Blogging remains one of the most powerful strategies for driving traffic, engaging audiences, and growing your brand in 2024. 

According to a study by Tech Client, a blog increases your chances of ranking higher in search by 434%.

While the search landscape continues to evolve, with Google rolling out AI-enhanced results, the fundamental principles of blogging success stay rooted in solid research, quality content, strategic sharing, and continuous optimization. 

In another study by Forbes, when asked about the “biggest shifts” and industry changes in SEO, 18.7% of respondents said machine learning and artificial intelligence, while 18% said Google updates.

In spite of more tectonic shifts in SEO than we’ve seen in the last quarter century, we’ve been a part of navigating websites through these wildly uncertain times. 

Through our own work and conversations with some of the top SEO experts in the world, we’ve had the chance to formulate and test a variety of winning strategies — and to adapt in order to continue growing blogs into 2024 and beyond.

So, here’s your ultimate guide to growing your blog this year and the years to follow. 

How to Grow A Blog in 2024

1. Keyword Research

There are 19,881 high-volume keywords with more than 100,000 monthly searches in the U.S., according to Ahrefs.

Effective blogging begins with thorough keyword research. Understanding what your audience is searching for helps you create content that meets their needs and ranks well in search engines.

• Use Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner: These tools are essential for discovering keywords relevant to your niche. They provide insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and competition.

• Find 100+ keywords relevant to your brand: Create a comprehensive list of keywords that your target audience is likely to use. This variety ensures you have a steady stream of ideas for new content.

• Prioritize based on search volume & competition: Focus on keywords that have a good balance of high search volume and low competition. These keywords offer the best chance for your blog to rank well and attract traffic.

According to Google, 15% of searches are brand new searches that have never been searched before. 

The best SEOs I’ve know personally dedicate a portion of their content towards the direction they believe the topic areas areas are trending. 

For example, Richard Fendler, the mastermind behind SnackNation’s astonishing SEO success (someone we’ve been fortunate enough to work with directly), started targeting hybrid and remote work-related keywords and anything that had to do with asynchronous work right at the onset of the pandemic. He understood that even if the volume for certain keywords seemed relatively low if we could predict the future trending terms, the content we produced would have time to be indexed, rank, and capitalize on the height of these search phrases. 

Let’s say 90% of your content should be dedicated to the winnable, higher-volume keywords, but the other 10% should be devoted to taking informed shots on target and capturing the traffic of new and trending searches. 

Google Trends is one of our favorite tools for executing this strategy. But remember that while keywords matter, never let keywording and SEO-centric content come at the cost of your storytelling. Put stories first. SEO optimization is just an added layer and benefit — especially in B2B, where it’s less about volume and more about demonstrating you can solve a problem.

2. Content Strategy

A well-planned content strategy ensures you cover all stages of the buyer’s journey and provide value to a broad audience.

Plan your content around BOFU, MOFU, TOFU topics: 

• BOFU (Bottom of Funnel): Content aimed at converting leads into customers. These include case studies, product comparisons, and customer testimonials. Grow & Convert conducted a study showing bottom of funnel content converts 25x better than top of funnel content.

• MOFU (Middle of Funnel): Content that educates and nurtures leads, such as how-to guides, checklists, and webinars.

• TOFU (Top of Funnel): Content that attracts new visitors, like blog posts, infographics, and social media content.

Research what’s already winning. Then, tell your own version of the story, bolstered by your own experiences: Analyze top-performing content in your niche and understand why it works. Use this insight to inspire your own unique and improved content.

3. Drafting and Writing

Creating high-quality content is the cornerstone of a successful blog.

• Structure blogs with H1s, H2s, and H3s: Proper structuring with headings makes your content easier to read and understand. It also helps with SEO.

• High-quality, value-adding content only: Ensure every post offers real value to your readers. Answer their questions, solve their problems, and provide actionable insights.

• Hit E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): Google prioritizes content that demonstrates these qualities. Showcase your credentials, cite reputable sources, and provide in-depth analysis to establish trust.

For YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) topics, collaborate with specialists like doctors, CPAs, and financial advisors to provide authoritative insights. 

Each article has to undergo rigorous review, ensuring accuracy and trustworthiness. 

For example, our process starts with in-depth content briefs, carefully crafted to outline objectives, audience personas, and key messages. 

We then set up a comprehensive content calendar to maintain a steady flow of high-quality content, fostering engagement and building trust. 

4. Editing and Optimization

Once your draft is complete, the next step is to optimize your content for readability and search engines.

• Make it easy to read: short paragraphs, headings, and bullet points: Break up text to make it less intimidating and more scannable.

• Add images, internal links, and optimize meta descriptions: Visuals can enhance understanding and engagement. Internal links help keep readers on your site longer, and well-crafted meta descriptions improve click-through rates from search engines.

Editing and optimizing content is where the magic happens, transforming a draft into a polished, high-performing piece. 

We leverage a suite of cutting-edge tools. Hemingway Editor is a favorite for refining readability, helping us simplify complex sentences, and enhancing clarity. 

For optimization, Clearscope is indispensable, guiding us to incorporate the right keywords and semantically related terms to boost SEO. 

Additionally, Google PageSpeed Insights is another crucial tool in our arsenal, allowing us to monitor and improve page speed — a vital factor in user experience and search rankings. 

With a benchmark of achieving a PageSpeed score of 90 or above, we ensure that our content informs, engages, and loads swiftly, keeping bounce rates low and user satisfaction high. 

5. Repurposing Content

Maximize the reach of your content by repurposing it across different platforms and formats.

• Turn blogs into YouTube videos, LinkedIn posts, newsletters, and infographics: Different people consume content in different ways. By repurposing, you extend your reach and reinforce your message.

• Create Twitter threads and podcast episodes: Engage with your audience on social media and through audio content. These platforms are great for summarizing key points and driving traffic back to your blog.

• Endless content opportunities: Think beyond traditional blog posts. Webinars, live Q&A sessions, and interactive content like quizzes can all be derived from your original content.

Repurposing content is a strategic way to maximize its reach and impact, and it's a service we currently provide for one of our clients. 

One of our clients uses Twitter as a testing ground, gauging which posts resonate most with his audience. 

When a post performs well, we step in to repurpose it across multiple channels, including blogs, newsletters, and other social media platforms. 

This approach amplifies the content's visibility and ensures consistent messaging and engagement across various mediums. 

6. Sharing and Engagement

Creating content is only half the battle. You need to get it in front of your target audience.

• Get the content in front of your target audience: Use all available channels to share your content. This includes social media, email newsletters, and collaborations with partners.

• Share on social, collaborate with partners, write an email: Social media and email are powerful tools for driving traffic. Partnering with influencers or other brands can expand your reach.

• Encourage engagement: Ask questions, invite comments, and create opportunities for your audience to interact with your content. Engagement signals to search engines that your content is valuable.

Measuring engagement for content is crucial in understanding its impact and refining your strategy. 

Key engagement metrics such as time on page, bounce rate, social shares, and comments provide insights into how well your content resonates with your audience. 

Time on page reveals whether readers find your content valuable enough to stay and explore, while a low bounce rate indicates they are interested in exploring more of your site. 

Social shares amplify your reach and signal that your content is engaging and worth sharing. Comments foster community and dialogue, offering direct feedback from your audience. 

From an SEO perspective, we’ve observed that articles with outstanding engagement metrics tend to rank higher in search results. This correlation makes sense; search engines prioritize content that effectively satisfies user intent. 

By monitoring these metrics and continuously optimizing your content, you can create a virtuous cycle of engagement and SEO success, ultimately enhancing your content’s visibility and impact.

7. Using AI Tools

AI tools can significantly enhance your blogging efforts but should be used wisely.

Human-generated content tends to perform better than AI-generated content, with one NP Digital study showing that human-generated content received 5.44X more traffic than AI-generated content.

This isn't to discount the value of AI tools; they are excellent for accelerating specific aspects of the content process, such as keyword research and preliminary drafts. 

However, the key to success lies in a harmonious blend: human-made and AI-assisted. This approach leverages the creativity, empathy, and nuanced understanding of human writers, while utilizing AI to enhance efficiency and optimize performance. 

• ChatGPT is great for research and ideation: Use AI to brainstorm ideas, outline your posts, and even generate content drafts.

• Just don’t rely on it or any AI tool for writing: AI-generated content can lack the personal touch and nuanced understanding that human writers provide. Use AI to assist, not replace, your writing process.

8. Building Backlinks

Backlinks are crucial for SEO, helping to boost your blog’s authority and visibility.

• Publish content on LinkedIn, Medium, and Quora: These platforms are excellent for reaching new audiences and earning backlinks.

• Contact blogs and journalists for inclusion and backlinks: Reach out to industry blogs and journalists to get your content featured and linked. Guest posting is another effective strategy.

Focus on long-tail keywords, which are less competitive and more likely to rank in the top 3 search results. 

Ranking higher significantly boosts organic traffic and the potential for backlinks, as pages in the top 3 positions get 68.7% of all clicks. 

Backlinks are crucial for SEO, improving your domain authority and further increasing your rankings. 

Consistent, high-quality content tailored to specific queries helps you attract and retain a dedicated audience, driving sustained growth for your blog.

9. Content Refresh

Regularly updating your content keeps it relevant and valuable.

• Update old blog posts every quarter: Refresh your content with new information, updated statistics, and current trends. This improves SEO and ensures your content remains useful.

• Optimize posts for new keywords: As keyword trends change, update your content to reflect new search terms and maintain your rankings.

73% of bloggers who update their blog posts are 2.8x more likely to see better results, according to data from Orbit Media.

For one of our clients who deals in the B2B SaaS environment, ranking on the second page versus the top three results is the difference between their brand earning roughly zero dollars or tens of thousands of dollars for a single query.

We’ve found that by simply relaunching the brand’s stale content with some significant updates (adding in more firsthand experience, testimonials, reviews, and UI modifications), we’ve brought dying content back to life and boosted revenue as a result. 

Conclusion

Blogging is a dynamic and evolving field, but the core strategies for growth remain consistent. By focusing on thorough keyword research, creating high-quality content, optimizing for readability and SEO, repurposing content across various platforms, engaging your audience, leveraging AI tools wisely, building backlinks, and regularly refreshing your content, you can grow your blog successfully in 2024.

The opportunities for blogging success are vast, especially at the bottom of the sales funnel. With consistent effort and a strategic approach, your blog can become a powerful tool for driving traffic, engaging audiences, and growing your brand. Start implementing these steps today, and watch your blog thrive.