Why Nobody is Reading Your Blog

Do you feel like nobody is reading your blog? It can be frustrating to spend hours writing a post, creating images to go with it, and then hitting publish, only receive no comments and no views. You may be confused, because you’re sure your blog is good enough, if not just as good as some of the best blogs out there. It’s time to look at things objectively and be honest with yourself for a minute.

Here are a few key reasons that will help you to figure out why nobody is reading your blog. Take a look and see what you need to change.

Why nobody is reading your blog: key reasons that will help you to figure out how to get more readers to your blog.

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Are you using your analytics?

Using analytics to your advantage can help you see which posts are popular, and which are not. If you’re not using analytics, then you’re likely guessing what sort of posts your audience wants to see. You need to know which of your posts are being read the most to get an idea of who your audience is and what they are interested in reading. Start using analytics so you know what kind of content you need to be posting.

For example, a few years ago I dug into my Google analytics and took a look at my top 5 posts. I was surprised by which posts were so popular on my blog, but as I looked at them, I learned more about blogging and what my audience wanted. There are numerous tutorials available about setting up Google analytics for your blog; do some research and then jump in!

I highly recommend taking Kelly’s Sticky SEO e-course. She unpacks analytics and search engine optimization and keyword research in an easy-to-understand way so that you can see a difference in your traffic! I thought I knew about SEO before taking the course, but Kelly taught me all sorts of tricks I hadn’t known before that made a huge difference with my site.

Are you speaking to your audience?

If nobody is reading your blog, maybe you are writing for the wrong audience. Have you considered your audience before writing a post? Writing for yourself is all well and good, but thinking of your audience first is a must. They need to feel like you’re speaking to them. What do they want to learn? What questions are they asking?

One way to keep your audience in mind is to create an avatar. This is your ideal blog reader. Give him or her a name and list as many characteristics as you can—age, work history, family background, dreams and goals, address, etc. When you write a blog post, write to that person. What does he or she need to know right now? I also like to imagine I’m sitting down for coffee with a friend—a fellow new mom or new blogger. What would she ask me? What would I tell her?

Are you networking?

Networking with your audience and other bloggers is key. This is how you’ll get your name out there and learn a thing or two. Respond to every comment on your blog, and get involved in social media chats.

Go to in-person events if you can! These can include blog conferences but also events where your target audience will hang out. If you’re a travel blogger, go to travel events. If you’re a food blogger, go to food events. If you’re a mom blogger, go to mom events! Mega travel influences the Expeditioners say they grew their blog at first simply by handing out business cards to everyone they met.

My blog grew by leaps and bounds when I discovered various blogging communities, both online and here in Vancouver. I’m part of several Facebook blog groups now where I can chat with other bloggers across Canada and the US. Here in Vancouver, I’ve appreciated the Vancouver Mom Top 30 Mom Blogger community as well as other local blogger meetups.

Is your site safe?

A site safe will give your visitors peace of mind. Even a cheap vps can make your site that bit more secure and make people feel more confident as they browse your content. It’s not enough to expect your audience to automatically trust you these days. You really need to give them security.

You can also approach your blog host about buying a site security certificate. Some hosts offer this for free, others for a small fee.

These days, many browsers give readers a warning when they go a URL that “isn’t safe,” so if nobody is reading your blog, it may be due to such a warning. Fixing this small issue could bring your traffic back.

Are you marketing your content?

Often, we think that “if we write it, people will read it.” Unfortunately, that’s no longer true. We live in a busy world, where people are inundated by information. Even if you have several loyal followers, they may not remember to check your blog once a week to see if there’s new content. You need to market every new post to get it in front of readers who need that information.

An email list is essential to a blogger, even if you are a new blogger with a small blog. Your list will grow with your blog. Respect the people who trust you enough to give you their email address and let you into their inbox. Reward them with great posts and personalized information.

Social media is another way to market your content. However, these platforms can be overwhelming. It takes time to build an audience on any social media platform. Consider where your target audience hangs out and what the best way to reach them is. Choose one social media platform to jump into at first and work on growing a good audience there. Here’s some more resources to get you started:

A great way to work on these practical skills would be through a Monarch marketing course. Online courses let you work at your own pace, improve your skills, and sometimes get feedback from peers and professors. You’ll also have some accountability, which always helps you stay the course and actually apply what you learn.

Is your content quality?

Content in king in the blogging world, and content must be high-quality, or readers will find another blog to read. Be honest with yourself: do you triple check your content for mistakes? Even simple errors like spelling mistakes can ruin the impact of your work. Have you checked your facts? Have you put your own spin on a popular topic or are you rehashing the same old same old? Does your blog look professional? Is it easy to read?

One of the hard things of being a blogger is that you aren’t just a writer. You must also be a photographer, editor, graphic designer, tech person, and more. Learn as you go, both from your own content (see above!) and from others. What do you like about the blogs you read? What do you dislike? What is distracting or annoying or unprofessional?

It is possible to use the expertise of others. For example, a friend of mine designed my logo and I hired someone to do my first blog re-design. When I can’t take my own top-knotch photos for my blog posts, I use stock photos (as I did for this post—my desk and computer aren’t nearly as photo-worthy!). While my graphic design skills have grown immensely over the last few years, I also use templates to help me create eye-catching pins. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or to learn and grow.

What’s your blog niche?

Having a clear blog niche will ensure your content is focused and not all over the place. Writing a mission statement can help to keep you on topic. While some blogs cover a variety of topics, the most successful bloggers focus on a particular topic and have an audience who comes to them repeatedly for information on that topic. Think about what you are passionate about and focus on that.

Do you have a posting schedule?

You must be consistent in sharing information, and having a clear posting schedule can motivate you. Your audience wants to know when they can expect new content! When I stoppped posting whenever I felt like it, and set myself a schedule to write a new post every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, my traffic increased. I felt more professional as I stuck to my self-imposed deadlines, but I also had regular new content for my audience to read.

Later, I increased my schedule to posting daily and again saw a traffic increase. After a year or two, that schedule became impossible to maintain, and I had to adjust it. Figure out what works for you. Even if you batch write posts, schedule them for the next several weeks and then focus on another area of your blog (like researching SEO or improving your photography or promoting your content on social media).

Have you ever felt like nobody is reading your blog? Which of these tips did you find the most helpful?

Looking for more blogging inspiration? Check out my behind-the-blog interviews with a variety of other bloggers to see how they rock their blogs!