The A Dot Blog celebrated its two year birthday last month! In just two years, our blog has hit a couple of milestones:

• We’ve had 5 main bloggers (& 10 guest bloggers) contribute a combined total of over 370 posts
• Our posts have received over 850,000 views!
• We have readers from Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, France, Australia, Italy & 63 other countries!
• More than 100 individuals are subscribed to receive our posts directly in their inbox daily (you should be, too!)

We’re thrilled to have found such success with a blog that no one had really ever imagined would have a global footprint. We’re proud that our little blog which started in Azilda, Ontario (a.k.a the original A Dot) is so well-received from our community and beyond.

Today on The A Dot, I decided to share with our readers a 15 tips for building a better blog.

1. Brainstorm ideas. When we first started The A Dot Blog, we sat down to discuss who would write what. Whatever you choose to write about, own it!
2. Think of a great blog title. This is sometimes difficult for many bloggers. Sometimes it is easier to write your piece first before dreaming up a catchy title. Make an effort to use a title that explains the post—“How to…”, “3 Tips”, “5 Ways”…etc. as these posts typically have more views. For tips to help you create hard-hitting headlines, click here.
3. Add photos. Insert a stock photo at the beginning of your blog that visually describes your article or place images throughout your blog to describe each concept. Choose attention-grabbing images to entice readers to check out your post.
4. Choose an appropriate length for your post. Typically, our blogs are 500 – 1500 words in length, depending on the topic. Many readers do not like to spend more than 3-5 minutes reading a post.
5. Find your voice. Don’t make your posts so formal that it bores readers. Add your own style to everything you publish. If you’re witty IRL (in real life), then be witty in your blogs! If you’re blunt IRL, be blunt. Readers want to feel like they know the real you!
6. Always have a call-to-action. Sometimes it is difficult to wrap up your blog. An easy way to do so is to add a call-to-action at the end of each post. Some examples include:

• “What’s your favourite tip presented in my post? Comment below.”
• “Do you have any additional advice for our readers? Add your thoughts below!”
• “Know someone who may benefit from our services? Share this post with your network!”
• “To learn more about our product, visit our website at:”

7. Add links and resources. Reference back to your past posts, or link to other blogs. If you’re lucky, the owner of the blog you just mentioned may reciprocate which could lead to more readership on your own blog.
8. Invite guest bloggers to write on your blog. If you know someone who is also a blogger, consider asking them to write a post to feature on your blog and vice versa.
9. Conduct research. If you’ve brainstormed a few blog topic ideas, consider conducting research to learn more about the topic as a whole to ensure you’re providing your readers with the most accurate/interesting information as possible…and remember: always put your own spin on it!
10. Add keywords to each post. Insert as many keywords/tags that you can think of that relate to your post. This will help your blog posts become discoverable.
11. Add widgets and menu bars. It helps to use a website that specializes in blogs, such as WordPress or Blogger. Choose a simple layout and add widgets and menu bars to make your content as easy to discover as possible. Things to consider: create an archive menu for your readers to quickly access past posts, and perhaps add an additional menu bar to divide your content into certain topics/categories. Also include a widget for your readers to subscribe to your blog as quickly as possible.
12. Align your blog with your brand. Consider the overall theme, logo, colours, etc. Your blog should be an extension of your business’ brand.
13. Get a great domain. Purchase a .com domain instead of a generic .wordpress.com, or .me, or .info, etc. It will make it easier for your readers to remember!
14. Develop your “About” section. People want to get to know you! Be personal. Let readers know your backstory. Keep it relevant and update it as necessary.
15. Be unique! Don’t focus on what everyone else is doing. Use your own voice, knowledge, expertise, and niche to draw readers to what you’re doing and writing about.

There you have it – 15 tips for building a better blog! Stay tuned for more tips in the near future. What is one piece of advice you have for new bloggers? Feel free to comment below!