are a lot of questions when someone starts a new blog and is
developing an ongoing blogging initiative. In addition to defining
objectives and success metrics, simple concerns on how
to
actually write an effective blog post arise as well.
This
post provides a quick outline of 12 tips and best practices we would
recommend when writing better blog posts. It is based off of past
experience and what we have seen work for our clients in the past.
Clarity
Is the Key
Make
sure your readers understand your point and can follow your post as
effortlessly as possible.
Quickly
Identify the Objective
Long-winded
introductions or background details often make people lose focus or
get confused, leaving your blog as a result.
Write
a Strong Post Title
Spend
a fair amount of time brainstorming a compelling title which captures
the essence of your post. Use keyword research to evaluate
opportunities which can bring search engine traffic. Blend this
together to form a post title which catches a reader’s eye and
potentially rank in search over the long haul.
Use
Images and Photography
Imagery
can go a long way to catching the someone’s attention and getting
them to read further. A witty photograph or image may also help
capture the message you are trying to convey.
Organize
Your Writing
Use
sub-headings, lists and line breaks to streamline the post. Keep
paragraphs short and focused on one major point and use lists and
sub-headings to break up subject matter. Blog posts without
an organizational structure can
be difficult to read and follow.
Stay
Focused on the Topic
Keep
focused on the post’s objectives and limit the amount of
digression. Adding examples or supporting material is valuable, but
too much tangential information may dilute the effectiveness of your
message.
Reference
Sources
Make
sure to link to references or resources which helped to build the
post or support your arguments and positions.
Link
to Related Posts
There’s
no harm in pointing out posts you’ve written that are related to
the topic at hand. Depending on context they may be linked directly
in the post or it may be appropriate to add them at the end as
“Related Posts”.
Wrap
It Up In a Concise Manner
Make
sure to tie up the loose ends and draw the reader to the conclusion.
If you’re using an analogy to start the post, revisiting the
analogy at the end is an option. Use your best judgment and consider
the original objectives.
Get
Feedback before Publishing
Particularly
for more important material, seek out a preliminary review from
respected parties. Rushing to publish for the sake of getting
something out there is rarely a good idea. Take the time to review
for grammar, structure and clarity.
Timing
Can Matter
You
can use website visitor traffic reports to determine what times of
day or days of the week your website gets the most visibility. In
addition, pay attention to what else is going on around you in the
broader business world. Sometimes a well-timed post can follow the
coattails of related material on a more popular resource, gaining
traction as a result.
Post,
Evaluate, and Learn
Writing
better blog posts is an ongoing process. Take the time to identify
patterns to understand why some of posts are successful and others
are not. And obviously, work to repeat the former and improve the
latter.
Final
Thoughts
Being
a better blog writer is a challenging task and it should also be
understood that most people are not successful when they first start.
Just
remember that while patience, evaluation and practice are all steps
in the process, that you’re genuinely interested in beginning a
blog initiative in the first place may be the most important factor
of all.
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