Blog Writing Tips and Ideas
Blogs demand a readership. And for that you have to write about something worth reading. Here are some tips to follow if you want human beings to read your blogs
Writing for a blog is a process which can be improved by following a few basic principles. It does not matter if the intended audience is a technically savvy group of IT experts, or a reader just looking to be entertained by your take on life, they will appreciate your writing more if it has been crafted and considered.
How to Write the Best Blog Post
Write like you talk: The easiest style of writing to read, reads like a conversation. Use common expressions from speech. Write in in plain language with simple terms. Use good Headings which are descriptive of content. This is good for search engines and also helps people to know what the blog entry is about.
Post often : Update frequently ! Stick to a publishing schedule that is humanly possible for you. Updating your blog once a month, really isn’t going to encourage people to check back every day. Depending on what you like to blog about try to be at least regular in the amount of postings you have. My recommendation is to aim for at least one good post.
Stick to the topic : Define a topic and stick to it. Unless you have an uncanny knack for wit, humor or cynicism, the majority of your readers will be interested in the content that relates to a specific defined theme or loosely defined area of interest. This will ensure that you create a loyal following of interested readers.
Make your opinion known : People like blogs, they like blogs because they are written by people and not corporations. People want to know what is your's and other people's opinion. Tell them exactly what you think using the least amount of words possible. The worst sin you can commit is to bore your readers. Most people respond better to an honest airing of views.
Write Less : Keep text brief and meaningful, readers tend to scan text. Give the maximum amount of information with the least amount of words. Time is finite and people are infinitely busy. A long post is easier to forget and harder to get into. A short post is the opposite. Keep it short and simple. Most people are scanners. Get to the point quickly. Delete unnecessary words, limit your use of adverbs and adjectives.
Make your blog valuable and worthwhile : Don’t waste people’s time. Stop writing when you’re getting bored. If you don’t have anything to say, no problem. You can share other people's articles.
Keep your points clear and simple : Keep your posts and blog entries clear and easy to understand. Most newspapers in the
Make Headlines clear & snappy : Write headlines that grab attention. Contain your whole argument in your headline. Check out National newspapers to see how they do it.
Be consistent with your style : People like to know what to expect, once you have settled on a style for your audience stick to it. Put the most important message first. Use the shorter word where ever possible, e.g. "now" not "currently".
Stay current & informative : It is important that the information presented is current and accurate. If you are attempting to create the impression that you are knowledgeable about a specific industry or sector, be sure that you stay current on news. No one wants to read stuff that has been around for a long time, or that hundreds of other Bloggers have chronicled.
Write with the reader in mind : Consider who your readers are, and how they’d best benefit from your advice or guidelines. Your reader will read your post looking for what’s in it for them. Keep your audience in mind when writing your tips. Talking over the head of your audience will not result in an increased readership.
Check your syntax, punctuation and spelling : It doesn't matter how unique and intuitive you blog topic is. If it’s full of misspellings and grammatical errors people won’t read it and they will never visit it again. Make sure and take the time to proofread your writing. Respect your readers by polishing up your stuff.
Link often : Support your post with links to other web pages that are contextual to your post. This builds credibility and positions you as an expert in your field. People don’t have time to know what others are doing, you should tell them. Linking to other blogs and websites also helps you build a network of associates who will in turn link to your blog.
Use keywords often : Think about what keywords people would use to search for your post and include them in the body text and headers. make sure the keyword placement is natural and does not seem out of place. This will help you stay on purpose, and the search engines will love your blog. And the more often your keywords show up, the better your search engine results. Your rankings will go up.
Only use the tips that are best : If you set out about writing 10 great tips, you might only have 8 that are truly useful. Do yourself and your readers a favor and change it to 8 great rules. Cut the fat when proof-reading your list.
Edit your post : Good writing is in the editing. Before you hit the submit button, spend time in revising and editing to get the end result you want. If you are not happy with a piece then it is best to give yourself time to re-work it before publishing.
Make your posts easy to scan : Every few paragraphs insert a sub heading. Make sentences and headlines short and to the point.
Be funny : Infuse your posts with your natural wit for a better response from your target audience. And if not everyone appreciates your particular brand of humor, read the last sentence in the point above.
Adhere to a schedule : Try to stick to a regular publishing schedule. Realizing that blogging requires time and effort, don't create unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver. An occasional lapse or holiday is generally understood but readers returning to find stale, out-dated content are going to find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds are popping up on a daily basis. If you have worked hard to develop an audience and a community you don't want to lose them due to lack of communication.
Quantity matters : In order to attract the attention of search engines, you will need to develop content and substance. A headline or simple sentence is not going to generate the interest of readers or help with search engine ranking. Be sure to archive old blog posts to develop a large portal of similarly-themed content.
Always credit your sources : if you've researched a post or quoted from another blog etc. be sure to credit your source. If possible even provide a hyper link. Linking to other places online is good. Those sites that you link to may return the favor by linking to your article/post (bringing you readers).
Keep your blog updated : It's much more interesting to visit a blog that always has something new to look at. Your content doesn't have to be just writing. Add pictures and links for more interactivity. If your blog content is updated frequently, search engines will tend to spider the pages at regular intervals.
Allow and respond to comments on your blog : Make commenter feel welcome, provide a safe environment for your commenter in your blog and respond as often as possible. It shows that you do read comments and gives your readers a bit of a personal interaction with you. You'll seem more real to them and they may keep coming back because of it.
Give your blog a theme : Themes attract readers because it gives them some idea as to whether you're writing about something they're interested in.
Use images/photos : you don't need them on every post but interesting images can help to hook your reader in. Be sure that the image does actually relate to the post.
Add more Media : pod casting, video blogging, and photography. Adding sound, photos, and video to your blog makes it more attractive and gives you more ways to communicate your message to the audience.
RSS : RSS will increase your blog's reach. It is important that you include your blog's content in an RSS feed to increase readership and distribution.
Make your best postings easily accessible. Don't let them get buried in archives.
Try to offer something original. There are so many blogs that it is important to offer something different.
Admit mistakes and make amends.
So, write well. Read and reread, check your facts, spelling, grammar and your state of mind before you hit publish. Once you hit that publish button, your post is going to live on the Internet forever. Does it represent you in the best way possible?
Most weblog audiences are small, but with time and regular updates audiences grow. Bloggers may never have more than a few hundred readers, but the people who return to regularly are generally interested in what you have to say.
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