No one wants to read a blog if it is visually dull and boring.
You could have the best writing skills but if the visitor doesn't like what they see they will quickly move on.
One way of getting visitors to stick around and have an immediate positive impact to your traffic is the addition of images to your blog-posts.
Yep, it's that easy.
A photograph or picture enhances a blog post and I have no doubt that in most cases if you did a basic A/B test of the exact same blog article with and without a photograph, the article with the image will generate a better response.
It should be obvious to you why photos and pictures enhance a blog since I expect you enjoy images too.
Words are good but pictures tell a thousand stories they say, so whenever possible use the power of words and pictures together.
Let's look at some of the ways you can integrate photography into your blog.
SMALL BUSINESS BLOGGING I'll start off with what I know best - small business blogging.
If your blog is designed to sell you (your services or your profile, etc) then adding a photograph of yourself is a must.
One of the most effective credibility building tools is to include a photo of you with someone famous in your industry or just someone famous in general.
Get yourself a happy-snap with a high profile entrepreneur like Richard Branson or Donald Trump and you have a fantastic tool for building a reputation in business circles.
The logic behind this is obvious - if you are socializing with experts in your industry then you, by association, are perceived as an expert too.
Even if you don't have any celebrity snapshots to include on your blog, be sure to at least include a photo of yourself (or several).
Blogging is about personality and it's important your readers can identify with you.
A headshot on your blog helps foster a natural rapport with your audience and projects an image of trustworthiness and friendliness.
Obviously you should use a photo with a smile and an approachable and friendly look if you want positive outcomes.
It doesn't matter how old or freaky looking you think you are - just smile and people will like you.
There's no room for being shy if you want to be famous in the blogosphere.
SEX SELLS One of the most interesting ways I have seen a blogger use photography was to include a picture of a beautiful woman in every blog post he wrote.
Now why this was unusual was because the blog posts he wrote had nothing to do with the girls in the photos he included, he just stuck them in to increase the appeal of his content.
Yes, sex really does sell even if it's got nothing to do with the topic in focus.
If this method is too deceptive for your liking you should still take note of the psychology behind it.
The fact is people like to look at beautiful people, it's just the way we are wired, and you can take advantage of this in your blogging.
Use pictures of beautiful people whenever appropriate or consider deliberately covering topics that are about or relevant to someone beautiful.
And it doesn't have to only focus on people - anything outrageous or unusual or compelling in the form of an image or photograph will enhance your blog articles and increase your traffic.
WHERE TO FIND IMAGES This is my favorite online resource full of hundreds of high quality photos, most of which cost nothing to use.
STOCK.
XCHNG - http://www.
sxc.
hu Sometimes it's worth searching for a photo even if your article doesn't really need it.
Just having something interesting to view at the start of an article can be the difference between your article being read or clicked away from.
I often grab a photo that elicits the "feel" or general topic of the article I just wrote and stick it at the beginning of the first paragraph, either aligned to the right or left so the text wraps around it.
It's like adding flowers to a dinner table - you already have something satisfying ready to go, but that extra little garnish makes it special.
You could have the best writing skills but if the visitor doesn't like what they see they will quickly move on.
One way of getting visitors to stick around and have an immediate positive impact to your traffic is the addition of images to your blog-posts.
Yep, it's that easy.
A photograph or picture enhances a blog post and I have no doubt that in most cases if you did a basic A/B test of the exact same blog article with and without a photograph, the article with the image will generate a better response.
It should be obvious to you why photos and pictures enhance a blog since I expect you enjoy images too.
Words are good but pictures tell a thousand stories they say, so whenever possible use the power of words and pictures together.
Let's look at some of the ways you can integrate photography into your blog.
SMALL BUSINESS BLOGGING I'll start off with what I know best - small business blogging.
If your blog is designed to sell you (your services or your profile, etc) then adding a photograph of yourself is a must.
One of the most effective credibility building tools is to include a photo of you with someone famous in your industry or just someone famous in general.
Get yourself a happy-snap with a high profile entrepreneur like Richard Branson or Donald Trump and you have a fantastic tool for building a reputation in business circles.
The logic behind this is obvious - if you are socializing with experts in your industry then you, by association, are perceived as an expert too.
Even if you don't have any celebrity snapshots to include on your blog, be sure to at least include a photo of yourself (or several).
Blogging is about personality and it's important your readers can identify with you.
A headshot on your blog helps foster a natural rapport with your audience and projects an image of trustworthiness and friendliness.
Obviously you should use a photo with a smile and an approachable and friendly look if you want positive outcomes.
It doesn't matter how old or freaky looking you think you are - just smile and people will like you.
There's no room for being shy if you want to be famous in the blogosphere.
SEX SELLS One of the most interesting ways I have seen a blogger use photography was to include a picture of a beautiful woman in every blog post he wrote.
Now why this was unusual was because the blog posts he wrote had nothing to do with the girls in the photos he included, he just stuck them in to increase the appeal of his content.
Yes, sex really does sell even if it's got nothing to do with the topic in focus.
If this method is too deceptive for your liking you should still take note of the psychology behind it.
The fact is people like to look at beautiful people, it's just the way we are wired, and you can take advantage of this in your blogging.
Use pictures of beautiful people whenever appropriate or consider deliberately covering topics that are about or relevant to someone beautiful.
And it doesn't have to only focus on people - anything outrageous or unusual or compelling in the form of an image or photograph will enhance your blog articles and increase your traffic.
WHERE TO FIND IMAGES This is my favorite online resource full of hundreds of high quality photos, most of which cost nothing to use.
STOCK.
XCHNG - http://www.
sxc.
hu Sometimes it's worth searching for a photo even if your article doesn't really need it.
Just having something interesting to view at the start of an article can be the difference between your article being read or clicked away from.
I often grab a photo that elicits the "feel" or general topic of the article I just wrote and stick it at the beginning of the first paragraph, either aligned to the right or left so the text wraps around it.
It's like adding flowers to a dinner table - you already have something satisfying ready to go, but that extra little garnish makes it special.