Thinking about starting up a blog? Already have a blog but battling to put some really good content into the articles? This is something that every writer experiences at some point. But there are some great tips available that will ensure we write the best blog posts within our abilities.
Planning
Deciding what to write about seems obvious to most of us, but some people will sit down to write and draw a blank. The planning stage will help to avoid this. Decide on a topic then start the research process to get the ball rolling. While researching, start structuring the layout of the post by making subheadings and keywords. Doing this will keep you focused and prevent you from getting off the topic. Check the facts, but don’t rely solely on Wikipedia. Wikipedia has some superb information, but not all of it is 100 percent factually correct. Our readers will click those unsubscribe buttons so quickly if the information is found to be inaccurate.
Headline
Headlines that mislead the reader will not gather a loyal blog following. Something short, to the point, catches attention, and doesn’t mislead is a real winner of a headline. Lots of people will have an opinion of what the headline should be, but remember who’s post it is.
Writing
Writing a blog post is not a quick process like so many think it is. Whether it’s written in one sitting or over several days, as long the passion is there, the readers will feel it. Readers are drawn to blogs because there is a personal connection with the writer. In essence, it is an extension of the writer. Reading a blog post that was written by a bored writer is just a painful experience overall. Don’t force the content. Let it flow from that inner creative space. There needs to be some enthusiasm to keep the audience captivated, or they won’t be clicking “subscribe.”
Images
A picture says a thousand words, and this rings true for a blog post. Even with spectacular writing, a couple of good pictures that are related to the topic will finish off the overall look of the post. Always use images that are of high quality and look as professional as possible. Stock type pictures are the best bet for quality. Sticking to a specific picture size throughout all of the posts will give a nice sense of coherency throughout the site.
Editing
The final and most important step. Go through the post several times. Check it for spelling, check it for grammar, and then check it again. Reading the post out loud and listening to how it sounds will help. Be careful of repetition and adding in unnecessary information. Find someone to proofread the content as a final checking step. The whole point of a good post is to keep readers coming back for more, poor editing will not achieve this.
A perfect blog does not exist. There will always be a critic and that’s okay. As with everything else, practice makes it easier and it will get better with each post. The key is to stick at it and not to become discouraged because success hasn’t arrived overnight. It can take months or even years before a blog can become lucrative.
