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6 Tips to Start and Maintain a Successful Blog FAQs

Desiree Johnson, Content Specialist

June 28, 2019

It was a pleasure to discuss and chat with our attendees who joined our 6 Tip to Start and Maintain a Successful Blog webinar. Whether you are creating a business or personal site, WordPress provides bloggers with endless tools to publish content their readers will love. The webinar guided users through blogging essentials like creating evergreen content and selecting plugins to help optimize a site.

Our attendees were instructed on the various aspects of blogging like identifying their target audience and driving traffic to their site. We challenged attendees with tasks like planning goals for their blog, creating a content calendar, and developing a style guide for their site. During the webinar, Core Developer Dave Ryan demonstrated how to organize a blog with categories and tags to increase your SEO ranking.

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In case you were unable to catch the webinar live, we compiled some of the most popular questions attendees asked during the duration of the webinar. If you have any additional questions, please let us know in the comments below!

Is there a maximum word count for creating my blogs in WordPress?

The great thing about WordPress is that there is no maximum word count. You should always strive for quality over quantity when you write your blog and keep the word count between 500-2000 words.

How can I get more subscribers for my blog?

One of the best ways to obtain more subscribers is to be social. Make sure you are sharing any content you publish to your social media accounts. You can also post to different platforms during the day to see what is resonating better with your audience.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is also a great resource for drawing visitors to your site. You can optimize your headlines and permalinks to increase the traffic to your blog.

What is the suggested image size for a blog post?

You can upload the largest image size to your Media Library. Your WordPress theme will optimize your image for your site when you insert it into your post.

How do you add video to a blog post?

Select the (+) located in the top left corner of your post. You can use the search bar to find the “Video Block,” to upload a media file.

If you are importing a video from a third party like YouTube or Instagram, select the “Embeds” drop-down in the block and insert the URL from the site.

Is it possible to embed audio into your blog post?

Yes! Select the (+) located in the top left corner of your post. You can use the search bar to find the “Audio Block,” to upload a direct media file. This will give you an audio player within your post.

If you are importing a video from a source like Soundcloud select the “Embeds” drop-down in the block and insert the URL from the site.

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Should I prioritize website speed over functionality?

For most online visitors, speed matters, so we definitely say yes. Having too many features could slow down your site and deter users from visiting your site in the future. You always want to maintain a balance between your features and website speed.

Do I need to request permission before adding a backlink to another site on my blog?

You don’t need permission, but if you want someone to link to your site, then yes. Only backlink to sites that are trusted, relevant, and secure.

Should I allow people to post comments on my blog? Is there a way to filter inappropriate comments?

Having people comment on your blog can help you engage with your readers and get direct feedback. However, if they are controversial or inappropriate, maybe not. Plugins like Akismet help filter any incoming comments and reduce the amount of spam.

How many plugins should I run on my blog at one time?

Each plugin has its own functionality and you want to make sure you don’t have plugins installed with similar features that will slow down your site. Since every plugin is not the same size, we recommend disabling any plugins you aren’t currently using.

What are five essential plugins for a brand new blogger?

• JetPack
• Yoast SEO
• Akismet
• Edit Flow
• Constant Contact Forms

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Can a blog be reviewed for quality by someone at Bluehost before going live?

Bluehost does offer assistance through a paid service called Blue Sky.If you just want someone to take a quick look, our Blue Flash service can help you for free!

How do you create a CTA (Call to action)?

The editor allows you to create CTA’s within your blog post. Select the (+)located in the top left corner of your post. Under “Layout Elements,” you can select the “Button block” and customize the style, text, and color of your CTA.

I want to create a style guide, is there a standard template available online?

Creating a style guide for your blog can be a great way to ensure that you are consistent and holding yourself accountable when you write. Online sources like Canva have step by step instructions for creating an excellent style guide.

Could you provide a list of online tools to create an infographic?

We’d be happy to help! Check out our blog for the 411 on creating an infographic.

Should we use the same title tag on an image for our blog?

The “Title Tag,” of an image in your Media Library helps search engines identify what the image is. We recommend using keywords relevant to your blog topic, trends, or industry to help increase the value of your site ranking.