Of course, if you’ve been fortunate enough to discover the beauty of retirement overseas, you’ll want to share what you know with others! That’s only natural. Why should such a relaxing (or adventurous, depending on what you chose) lifestyle option be a secret?
If you want to get the word out about your new discovery, and the entire experience of retiring abroad, the best way to do that is to start a blog. It’s alright if you’re new to the blogging business. The first step is having a lot to say! Here are some important steps:
Do your research
This cannot be stressed enough. The online content world is ever-changing, and if you want readers (why else would you be doing this?), you’ll want to keep up with the times. The ideal content length of an article will vary depending on your audience. The retirement-ready audience usually has the attention span for a long, information-heavy article. Younger audiences prefer to keep it between 350 and 500 words. These are important points to consider.
Focus on helpful content
Today’s audience likes content to be helpful, rather than persuasive. Focus more on sharing your experience for the sake of helping your audience to see or understand something, rather than simply trying to convince them to join you in your version of paradise. Think about what would be most interesting for you to have heard about before you knew you were making this decision. Relate to them in that way, and you’ll create a loyal following.
Include pictures
Nothing keeps a reader’s attention better than engaging photos that illustrate the story you’re telling. If you’re writing about your new life in Belize, show off some of the perks! Many readers will simply skim over an article before actually deciding to delve into reading it. If pictures are being used to grab their attention, they’re more likely to stick around and read what you have to say.
Update regularly
Don’t let your blog go stale. Keep it updated on a regular basis with new content. This not only helps keep you in mind as a credible source, but it also helps you to appear more readily on search engines. One aspect of search engine optimization (SEO) is how often the website in question is updated and how useful readers have found the content.
Interact with your audience
This is sort of an extension of the point above, about how important it is for users to find your content helpful if you want it to appear on search engines like Google. Make your posts shareable on social media. You want it to be as easy as possible for them to share directly to Facebook, Pinterest, and anything else they’d be likely to use. Remember, that will depend on your target audience.
Be sure to encourage your audience to interact with each other as well. Request feedback and commentary at the end of your blogs. Ask others to share their experiences and create a conversation. This not only creates a community around your subject matter, but it also provides the ability to offer up more information than what you may have thought to share in the first place. New ideas should always be welcome!
Make sure the page design is attractive and straightforward
Don’t over-complicate things. You want your page to be easily navigable and to-the-point. Less is more. Make your message known right away on the landing page. Let readers know what to expect and that you have what they’re looking for from the very start. Finally, double and triple-check that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Any small oversight in this area will take points away from your credibility.
Promote, promote, promote
This step is probably the most important, right up there with keeping your content updated. The web is a highly competitive place, with lots of information and lots of blogs out there – not to mention people who are talking about the same things you are talking about. You have to put yourself out there and make your presence known. The best way to do this is to look into SEO, Google AdWords, and companies that might like to help your vision. You can promote their content or products and services in return for them promoting you. There is a whole world out there of complementary businesses to work with!
While you’re exploring and fully enjoying your retirement abroad, keep these points in mind so that you can take a mental note when something relevant comes along. For example, take lots of pictures to use for your content. Jot down an anecdote when the mood strikes. Take notice of other businesses who might want to cross-promote. It will take some time, but if you’re dedicated you can get that blog and that following you’re looking for!
Image credit: https://pixabay.com/en/home-office-workstation-office-336377/
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