How Do You Get People to Read Your Blog? Best Platforms and Smart Tricks

No one is waking up thinking, “Hey, how can I just scroll through random blogs today?” You have to make them care enough to click on yours. First mistake most people make? They set up a blog on a dead platform no one visits, or somewhere that feels like a ghost town. The best blogging platforms right now—think WordPress, Substack, and even Medium—aren’t just for techies or writers. They come with built-in audiences, recommendation features, and tools that actually help new blogs get traffic.

Even if you post gold, it doesn’t matter if no one stumbles on it. So, think of your platform as your blog’s home address; pick one on a busy street, not down a deserted alley. Some platforms automatically send your stuff to readers who follow similar blogs, so you’re not starting from scratch every time. Simple tip but it’s huge: check which platforms YOU actually read and share from—chances are, so do others.

• Stop Hiding on the Wrong Platform
• Write Stuff People Actually Want
• Get Found: Promotion and Smart SEO
• Make It Easy to Stick Around
• Watch the Numbers—Adjust and Grow

Stop Hiding on the Wrong Platform

Your blog could be pure gold, but if it’s buried where nobody digs, nobody is going to read it. The blogging platform you pick actually matters way more than you’d think—it's the difference between shouting in an empty room and having a mic at a busy café.

Take WordPress.com and Medium. In 2024, WordPress.com powered over 43% of all websites, and Medium kept growing with millions of monthly users. These platforms have built-in recommendation systems and social features, so a good post can get eyeballs fast. Substack boomed too, with over 35 million active subscribers—super popular with folks who want personal newsletters alongside blogs. What about Blogger? Super old-school, and unless your grandma’s your main reader, probably not where you want to stake your claim.

If you’re aiming for a certain audience—like readers who love visuals—look at Tumblr or even Ghost. Want to hook into Google search? WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress are still the top dogs for SEO and plug-in options.

If you’re just talking to yourself, it’s probably not the platform’s fault—it’s more about whether there are real readers built-in, tools for growth, and ways to share easily. Before you set up camp, answer these:

• Does this platform already have lots of active users (not just bloggers, but readers)?
• Can you get your stuff in front of new people without begging?
• Is it easy to share your posts everywhere?
• Are you in control of your data and email list, or is the platform?

Switching platforms doesn’t have to be a hassle, either. Most good ones let you import your posts automatically. Don’t wait until the only people reading your blog are you and your dog—Bruno doesn’t even like reading. Get your writing where people actually hang out, and you’ll be set up for real readers, not just empty stats.

Write Stuff People Actually Want

If nobody cares about what you write, they’ll bounce in seconds. Here’s the hard truth: most blog posts get skimmed for less than 15 seconds, according to a Chartbeat analysis. People scroll right past generic topics or copycat advice they’ve seen a million times. If you want people to actually read your stuff, you need to give them something that’s useful, fresh, and solves a problem they have right now.

The magic really starts when you stop guessing and start listening. See what questions show up in Reddit threads or Facebook groups related to your topic. Type keywords into Google and check the “People Also Ask” section—those questions come straight from real users hunting for answers. Using these sources, you can figure out exactly what people want to know, not just what you feel like writing about.

Mix in your own stories or real examples. Personal experiences stick. For example, I once picked a blog topic based on a late-night question from a friend, and that post now brings in more readers than five other posts combined. Data backs this up: HubSpot found that blog posts with original research or authentic storytelling get over 60% more shares than generic listicles. (Dog stories help too, but that’s Bruno’s secret weapon.)

• Target a specific reader with every post—try writing like you’re talking to one person, not a crowd.
• Write headlines that make people curious or promise a clear benefit.
• Keep things simple. Bullet points, bolded takeaways, and short sections keep people from zoning out.
• Don’t hide your main point—put it in the first few lines. Make it obvious why your post is worth their time.

Here’s a quick table that shows what actually catches attention in 2025:

If you want to pull in more readers to your blogging adventure, focus on what actually helps people. Tools come and go. Good ideas, clear advice, and a bit of your own personality never get old.

Get Found: Promotion and Smart SEO

Just posting and hoping for traffic isn’t going to cut it. If you want people to actually show up, you need to promote your blog smartly and get the basics of search engine optimization (SEO) down. It doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive.

Think about your own habits. You find stuff through Google, social media, emails, or even random links people share. So get your blog out in the same places. Here’s how:

• Best blogging platforms make it easy to share posts straight to Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, or newsletters. Don’t skip this. Even throwing your latest post in a group chat works.
• SEO really just means giving your posts a fighting chance on Google. Make sure your headlines have the words people search for. For example, instead of “Thoughts on Chai,” try “Best Chai Recipes You Can Make at Home.”
• Link out to other helpful sites and include a few links back to your own related posts. This helps you and helps readers.
• Use images that have real filenames (not "IMG_123"). It helps Google know what your post is about.
• Ask early readers—like your friends or a group you’re in—to comment and share. This tells platforms your post is worth showing to more people.

Here’s something most people miss: Track what works. Many platforms provide stats for free. Look for which posts get the most visitors, where they come from, or what search terms bring them in. Here’s a useful table showing what blog traffic often looks like when you start using promotion and SEO basics:

If you do the basics above for every post, you’ll notice steady growth instead of just one lucky spike. It’s not magic, just showing up in the places people already look.

Make It Easy to Stick Around

If someone lands on your blog and immediately clicks away, your writing could be fire—doesn’t matter. You’ve got seconds to make people want to stick around. According to Chartbeat, over 55% of website visitors spend fewer than 15 seconds on a page. That’s not a lot of time.

It comes down to how easy, clean, and inviting you make it to keep reading. It’s like walking into a coffee shop that actually smells good and has decent chairs—you want folks to relax and look around, not run back out the door.

• Blogging layout matters: Go simple. Large, clear fonts and backgrounds that don’t distract. Plenty of white space. Don’t make readers hunt for your content—put the good stuff up top and make navigation obvious, with an easy-to-find menu.
• Break up your posts: Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and images or lists every few scrolls. It stops that scary "wall of text" feeling. According to Nielsen Norman Group, readers scan first, then decide if something’s worth reading.
• Related content links: When someone finishes a post, offer three or four posts on similar topics right below or inside the story. Sites that do this (like BuzzFeed or Medium) report way higher average pages per visit.
• Make subscribing dead simple: Email sign up boxes shouldn’t be buried. Use a pop-up (not too annoying) or put one smack in your sidebar and below posts. According to a ConvertKit survey, embedded email forms pull in 2-10% of readers on average.

Here's a quick table showing what keeps readers engaged, based on 2024 research from Content Marketing Institute:

And if you want people to remember your site, avoid endless ads and auto-play videos—they’re the fastest way to lose trust. Think about what bugs you on other sites, then never do that on yours. Your readers will thank you by sticking around and actually reading what you share.

Watch the Numbers—Adjust and Grow

Just writing and hoping for the best? That’s like tossing your blog out the window and praying someone catches it. If you want real blogging success, you have to watch your stats. Know what’s actually working, what’s flopping, and change things up based on the data, not just your gut.

The main tools most bloggers use are Google Analytics, WordPress Stats, or the built-in dashboards on Substack and Medium. They don’t just count visitors—they show you which posts keep folks hanging around and what makes them bounce away in seconds. Here’s what you want to pay attention to:

• Pageviews: Which posts are getting the most looks? This tells you what’s drawing attention.
• Average Time on Page: If people stay more than a minute, you’ve hooked them. If not, think about rewriting or tweaking those posts.
• Bounce Rate: A high number means people are clicking away fast. Try more internal links or clearer calls to action.
• Traffic Sources: Are folks coming from Google, Instagram, email, or somewhere else? Focus your promotion where it’s working.
• Subscribers/Followers: Tracking new sign-ups shows you what’s making readers commit to your blog long-term.

Let’s look at a quick example. Here’s a sample of what these stats might look like in your dashboard after a month of putting effort into your blog:

If that bounce rate looks high (over 60% is common, but you want it lower), try adding more related links in your posts. If you see Instagram bringing more people, double down over there. Small experiments—like posting at different times, tweaking titles, or adding images—let you see what actually changes the numbers the next month. Don’t just try something once and forget it. Treat every blog post like a new shot to win people over—and use your numbers to keep getting better.