How To Write a Blog That People Want to Read

Many people enjoy keeping a blog as a way to update friends about their life, express political opinions, or for a variety of other reasons. Blogs can be a wonderful way to express yourself, but to build readership, you need to take a few things into consideration.

1. Consider your audience. You need to write very differently to keep your close friends interested than you would for a global audience. People who do not know you off-line will probably not be interested in reading inside jokes on your blog, and they won't have the reference point of people or places that you are both familiar with. On the other hand, friends and family may appreciate hearing about these everyday details.
2. Better safe than sorry. Anything that you post online is available for people to read. Don't post things on your blog that will be hurtful, that are supposed to be secret, or that you will regret for any reason.
3. Pick a theme. Although it doesn't hurt to depart from the theme of your blog once in a while, having a general main idea - whether it is politics, an issue you are passionate about, or your career - may bring readers to your blog. In addition, if there is a theme to your blog, you can post it on lists and chat groups dealing with that same issue or theme.
4. Proofread. Even though a blog is not "published" in the same way that a book is, it is still something that others are reading. If you have frequent spelling mistakes, run-on sentences, really bad grammar, or any other issues that make your blog difficult to read, people won't read it.
5. Choose photos wisely. Photographs are a wonderful way to make your blog more interesting. However, don't put photos up just to fill space. Nothing is more boring than a bunch of group shots if you know no one in the group. Choose photos that deal with the subject of your blog, and make sure that the people in the photos will not be upset by their picture being on the Internet.
6. Don't rant too much. Although ranting has a place, and a blog is an excellent outlet, a constant bitter complaining will turn people away from your writing. Even if you are talking about legitimate problems, make sure that you have some positive posts, or some comic relief.
7. Interact with your readers. If readers leave comments, follow up on the issues brought up. Bring in news sources and links to other pages to make your blog content relevant.
8. Update frequently. People are much more likely to keep reading your blog if it features a new post each time they check. If you wait weeks or months between posts, your readers are likely to give up on you.

By using these tips, you will have a great foundation to begin expressing yourself in writing. Remember that your writing is no less "real" because it exists only online. Write with the same amount of thoughtfulness that you would if you were writing on paper and you will do well!