What is it about blogs that are so addicting? Is it the ability to write about whatever your passions are? Is it the opportunity to peak inside the life of someone else? Is it a break from the work routine, a chance to escape and think about something fun? Is it a great way to be informed and meet with others that are interested in the same things as you? Is it a replacement to daily news reports? What is it?

I have been blogging since 2006, and it took me awhile to figure out their appeal. My first blog took forever to develop a following. Over time, I have learned so many lessons in how to make and write an effective blog spot for readers to enjoy. Here are a few of the tough knocks I have learned along the way.

1. Be open, honest and completely transparent. Being a blogger gives a person the opportunity to write anything, and it would be easy to dramatize the stories shared on a blog. However, it’s best to be yourself; people will like you for who you are. Write honestly and openly, and people will learn to trust what you have to say.

2. Linking! Linking back to previous articles within the blog is the best way to help readers navigate through old blog posts. Of course, linking to other articles that support your blog post topic is a great tool to add credibility, but if you can tie back to something you have already written, readers will learn more about your blog and stay longer.

3. Write, write, write…often. What’s the best way to develop a constant readership? Be someone that people can count on. Committ to writing everyday, or develop a routine that keeps readers coming back. Of course, readers can utilize RSS feeds to keep track of your work, but keep them coming back for more with your steady updates.

4. Interact with your readers. Reply to their comments. Conduct a voting poll on a topic of interest. Host a contest. Ask open-ended questions in your blog. Start up a conversation.

5. Include photos, videos, podcasts and your personality. Add the extras that make a blog post, a destination. Switch it up to keep the interest of all of your readers. Have fun and be creative!

So, what about you? What have you learned in your blogging efforts? What did you think about blogs when they first became popular? What do you think about them now?