This is a Guest post by Tom Walker. want to build some buzz? Contact us to Guest post

So you have your site up and running. It has a nice design appropriate to the subject matter. You have something to say and are writing about it. Your writing is solid and your message consistent. But visitors who come to your site read a post or two and are gone without ever coming back. Unfortunately on the web the bounce rate, or the number of people who immediately leave your site, is often about 90% of all visitors – or more.

Image Credit: Alex E. Proimos

When your reader retention level is low it may be simply that your posts are boring, like reading a newspaper article. Remember, you are on the Internet – the World Wide Web – and unlike a newspaper, space is not so much of an issue. What is an issue is making your posts stand out from the others. To that end, here are a few ideas on what you can Do to spark greater interest.

• Add relevant photos to your blog posts: The key word here is relevant. If your blog is about healthcare and your post is about neurosurgeons, you will want a photo of doctors and nurses performing surgery. If it is a Review of the newest blu-ray player, you will want a photo of the machine. You can take them yourself or you can buy royalty-free Images for little or no cost at sites such as fotolia.com or dreamstime.com. Product manufacturers often have press kits available with approved images of their products. A well-placed, appropriate image can brighten an otherwise stagnant page.

• Throw a little rhythm into your post: Odd as it may seem, adding some Music to your post might just spruce up the page. Say you are writing a post on a local car show. Adding some car music like the Beach Boys or Jan & Dean can be quite appropriate. Playlist.com allows you to create multiple playlists and to embed a player featuring a specific playlist – which is preferably set to play manually – into your post.

• Embed video: Youtube is not just music videos and teenagers doing stupid things when left without supervision. It has become an resource for a great many individuals and experts to share their viewpoints. Some folks have even gone so far as to create entire video series for YouTube – from product dangers to interviews to straight opinion. Once you have spent some time exploring the site and others like it, you may not only find videos to illustrate your posts, but you may find some thought-provoking videos that inspire entirely new posts. Just be wary – it is easy to get sidetracked on sites like this!

• Add a guest blogger: When writing your blog, it can be difficult to remain focused all the time. And sometimes subjects need more clarification or a counterpoint. When you hit these Pitfalls, bring in a guest to write a blog. Example 1: You write a controversial blog and have a reader that consistently provides well-reasoned and thoughtful arguments or have a friend who does the same. Pick a subject and invite that person to write a few paragraphs on their viewpoint while you write a few paragraphs on your own and place both in a single blog post. Example 2: You write about an obscure subject and want to add credibility to your post. Interview someone who has knowledge on the subject.

• Don’t forget humor: Read your post. If it reads like like an article in your local paper’s obituary pages, there is something desperately wrong. Look at the highest rated dramas on television. Even they have moments of humor thrown in here and there. It lightens up the mood and gives the viewer a chance to breathe. The same with blog posts. If you find a little humor in a subject, feel free to share it – either as an aside or within the body of the post. Don’t go overboard, but the occasional witticism, pun, or levity can make the reader step back and give them the chance to refocus.

Creativity is your strongest weapon when writing blog posts. Without it, you can get stuck in a rut and not only will your readers get bored, you will find yourself losing interest. The Internet provides a plethora of resources free (or at least inexpensive) for the using, but so few bloggers ever touch them. Open up your mind to all the possibilities, mix in some diversity, keep readers engaged and informed and they will return time after time.

Tom Walker is a writer working for an online specialist in HP 344 ink cartridges and other supplies for the print industry. You can read his other writing on their blog.