Create posts people will want to read.
There are four main points you should keep in mind that will help your posts to be extraordinary.
Content is Key
The heart of any blog is its content. Make sure your readers will take something valuable away from the time they spend reading your posts.
- Talk about what is important to you. Your passion for your subject will come through in your voice as you write.
- A great blog post has two components. It shares both factual information and the personal perspective of the author. Take the time to do some research so readers learn something from your posts.
- Make sure that your facts are accurate and your opinions are well reasoned.
- Link to your sources and other sites your readers will find useful if they want to explore your topic in more depth.
- Write enough to make your point, but don’t overdo it. You aren’t writing a book.
Catch Your Readers’ Interest
If you can’t get anyone to look at your blog, they will never find out how good it is.
- Use pictures and graphics to capture the attention of readers and to illustrate your point.
- Good titles can entice people to begin reading.
- Try to begin with an interesting hook that will make someone want to find out more about what you have to say.
Start a Dialogue
Conversations make blogs better. It’s alright if people simply enjoy your blog, but comments allow readers and the author to discuss their thoughts and feelings while making the process more exciting. Earning a genuine comment always feels good.
- Try to include one or more questions readers are likely to want to respond to.
- Revisit your posts often to check for comments you receive, and respond to them when appropriate.
- Disagreements can make blogs more interesting. Just make sure you are respectful and articulate your position clearly with the reasons behind it.
Your Writing Reflects on You
People will judge you and your message by the way you write.
- Proofread carefully. Spelling and grammatical errors reduce your credibility.
- Always give your best effort in your blog posts. Use the writing process.
- Break your posts up into chunks without disrupting your message instead of using long paragraphs.
- Use headings to separate sections.
- Use lists when they are appropriate.
Consider the two posts linked below. How well to you feel the author of each post did at incorporating the four concepts we have looked at here?