how to create a blog - No Diets Allowed

This is the most important step of all!  Blogging is hard work.  Hours are spent on creating posts, photography, networking, social media shares, research, and figuring out what to post about next!

Why are you working so hard?  Who are you doing this all for?  Your audience.  Here are a couple very simple tips on how to learn more about your visitors and why they choose to come to your blog.

First, I want to double check that you’ve installed Google Analytics on your blog.  If you haven’t, the time is now.  Check out my post on plugins in order to install it quick and correctly.

Okay, let’s start learning about your visitors by looking at your current most popular posts are.

On your Google Analytics dashboard, click ‘Behavior’.

start my own blog - No Diets Allowed

Click ‘Overview’.  It will provide data like pageviews, average time on site, and bounce rate in addition to listing your top 10 current most popular posts.  Confused by all the graphs and numbers?  Or want to see those numbers increase?  We’ve got you covered with my husband’s easy guide to SEO for bloggers.  Stay tuned!

making your own blog - No Diets Allowed

So… back to your most popular posts. Let’s start analyzing your top 10.  We’re going to do some old school brainstorming.  My husband mocks my pen and paper… so choose the best method for you. Write down the answers to these questions about your current top 10 posts.

  • What do these posts have in common?
  • What topics are discussed?
  • What are your reader’s comments or questions on these posts?
  • Why do you think these posts are the most engaging?

For example, my Jamba Juice Copycat recipes are blowing up right now.  Especially my Mango-A-Go-Go and Peanut Butter Moo’d.  I’ll give you my quick analysis.

  • In common? Jamba Juice copycats.
  • Topics discussed? How to make quick, easy, and healthy Jamba Juice smoothies at home.
  • Comments/Questions?  People love Jamba and over-the-top elated to have a recipe they can now make at home.
  • Why are they engaging? They’re simple (4 ingredients or less), quick, healthy, and yummy yummy yummy.

Take your time with your answers.  Once you understand what your readers want, you’ll have lots of ideas for more posts.  If it’s currently working for your readers, provide more of what they’re craving!  From my quick analysis, it looks like I need to create more Jamba Juice recipes.  Any requests?

Okay… on to my next tip.  Bonnie from Hobby to Hot  introduced me to CrazyEgg.  AND I love her for it (xoxo Bonnie!).

CrazyEgg is ‘like a pair of x-ray glasses that lets you see exactly what people are doing on your website.’ It shows you exactly where people are clicking, where they stop scrolling, and much more valuable data. Start your FREE CrazyEgg 30 day trial and gain priceless insight on what your visitors are doing on your site.

Check out this video where talented Bonnie reviewed my site using CrazyEgg.  You’ll notice that No Diets Allowed changed quite a bit after her feedback.

Making a blog successful is NOT easy, but you can do it.  I have lots more tips and tools coming to help you reach success!  Stay tuned for photography tips, monetizing tips, and especially the incredibly easy to understand SEO guide for bloggers.