We all want our blog visitors to return to our site, but what can you do to improve your blog to make sure that happens?

Here are 10 things I’ve learned that will keep your visitors returning.

1. Be consistent. Decide up front how often you want to update your blog, and do it regularly. I would suggest at least five times a week, as blog addicts (and most of us bloggers are exactly that!) like to come back every day! If your reader comes and sees you haven’t posted in a week, they’re less likely to bother coming back to check again the next day. If you’re going away, be sure you post a brief announcement post telling people so, so your blog doesn’t look deserted. This is especially important if your blog is young.
2. Be interactive. Allow comments from any source. I don’t return to sites I can’t comment on, such as ones that require a Google ID to leave a comment. Reply to comments, and visit the sites of your vistitors! Blog Catalog and MyBlogLog’s widgets are great for seeing who has been viewing your site. Go visit them in return, even if they didn’t leave a comment! Befriend them in one of these communities, and they’ll likely keep coming back! I once got a welcome email from a site where I had left a comment. The author had obviously been to my site, and she told me what she liked about it. This made me feel really welcome and a part of her online community.
3. Don’t make your posts too long. So many bloggers love to go on and on and on. I’d say this rule applies doubly if you’re writing a personal/humor/rant blog rather than a technical or niche subject blog. If you have a lot to say, considering breaking this up into a series of posts.
4. Good Writing. This can be a tough one, because people who can do it, will. But put the effort in and don’t let yourself get lazy, or even a good writer can produce some unworthy posts, driving people away.
5. Do it for love. Write about what interests you or makes you laugh, or moves you, depending on the subject of your blog. Write about things you can’t help but write about. You’ll lose interest quickly if you aren’t passionate about the subject.
6. Controversy. Don’t be afraid to state your opinion. Not everyone will agree, but it will give your blog some personality and spice!
7. Clear, inviting layout. Style does matter. Put some thought and effort into choosing an appropriate theme, and customise it as you go along. It doesn’t have to be perfect the first day, as it’s normal for a site to evolve, but do put the effort in! I find myself passing over Blogspot blogs, for example, that use that ever-common ‘dots’ theme. Experiment, and feel free to change the theme occassionally to see what people respond to. Choose one appropriate for your subject! A personal blog can be spicy, warm, and even zany. A professional blog can have some flair without being too boring! Check out blogs you like, and analyze their design and what you like about it.
8. RSS Feeds: Promote them. RSS feeds are a great way for people to keep track of new posts you make without having to visit. It may sound like a downer for the author, but in fact it’s a huge plus. This is a fantastic way to net in people who wouldn’t ordinarily come back.
9. Stick To Your Purpose. If it’s a humor blog, keep it funny, and don’t lapse into talking about your best friend’s tragic loss and how it’s affecting you. If you write a business blog, don’t talk about your pregnancy. If you want loyal readers, you need to remember why they come back, and give them what they want.
10. Analyze Your Traffic. Sometimes the search keyphrases people use to find you won’t tell you all that much, particularly if you are writing a personal blog. However, what is useful is to see what pages get the most hits, and what posts get the most comments. Over on Bitter Women, I found I got a huge boost in comments and additions to a social network like StumbleUpon if I talked about sex and gender issues. Whereas posts about funny things in the news don’t get as many hits, probably because the same articles often get written about by many many blog authors, and it’s harder to make something fresh that way.

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