While many ideas of what makes a successful blog can be fairly subjective, there are a few key components outlined by Meredith Farkas that most can agree upon.

Purpose or Focus

First among these is the necessity of a purpose or focus for the blog. The blog writer needs to know why they are there in order to keep posts consistent and hold on to their readership. When determining if a blog is worth revisiting, readers like to know what the blog will be talking about. A statement of purpose or “About” section will help clarify this.

Frequency

Secondly, Farkas stresses the importance of frequent postings. In the world of RSS, this might not be as important as it used to be, but before becoming committed to a blog, I like to see relatively recent posts. Usually this means I will be able to read new info fairly frequently. Sharing current information is also something I look for in a blog.  News stories on blogs live a hard, fast life.  If you are writing about a news item that happened a month ago, chances are your readership is already going to have heard about it and will move on from your blog.  One of the blogs I read regularly is Resource Shelf.  While this blog may not meet my criteria for visual appeal (see below) it is a great resource that is updated multiple times daily.

Marketing

A successful blog has to get its name out in the blogosphere so that people know to read it. I usually discover new blogs through references from other bloggers. Making your blog RSS compatible is a necessity in today’s world. This allows readers to subscribe and receive updates as soon as changes happen on the blog.

Visual Appeal

Finally, while many people would not consider this a necessary component of a successful blog, I like the blogs I read to be somewhat visually stimulating. This includes having an uncluttered layout and the inclusion of occasional pictures or videos. I see a lot of blogs so packed with information, that I get distracted and often pass by important information the blog is supposed to convey.  One of the example blogs pointed to by Farkas is the Ann Arbor District Library.  This blog includes an interesting visual layout with thumbnail pictures on almost every post.  It is not overly cluttered and is updated frequently.  Most definitely a successful blog.