There is not a specific content strategy that works for every single blog. They all have a very specific target market, requiring content that engages that blog’s particular audience. What works for one blog might not work as effectively for another. This requires each blog owner to test various content approaches to determine what performs the best for their particular blog.

Here are five content suggestions that can be used to help give you some blog content ideas:

1. Offer a Free Giveaway

Want to build a following of loyal readers? Give something away for free on your website! People love free giveaways, but you don’t need to break the bank to attract attention to your free giveaway.

Come up with something that your target blog reader will see a value in, and this doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value. Sure, it could be a physical product such as a t-shirt or prize, but it can also be an eBook jam packed full of useful information that they will want to get their hands on.

Use your giveaway to gain an action such as an opt-in to your email list, a Facebook like, a follow on Twitter, or any other action that you deem to be beneficial for your blog’s growth. You can create one-time giveaways or even weekly giveaways in order to gain traction.

When done successfully, it will snowball the blogs growth. The first giveaway can be used to increase the blog’s social media following and subscriber list, making the audience to present the second giveaway much larger. Now repeat this over and over and watch the growth occur.

2. Share Information and Knowledge

Blog’s are a great way to develop a special connection with your readers, and you will build up a loyal following if the audience feels that the information being shared with them is genuine. Use your knowledge and share it with your audience.

This applies to business blogs run by large corporations all the way to personal blogs started about a topic of interest. For example, if a super fan of the Boston Red Sox starts a baseball blog about the team then they should share as much knowledge about the team as possible. The readership and engagement will increase as the blogger presents knowledgeable information to the readers.

Avoid sounding like you are trying to sell them something. Your blog isn’t the place to pitch products or services. If the blog is an extension of a big brand then post useful information and if the reader finds it valuable they will naturally want to do business with the brand after making that connection.

3. Answer Common Questions Publicly

While this applies many to blogs run by a brand, this same approach can be used by virtually any blog out there. Keep track of customer service inquiries and develop a list of commonly asked questions. Once it is determined that a particular question is asked frequently then address it via your blog.

There is a good chance that a large percentage of the audience has the very same questions but hasn’t taken the time to contact the blog with their question. You can even group these into your FAQ section and continue to add to it over time.

If you see an increase in a specific question due to a current event or something that is time sensitive then take a moment to address it on the blog. If you answer your readers questions before they have to ask it makes your blog appear to be a great source of information in the eyes of the reader.

4. Use Visual Data and Case Studies

We are all visual learners by nature, hence the reason infographics have become such a popular and successful form of content marketing. If you have data that you feel your blog audience will enjoy and find useful, present in a visual manner and make sure you encourage them to share it.

The same applies to case studies; if you have interesting information then share it. Virtually every blog out there, regardless of the topic, can gather some interesting data for their readers. Taking the same baseball blog we used as an example above, that blog could post interesting statistics about upcoming opponents, previous games, or stats in specific categories. Presenting them visually will attract more interest and result in more social sharing love.

Read more: Need More Blog Content Ideas? Try These 5 Suggestions