Recently, while reading about the leadership team in a technology company's "About Us" section, I clicked on a prominent link to the CEO's blog. I ended up in an online ghost town. The most recent post was dated 2011. Scrolling through the archive revealed a wildly erratic tone and publication schedule. Everything about it felt haphazard and unfocused.

Unfortunately, blogs like that aren't uncommon. And that's why this post from Affordable Internet Marketing struck me as a timely refresher course in the ABCs of developing and keeping a loyal blog readership. Here are just three seemingly obvious—but all-too-often ignored—best-practices.

Publish consistently

Your readers are creatures of habit who figure out when their favorite blogs publish new content. It might be daily, weekly, or monthly, but they know when to check in. If your publication schedule gets sloppy and they don't see new content when they expect it, they'll simply stop visiting.

Write for your audience

What will interest your readers? That's what you should write. Say something they haven't heard before, or put a fresh spin on frequently discussed topics. They're consumers who want to know what's in it for them—and that's not much if you're telling them the same thing as everyone else.

Encourage conversation

Blogs are an inherently casual venue where the formal language of press releases and whitepapers sounds stilted and artificial. Strike a conversational tone that puts readers at ease and encourages dialogue. Make a habit of welcoming new readers and replying to comments that warrant a response.