I read a lot of bad blogs.  I’m not talking about things like typos or grammar errors, but blogs that don’t try to engage their audience.  Authors who write like pushing out their next post is a horrible chore similar to giving a root canal to a rabid raccoon.

You have the potential to be a much better blogger.  Blogging well takes work, but if you really like sharing what you love to do, it will be worth it.

In my time blogging, I’ve used formats from a traditional blog to a minimal tumblog.  I’ve spent more time writing for the internet than I’d like to admit.  However, all of this writing has given me a lot of ideas about what makes an awesome blog.  The following are some of my tips to be a spectacular blogger.

• Stick to one topic. If you read as many blogs as I do, you realize how many awesome bloggers there are that write about a million different things.  They lose your interest quickly because one day you read an awesome take on parenting, and then the next five weeks they write about anything but that.  People want consistency; have the decency to give them that.

• Take a position. So many people are afraid to put an opinion of any real value online.  You don’t need to tell off everyone who disagrees with you, but if you can argue a point well, you’ll gain respect from your adversaries and admirers.

• Blog often. If you want people to keep coming back, you need to bring something for them to come back to.  If you only publish one post every two weeks, chances are, I’m going to forget about your blog.  I know it sucks to spend time away from family and friends, but the more often you publish, the less likely people are to forget that cool blog they looked at.

• Use different formats. Some of us aren’t great writers, but we can make a hell of a great podcast.  Others can write poetry in blog posts.  Some people excel at filming videos.  It’s so easy to make all sorts of content, there’s no excuse why you shouldn’t use all the resources at your disposal. Use different methods to see where you succeed.

• Respond to comments. If you have comments on your blog and people leave them, respond to them.  If they took the time to say something to you, surely you can take the time to say something to them.  Treat your readers better than you want to be treated, and it will come back to you tenfold.

• Tell Stories. People love to tell stories.  Whether the stories are there own or other people’s, stories are remembered better than you just spitting out the facts and figures.  If you can tell a great story, people will come back for more.

• Read a lot. The best writers constantly refine their craft by looking at writers they like and figuring out what they dislike from other writers.  Find things to really read and digest, from the topic you are writing about to many other things that entertain you.  Step away from the computer and read some books while you are at it.   You have to really understand reading if you want to write well.

These are just some of the things you can do to make yourself a better blogger.  Take these tips and go find other posts to read and think about.  Find your topic.  Write your stories.  Have fun.

What do you do to be an awesome blogger?