Grow Your (blog) Garden
Writing better blog posts is like any skill: it takes practice, effort and creativity.
If you're me it also requires coffee and some sort of snack to munch on (pass the hot tamales please). Because if a blog post is going to be enchanting (captivating, delightful, charming) there will be a bit of work involved.
I was thinking about a Monday Motivation that would be a bit more applicable- something you could do right now if you wanted to.
And I thought, for those of you who have blogs or are thinking of starting a blog, getting some tips on how to make your posts more interesting, captivating and yes, enchanting, would be helpful.
So here goes.
1. One blog post, one subject.
I’m the Queen of Rabbit Trails. I start down the road towards point A and 37 turns later I haven’t a clue where I am. Unfortunately no one else knows where I am either. If I do this a few times with a rambling, unhelpful blog post and I lose lots of readers (insert sad face here).
With a focus on one concept (how to make your own DIY face masks with items in your kitchen, what time of day is best for taking pictures in sunlight, losing weight in your 30’s, planning a formal dinner party for four, write a query letter for a book, etc) you open yourself to a lot of different posts.
For example, from this post, I could next expand another post on how to write headlines for a blog. Another post could be where to go to find inexpensive photographs for the blog; how to get ideas to write blog posts, the best blogs and motivation for motivation and ideas, how to make money from a blog, etc.
2 Include stories into blog posts.
We all love stories.
It’s why we browse through bookstores, watch movies and love a goodnight story from childhood and on to forever. Stories are powerful. Even studies show that people remember stories much better than facts or story-less information.
Think about the best speakers you know. If you look at the format they use, most of them use stories to begin and emphasize the points they want to make.
Stories work. Infuse them into your blog posts.
3. Pretend you are writing the post to one specific person.
Right now I am thinking about a former coworker, B. I worked with her in a past job and someone told her she should start a blog about a subject she has a lot of experience in.
The problem is, B has no idea how to start a blog and has a bunch of questions. If B and I went out to lunch, what I am writing today is what I would tell her.
Now your turn: If you can, think of one person you know and write directly to them. Think about what you would say if you were sitting with them. Then, try to use the same conversational language.
4. Read. A lot.
As creatives may do a lot of work in very solitary situations. But to get inspiration, ideas and answers to our problems it’s imperative to spend time in the world. Read blogs, magazines, books (all kinds of books); think about what is written; engage with the authors and form your own opinions. Listen to your reactions and responses. What ideas come to you?
If you lack ideas to write about, start reading. It helps, I guarantee it.
5. Solve a problem.
Helping people solve their problems is one of the best ways to build trust and develop relationships. Some of my favorite bloggers are my favorites because they a) help me solve problems and 2) make me think and 3) inspire creativity.
6.. Be helpful in posts.
This point is a bit different from #5. Sometimes we don’t know how to solve the problem. Or, we know someone else who solves it better. Don’t be afraid to link to others bloggers and internet resources that have an answer. That’s being helpful and building community. We won’t ever know it all. Be a giver of good information and you will be seen as a valuable resource within your niche.
Problogger has been a go to source for bloggers for several years now. I love Darren Rowse and the generous amount of information he shares. Every blogger should check out his sight. Here is a good post on finding opportunity and motivation in blogging.
7. Pictures are fun.
People like pictures. So does Google. So do most creatives. Pictures are similar to stories; they communicate a point with fewer words. Or sometimes they bring a perspective or feeling to a post- excitement, focus, motivation, etc.
8. Keep a schedule and find your rhythm.
Will posts be daily, weekly or completely when you want to do them? Some bloggers can get away with few and far between posts BUT they are the exception not the role.
Other bloggers, like Seth Godin, have followed the drip method and dripped out a post a day for years, slowly building an audience and having more and more influence.
9. Try columns to help cement a schedule.
Motivation Mondays are one of my columns. Holly Becker at Decor8 does several columns such as Food Fridays. Check out her website and notice the distinctive order and rhythm she has developed. She’s been blogging for a long time but part of her success if finding her own rhythm and sticking to it.
There is no reason you and I can't do the same.
10. Measure the growth of your blog.
It’s hard to really know what is going on if you don’t measure what is happening: how many people read the blog; what posts are most frequented; the behavior of your visitors.
Seeing what people are reading can give you, the blogger, clues about what to write about to better serve your audience.
For example, in my baking blog, Google Analytics shows me what topics people read- apple cinnamon cookies are surprisingly popular- and which topics are ignored. If you want to develop a blog that helps people and sets you apart as an authority in your niche, writing to meet people’s needs is important. Watching your analytics helps you write better.
/Google Analytics is a free tool that can be installed in your blog. It’s incredibly easy to install (I did it and that says something!).
11. Headlines are Important. Very Important.
I can’t over emphasize the importance of writing good headlines.
The headline will bring people in or turn them off. I like to tweet out my blog headers when I write a post and ask myself, “Ok, does that really look interesting?” As Sean Ogle at Location 180 says, “Would you want to read your own article if you saw it on Twitter?”
Good question.
O.k. that’s it, 11 tips to write a better blog post. I hope this helps you.
Keeping a blog on Launch Your Creative Life keeps me focused on where I’m going; my goals and dreams for me and you. I think about you guys a lot- what you need, what problems you need solved, what kind of help or encouragement would really make a difference in your life as you seek to build your creative hobby into a creative income and beautiful business.
If there is something you’d like me to address, please do send me an email.
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