You’ve struggled to lose that last 10 (or 20, or 100) pounds for a long time, and you’ve finally done it. You look fabulous in your bathing suit. You are ready to see and be seen. But wait! What about your blog? Is your blog in shape for the summer as well? Many blogs these days are becoming part of the Blogobesity epidemic, is yours one of them? Here’s how you can tell and what you can do about it.
1. Count your categories. If it takes the reader as long to read your categories as it does to read a post, your blog is carrying around some extra weight. Why not trim those up a little bit so that readers can find your content easier?
2. Eliminate empty Digg icons. You have one, but it always says “0″. Do realize that Digg readers tend to appreciate articles about technology, politics, etc. more than articles about your day hassling with traffic. Unless you made national news, and then you will probably not be worrying what Digg readers think. Lose the big fat “0″.
3. Consider moving those posts that consist entirely of lists of links so that you can get more trackbacks. While this will certainly increase your Technocrati rank, it makes your blog look a bit bogged down. Why not put those links on a separate page?
4. Stop your blog from binging on plug-ins like there is no tomorrow. You have the Buy Me A Beer plugin (I have a crush on that dude), the Related Entries plugin, the Popularity Contest plugin, the Add This plugin and many, many more. While a few plugins can strengthen your site, too many look like an overstuffed shopping cart at your local Megamart. Think about which ones really serve your blog and shed the rest of them.
5. Cut those excess hosting fees out of your blogs’ diet. If you are hosting each of your blogs with a separate hosting plan, it can really add up, causing panic when it is time to pay the bills. Try one of these alternatives: Host your plan with Dreamhost, where you can put several domain names on one account, or if you are fairly proficient in all things web, try the practically free “do it yourself” hosting over at Nearly Free Speech, where you can literally get a site hosted for 25 cents. I have sites hosted by both of these services, and they are both excellent in their own way.
6. Eliminate some of the advertising from your blog’s diet. If ads are literally bursting the seams of your readership, consider eliminating the least profitable ones. I’ve noticed that even with the burst of new readers in the past couple of days, I have only increased my Adsense revenue by about a dollar a day. If it were crowding my content, I’d get rid of it immediately.
7. Get your blog some exercise. Sitting around can cause your blog to get flabby. Help your blog to become active by taking it on a comment spree with you. Encourage it to work out over at MyBlogLog, where it can check out other blogs it is interested in. Keeping your blog social will help it to stay in shape and be strong, while staving off loneliness.
8. Add flavor to your blog, rather than empty calories. Spice it up some with a sprinkle of helpful links, or a dash of incredible design. The fat of content alone will not make your blog bikini worthy, even though it is an essential part of your blog’s diet.
9. Make sure your blog eats plenty of fresh food. That over-processed stuff will just clog its pores and make it sluggish. In other words, no more writing about the iPhone unless you have a blog about phones. Go find some fresh content to keep your blog lively.
10. Ask your blog to cut down on the fast food. Although an occasional short post is understandable–after all, perhaps there just really aren’t more than three sentences worth saying about the iPhone. iPhone People, please don’t jump me, I’m just kidding! Generally speaking, longer, more substantial posts are much more nutritious for both your blog and its readers.
Keep in mind that having a strong blog reduces advertising costs down the road, as readers will naturally be attracted to it. Your blog will also feel better and may thank you for its increased energy. Enjoy your blog’s journey to good health!
Next in the Blog Health Series: What to Do if You Think Your Blog has Anorexia.
Hi Michelle!!!!!
I really like your place here. And I have been much enjoying reading your articles. I stumbled here this morning, I think it was from Zenhabits…but I’m not certain. Anyway, I hope you’re having a bright day. I’ll be back for sure. (and I click on your adds too!)
Great tips and great pic! We need more hot man pics around the blogosphere, that’s for sure!
I’m off to take my blog for a walk.
Thank you for dropping by and leaving a note at my blog. You have a very interesting blog with unique and interesting content. I like the fresh perspective that has helpful tips but manages to not be just another cookie-cutter SEO/make-money-fast clone. I’m definitely adding it to my feed reader and will be stopping back.
Oooh, you beat me too it! I was about to say, from your list, my blog is actually anorexic and needs help to fatten up!
Another brilliant and clever post! I really love your take on blogging. Very refreshing and engaging.
Was this also induced by Insomnia?
I got a virtual server with GoDaddy last year. Best move I ever made. Makes testing a new site almost free.
Glad I found your site, you post great stuff.
BeachBum
I checked out Nearly Free Speech and haven’t laughed that much while reading a Web Site Host’s information. How freakish to find a business model that makes sense. I thought those days were gone for good. Thanks for the lead and thanks for your advice.
I tried my best not to laugh but i failed. I loved those titles. I think it’s time to go to gym for me.
Hi Michelle,
You are damn right! Blog-wight-loss is always a good idea.
Laser-sharp focus is something that few blogs have!
Thank you for the post!
Regards,
William
As always, very good post!
I wonder where did you get all these creative ideas…
Very interesting and informative… Hum… and a lot of work you put into this… WoW… I am starting to see how it works…
Forgive me for link spamming but maybe Rich Minx would want to visit my blog? My latest post has a topless picture of daniel craig. AND it’s relevant (ish).
Right, onto the proper comment.
1. My catagory count is 0, as I’ve switched to tags. I find them better, and very few people browsed all the catagories.
2. Again, don’t use digg icons. I use a plugin called sharethis.
3. Interesting. I put a few link posts in the blog here and there, including the Sunday Speedlinking. If people moan though I’d stop them.
4. I don’t think I have too many plugins. I suppose you can qualify this with visual plugins. Having a sidebar the size of Japan displaying useless crap is NOT good.
5. Oooh yes. I have quite expensive hosting (I host 4 sites), but then again I feel it’s is vital for my sites. Speculate to accumulate and all
6. Yeah, I have to say I agree. At the moment my site is okay. I don’t think the adsense on my site crushes my content too much, and it’s a nice little earner.
7. Doing so
8. Couldn’t agree more with the design. Too many blogs look the same, if you are a rubbish writer (like myself) you can easily confuse people to thinking you have an authorative voice by having a kick ass design (like myself).
9. Couldn’t agree more (says he who blogs about Pay Per Comment)
10. Yes, though at times short posts can evoke more of a response…
Great post! I need to do most of those- thanks!
Advice drenched in humour. Just the way I like it.
Thank you for the way you tell it.
Fantastic post–very good for our blogs’ health! Thanks for sharing these excellent tips!
Jeanne
[...] 10 tips to lose that extra blog weight [...]
[...] Even if it weren’t for the contest, I would probably still mention this blog again because she recently posted an article on ways to improve your blog title “10 Tips to Lose That Extra Blog Weight“, but in a very unique way. In my mind, this deserves some recognition. While she could have done like so many other blogs and just listed things to do to improve the blog, she wrote it as a health regimen for your blog. This is only the tip of the iceberg, she has an entire “Blog Health Series” as she calls her posts with tips about blogging. [...]
They are a lot of interesting things in your blog, thanks for it.