Since you’ve arrived at this page, it appears you are interested in learning more about how to be an effective writer for our blog. We aim to keep it simple, and our goal is to help you learn how to tackle the critical, but enjoyable, blogosphere by writing articles that are initially eye-catching, thoroughly engaging, and overall memorable. Below are some tips which we believe will be the keys to your success. After you have had a chance to read and view our tips below, don’t be afraid to reach out to our Blog Coach, Catie, who can help you to masterfully craft engaging content for our readers.
Since a picture says a thousand words, a video must be worth a million, right? The following YouTube video by semi-professional blogger Marko Saric will provide you great information on how to make the most of your blog. After you’ve finished viewing it, scroll down for continued information…
Did the video help paint the picture that blog writing is different from writing articles intended for print media? Remember, you are trying to gain the viewers interest to comment, discuss and return and/or follow your other posts, and possibly view your expanded authors page. Blogs are about engagement. You should be prepared to create your article and then watch for it to be posted so that you can field the comments personally. You should respond to every comment on your blog, because community is important. It’s time well spent.
> A blogging tip for new bloggers
Be bold. Put yourself out there, either emotionally or ideologically. Fan mail is great, a great of advice is: if you’re not getting hate mail, you’re not stretching enough.
> Some blog writing tips
Spend time clarifying your thoughts before writing your post. People don’t have time to dissect your thesis. But don’t forget to lead and end with emotion. Your goal is to have someone say at the end of your post, “Are you writing about me? It’s like you’re inside my head.”
> Write about something that would make a person want to read your blog
One of the biggest things missing from blogs (and the guest posts we get) is a truly unique perspective. People think they can rehash generic advice and that’s enough. If you don’t have a surprising idea waiting for your reader in your post, they probably won’t be back. This is one reason why to only post once a week. Really good ideas are rare and it takes time to talk about them thoughtfully. But it’s time worth spending.
And now for the part you’ve been waiting for:
…Our 4 simple keys to writing a solid blog article that engages your reader and keeps them coming back!
Key #1: It’s the content that makes all the difference.
A blog is like a platform, and as such it’s the content that you put into it that makes the difference. There is currently so much bad content online that people are just bored and tired of endlessly looking for great content. If you create content, make sure you create something memorable, something that educates people.
So how can you write great content?
In the video above, Marko shared 7 tips on how to create great content:
Be original and credible: don’t settle for an amateur design. Create your own design for your blog or invest in a professional designer. Be original but most importantly be credible. Don’t be afraid to show your face and put your name on display; make sure you have your contact information on your blog for people to contact you. Put your personality in your blog: your content is a way to tell people who you are. Create catchy headlines: your visitors will decide whether to read your blog post or not by taking a glance at your post title. Create “how to” posts, list posts – they’re easily scannable and they’re an easy way to break down long posts. Be concise: make sure that your content is easy for your visitors to consume. You can do so by following these suggestions: split your text into shorter paragraphs, use lots of wide space around your paragraphs, use links to relevant posts or subheadings, use bullet points or number lists. If you’re looking for an alternative to text, consider using other type of content, such as pictures, videos and infographics.
Stand out: publish something that stands out, put your own opinion, do something for people to come to you. “Namedrop”: use popular names in your blog, whether it’s people or brands (as long as it’s relevant). Google will pick this up and it will drive people to come and read about it. Post regularly: for the first 18 months try to blog three times a week, every week. This helps build a momentum and a regular audience.
Key #2: Attract visitors to your blog.
Creating great content is just the first small step of having a successful blog. Promoting content is just as a valuable.
How can you promote your blog and its content?
Create connections using social media (especially Twitter) proactively every day. Connect with other bloggers – read their blogs, comment, share their posts and leave a link to your blog. Choose the right domain name – this is extremely important, as picking the wrong name can have a negative impact on your blog. Choose a domain name that uses targeted keywords relevant to what your blog is about. In that way, search engines can drive more traffic on your blog. That is why people who use their own name as their domain name often struggle to get traffic when they start blogging. That’s why they must read articles like how to rank in Google Maps.
This leads us to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which Marko doesn’t put much emphasis on. This is because, as he said, it’s not something that we should worry too much about. As long as we concentrate on putting out great content, Google and other search engines will find your blog.
Key #3: Make your visitors come back
What should you do after you get new visitors? Give them a reason to come back. This can be done in a number of ways:
Enable sharing options in your blog posts: by doing so, visitors can easily share (and save) your content. Don’t overload them with too many sharing buttons: just include the most targeted ones. Post good-quality content: if your visitors see that you post good-quality content, they will be motivated to return. Enable email subscriptions: this will not only notify your readers of any new content on your blog, but it will also serve as a reminder to check out your blog. Create a presence on social media networks, especially Twitter and Facebook. However, don’t use it just to get new visitors. The number of new visits and other similar statistics is what Marko calls “soft numbers”: they’re an indication, not the only thing to focus on. Focus on a goal – what would you like your readers to do for you? Set a goal and monitor daily what are you doing to achieve that goal – focus and be strategic on your blog.
Remember: spend 50% of your blogging time on creating content, and the other 50% on promoting your blog.
Key #4: Manage your time wisely.
Many people have unrealistic expectations on their blogs. Don’t worry if you think your first blog post is not up to standards – it usually isn’t anyway. Don’t let that deter you from carrying on. Don’t let your early blog posts discourage you, but rather use them to help yourself, to better yourself and to improve your blogging skills. If you feel like it’s taking too long to see some results, don’t worry – it generally takes at least 6 months before you can see some real results. Remember: blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
Still apprehensive?
One of the unique features about GeneralLeadership.com is that we offer a professional blogging coach on staff to help you develop your blog skills. Please click here to get in touch with Catie.
