OK, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but why aren’t more people reading your blog? In a recent Pulse story on LinkedIn, legal consultant James Bliwas gives five reasons why law firm blogs aren’t read. But they could apply to any blog. I’ve added three reasons of my own and then listed his.

As I’ve reviewed my own posts I can certainly point a finger at myself, too. See if any of these reasons apply to you. I know I could do better.

Have You Asked?

Here are reasons why the people you most want to reach may not be reading your blog:

1. You haven’t asked them. You can’t just sit back and wait for traffic to flow to your posts. Sure, Google will send you traffic, but, let’s be honest, most of those people will bounce off, never to return. Have you specifically asked your clients, prospects, friends and family to read and comment on your blogs? Have you asked them for referrals to specific people they know who might be interested in your content and are potential targets for your business? You can’t be shy about it.
2. You haven’t leveraged social media. I’m always surprised when I go to a blog and they don’t show social media share buttons. It doesn’t happen too often, but I left a comment on a blog just the other day that didn’t display any. Most blogs have plugins that shoot your latest post to your social networks. But are you using your own employees as brand ambassadors to share your posts on their social media networks? Do you write to your clients and prospects, who are not already subscribers, with a note and link to your latest post?
3. You don’t leave comments on other blogs. Make a list of your clients and prospects and learn if they write blogs. If so, leave thoughtful comments that link back to your latest post. The inbound links will help your SEO and the other bloggers will likely reciprocate with a comments on your post. They may subscribe, if they like what they read. Join networking groups like the LinkedIn Bloggers Helping Bloggers Group, where bloggers comments on each other’s posts and exchange helpful tips. … and now for Mr. Bliwas’s reasons, with my thoughts.
4. Your blogs present facts, not ideas. Readers don’t want a simple statement of facts. In a survey of his law firm clients, Bliwas found they railed against posts covering what the law says but not explaining what it means.
5. Your blogs are reactive, not proactive. Clients don’t want a rehash of what they’ve already read elsewhere. If you’re using a current story in the news as a hook for your post, suggest new ways that clients can address the issues the story addresses in their own organizations.
6. Your blogs don’t raise emerging issues that will be important to target readers. A blog is intended to establish your authority in a subject. You do that by presenting new ideas and ways of doing things that aren’t already out there.
7. Your blogs don’t give readers something to think about. You need to take a position on a subject that might be controversial. You can’t just push out bland posts that don’t provoke reader interest and even disagreement.
8. Your blogs are poorly written. A blog needs to be well written with the correct use of grammar and devoid of acronyms. Write plainly and simply for the reader. Make a point and give an example to clarify it

There isn’t a magic bullet that will solve all your problems of attracting and retaining readers for your blog. But what good is your blog if few people read it.

 What are you doing to attract more readers?