for readers to navigate quite easily across pages. For instance, under “recent articles”, mention pages 1-10, each page containing several other posts, and other options like archives, homepage, categories, etc.

   Mentioning the number of pages works well with old blogs. More number of pages shows the blog is in existence since many years or months, thus increases credibility. And it’s fast to click on ‘page six’ from ‘page 1’ instead on clicking on ‘next page’ six times.

These five minor changes are sure to bring major changes in the reader’s attitude and traffic to your blog. Here, two points are helpful to save reader’s time while other three increase the attractiveness of the blog, compelling the readers to hook for few more minutes, which makes a major difference.