Are you ready to launch a blog or ramp up your existing one?
Here are 26 tips to help you on your blogging journey:
Add pictures, visuals, and images to your posts to communicate with readers on different levels.
Be the solution. Help people solve their problems. Solve, don’t sell.
Consider all multimedia platforms such as video blogs, podcasts, and audio clips.
Define who you are, who your audience is, and what benefits blogging may bring you. The bottom line: Why are you blogging?
Eavesdrop on conversations to help you develop new content.
Forget the word count. Be clear and make your point. That’s it.
Grab people’s attention from the get-go with compelling and punchy headlines.
Highlight text, subheads, key phrases, and lists to emphasize important points and make your posts more reader-friendly.
Interact with your readers by asking them questions in your posts and responding to comments.
Jump into the fray. Don’t be afraid to take a stand on an issue or controversy in your niche or field. Boldness counts.
Kill the negative self-talk and judgment. You don’t have to be a professional writer to be a great blogger.
Listen to the conversations in chats and groups to determine what people are “stuck” on. There’s your content.
Move people emotionally through your words, language, metaphors, real-life experiences, and humanity.
Notice what other bloggers are doing. Get ideas on layout, colors, design, content, and self-promotion.
Open your eyes, heart, and mind. We’re in uncharted waters.
Position yourself as a credible resource in your field. Become the “go-to” guy (or gal)
Quit taking it personally (Q-TIP) if no one comments on your blog. Comments do not equal readers.
Remember we are in a real-time world. Post often so your blog doesn’t become static and stale.
Simplify your words. Blogging is not business writing, even though you’re probably writing about business. Be conversational. Consider yourself a creative artist.
Try using patience. You may get frustrated or overwhelmed with the pressures that come along with a blog. This isn’t a short-term commitment with fast results.
Understand the analytics, metrics, search engine optimization, keywords, and other important tools to help you determine content, audience, readership, and more.
Vary your posts but not your expertise. Stick with what you know without painting yourself into a corner.
Write when you have something to say. Your readers will appreciate it.
X-ray your life. Take a close look into the body and soul of your professional career and personal experiences. Shine a light on them to diagnose your ”lessons learned.” The result: Content. Lots of it.
Yearn for more. Your curiosity and willingness to learn about new trends in your industry, technology, and life in general will serve you well in your blogging endeavors.
Zero in on your readers. Write as if you’re speaking directly to them. A blog is merely the medium (vehicle) to reach mass amounts of people. Make each one feel special and connected to you.
Now I know my ABCs…
One final note: Here’s a free resource for you. Take advantage of my 21-day video series “Speaking of Communication.” It focuses on Social Media, blogging, PR, writing, and communication themes. Click on this link now for instant access http://www.getinfrontcommunications.com/
Great list Susan, it eventually comes down to act like a normal person, a human, online as “offline”. Too many people change radically when they write on their blog, or on Twitter, or any other so called new media.
If you follow the simple rule of building your online connections as you build your every day life ones, you can’t go wrong.
Love this list Susan. I think it’s an important point to suggest that comments don’t reflect the number of readers you get. Especially in the B2B sector.
I saw a 300 percent increase in traffic in 2010 but only a 27 percent increase in comments. Sure, I’d love more discussion but I can see that much has taken place on Twitter. Maybe 140 characters is easier than a genuine blog comment.
All the best for 2011
Sue–Love this use of the ABC to organize a post. What a great idea. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen
That’s a fun post Susan – thanks.
Seeing as most of us can only remember about 5 things at once, 26 is a bit of a stretch, so this is a good memory jogger.
Happy 2011.
Regards
Tim Redpath
Thank you Gabriele, Jon, Heidi and Tim-
I appreciate you reading and taking time to comment. I must concur with Tim that remembering 26 tips may be a stretch. Simple is good, and so are human connections!
Wishing each of you continued success in 2011~
Susan
Simplify.Simplify.Simplify. You’ve done just that Susan and I think I don’t really think I love the traditional list posts, I love the ABC’s more!
Thanks Jonha, simplicity is a beautiful thing!
Susan