How to blog? Top tips on creating content for your website

Looking to build a following on your blog or website? Here are some top tips we picked up on creating content for your website at the Aussie Bloggers Conference 2011.

Content is king. Compelling quality content. It’s what keeps people coming back. It’s good to know your readers and what they like.

Post regularly, but don’t blog for the sake of blogging. Make sure you have something meaningful to say. And if you’re having a particular hard week and can’t blog, social media is a great way of communicating with your readers. A simple “sorry for the silence but I’ve been down with a really bad cold” would suffice.

Beauty comes from within. Looks do matter, we all love pretty looking websites – but don’t get so distracted perfecting the look, twiddling with all the extras and widgets, that you sacrifice the quality of your content.

Be discriminate when posting or publishing product reviews and think about how it comes across to readers. On the list of no-no’s is copying and pasting from press releases. Readers value independence. Nobody wants to read a product pitch without soul.

Use your own photos. And you don’t need a whole lot of expensive gear to get the job done. Your phone cameras can do more than you think. Many bloggers use iPhone apps like Instagram to create professional-looking photos.

Competitions and giveaways can help you boost readership figures, but there are hidden costs to consider – like postage and handling if the winner lives on the other side of the world from you.