6 Characteristics of a Good Blog

Put your best face forward on your blog!

Creating a blog for your company is a great way to keep in touch with your loyal customers, attract new business, and maintain a decent ranking with search engines. Unfortunately, when done poorly, blogs can actually hinder your purposes rather than help them. Does your blog pass the test? Measure it up against these core characteristics of a good blog.

1. It is regularly updated. If it looks like you are only putting a half-hearted attempt into your blog, potential clients will probably wonder if you only do the bare minimum or below on your other duties too. Remember, blogging is a commitment, and everyone will know if you're slacking.
2. It is easy to read. There are several pitfalls that can make your posts difficult to get through. Sometimes it's just a design issue, such as small font or a poor choice in color scheme. Other times, it's because you aren't promoting flow with bullet points, bolded subheadings, and lots of paragraph breaks.
3. It provides valuable information. Marketing through a blog should always be subtle. Readers aren't going to stick around if everything you post benefits you instead of them. Tone down the advertorial language and give the readers something they truly need or want.
4. It provides unique content. How does your blog stand out in its niche? If you don't have an answer, it's unlikely that your readers will come back for seconds.
5. Your posts are the right length. Most readers won't stick around beyond 400 or 500 words, and anything less than 200 words isn't worth their time. Make your posts thorough and quick to the point.
6. It's interactive. Customers love to know you're listening! Pay attention to comments you receive and respond often.

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