One of the key features Apollo Media often includes in its web development package is the creation of an informative blog which brings clients closer to their target market.To make a blog successful, there are several important factors to consider that will help you meet the needs of your potential online audience.

We did a quick search of several prominent blogs and created a list of 10 features that will boost your blog’s accessibility and readership:

1. Focus on a specific topic and carve out a niche In order to keep a group of readers interested in your blog, as well as create an incentive for them to continue frequenting it, it is important to have a clearly defined theme and scope for your content. Have a strict focus and you will win the loyalty of specific internet users who know exactly what they are looking for. On the web, habituation is a key factor and sticking to a general area of interest is paramount. And since the number of surfers is enormous, this niche will prove to be a huge audience.
2. Show value to your readership No matter what your blog is about, the chances are there are hundreds, even thousands of other blogs dedicated to the same thing. That’s why it is important to provide valuable information for the reader. Content must be consistent and up-to-date, not just rehashed blurbs from months passed. To better understand the value you bring to your readership, we make a detailed list of “What we know that other people want to know” as well as “What we don’t know that other people want to know”. These two lists help make the development of content an ongoing process rather than a stagnant dumping ground for old ideas.
3. Include lots of keywords and use strong titles Make the titles of your entries short, clear and attention grabbing. Your entries should also include keywords that are used by your target market frequently in search engines. Sometimes it helps to think of your blog as being like a newspaper – sensational headlines are what sells.
4. Update your blog often Build a dedicated base of core readers with consistent posting. Readers will quickly become bored of a blog if every time they visit it they find the same old information. At Apollo Media, our blog development projects aim for at least one or two posts per day and discourage missing posts for more than two consecutive days.
5. Include RSS RSS feeds are an automatic syndication process and those who subscribe to them receive new posts as they are published. Easy subscription is key to drawing in a dedicated readership. Use the standard orange RSS logo to indicate your blog’s accessibility.
6. Have a clearly visible archive of recent posts Recent posts are optimally listed on the side of the front page so readers can easily access recent information. Be sure to include the date of these entries and their titles.
7. Include a search tool Have a search tool for readers to use when they’re a looking for a specific article or topic that may not be visible on your blog’s front page. Make the search tool easy to find, preferably at the top right hand corner of your page.
8. Take advantage of Social Bookmarking Tools Sites like Digg, Reddit and Newsvine are incredibly useful for readers to organize and rate the posts they view. They bookmark their favourites which are available to others in their network. This provides you access to their network and potentially new readers. Have these buttons (or chicklets) at the bottom of each entry.
9. Include Podcasts and videos Provide your readers a multimedia experience. Podcasting is dramatically increasing in popularity and has gotten easier for the average blogger to do, as blogging software like WordPress and TypePad include Podcasting plug-ins. Short web videos can be a quick and entertaining way of generating content quickly while also adding variety to the types of entries you post.
10. List your most popular posts Create a sidebar list of the posts that generate the most traffic. It provides a clear indication of your blog’s value and also develops a sense of community with other readers as they can see what everyone is most interested in. It also gives you, the blogger, a better idea of what types of entries you should continue creating.

Well, there are the 10 tips for today, and believe me, there are a lot more features, strategies and tools bloggers can discover to better their experiences online. Keep coming back to Apollo Media’s blog and learn more about maximizing your blog’s potential.

Good luck!