With the popularity of blogging showing little waning, I decided that I would offer a bit of a tutorial on how to blog. Effectively, that is. Anyone can sit down in front of a keyboard and punch out a post of little to no import or community relevence, but it takes a bit more than that to blog effectively. There are millions of people blogging all across the vast sea of cyberspace, and many of them are doing it the right way to maintain their visibility among the masses. In fact, I posted about this very topic here at Tutorial 9 recently in, Key Elements to Blog Visibility. One of the main focuses of that post was on content. Because, above all, it is the content of your site that is going to bring the readers back time and again.
Given that content is king, how do make sure that you are delivering the content that will secure your site’s location on the list of go-to blogs that the masses cannot get enough of? Some might say that this is not something that can be taught. You cannot guide someone into creating good, quality content that is worthy of a return visit. But I would disagree with that assessment. I do believe that you cannot necessarily give someone the gift of outstanding wordplay, charging their writing with the same passion as someone who has dedicated themselves to crafting and honing their writing abilities, but they are hardly the same thing.
You see, while the writer’s ability can prove to enhance the blog post overall, it is not writing ability that sets the defines for good content. You can be a fantastic blogger, while still having only mediocre writing skills. On a blog, it is not about writing structure as much as it is about writing substance. So how do you get the good stuff? What are the elements that effect the punch of your posts? Well in this writer’s humble opinion, if you want your content to reign supreme, you need to focus on the points below.
Know Your Stuff
First and foremost, be knowledgeable. No one wants to read a lengthy post of innacurate information that ultimately proves to be unuseful. Before you decide to take a topic head-on on your blog, do your homework. I know, I know. Nobody likes homework, but it really is essential if you want your blog to be taken seriously and for people to continue to seek out your perspective on the different topics that you decide to tackle.
Not only does this help grow your base of knowledge on the subject of the blog post, but by making sure that you know what you are talking about you can have a meaningful dialog with your readers in the comment section of the blog. Otherwise, your comment time will be spent either apologizing for corrrections that have had to be made after readers left you constructive and not-so constructive feedback about where you dropped the ball in the post, or you will be avoiding comments that challenge you. Mainly because you do not have a firm enough grasp of the topic to dicuss it openly with them.
It is an old writer’s rule to write what you know, and the same rule applies for blogging. Know your stuff, and your content will be helpful. Make your content helpful, and your blog will be respected.
Know Your Audience
The next way to make sure that your content resonates with readers, is to be relevant. If you are talking to the design community, then make sure that you are discussing design or design related things in your posts. Talking about major political events or trends, or the latest Twilight film is not generally what your readers are looking for from your site, so keep on track with what it is they want. Now discussing the role that design played in the last election, or the finer points of design areas related to the latest Twilight film, like set design or costume design, could pass as acceptable topics to broach on your blog. Though you might be pushing it a bit with Twilight.
Another audience-conscious action to take, is to make sure that you are talking to your audience and not at them. In online interactions with only one side being presented at a time, it is easy for your tone to be misinterpreted and come off in an unintended way. By being aware of this, you can safeguard against any unpleasant tones that could be taken from the way you said something. Read through your posts a second time out loud to hear the way it reads, and if possible, have someone else give it a read as well to check it out.
Also take care to present your content in a user-friendly manner to make sure that you are further taking your reader into consideration. Know your audience, and you will be able to connect with them through your content, ensuring they will come back.
Know What Needs to Be Said
This next content director actually goes along with knowing your stuff, and that is be original. When you are doing your research, check out how often this topic has been discussed around the blogosphere, and find a new way to approach it. Do not rehash the same subjects over and over again unless you have a meaningful addition to the conversation or a unique perspective from which to examine the topic. Keeping your posts fresh and original will truly help your content shine out among others.
Also, find the important and not so important topics that are not being discussed anywhere else around the blogosphere, and open those lines of discussion in these areas. Readers will appreciate new dialogs being had and the opporunity to take part in them. Exchanging new ideas and delving into virtually untapped wells of information. With unique content pushing your site, you will steer more readers in your direction to be sure. Though do be careful when broaching a new topic that is not being discussed anywhere else, there may be a good reason for its ommission.
Originality does help make your blog stand out, with so many ports to go calling on for online information. Knowing what needs to be said is a vital part of crafting quality content, that your readers will respond to.
Know How to Say It.
This next element to shaping up your content is also pretty important, being clear and concise in your posting. You can take all the care in the world with carving out quality content, but if you are unclear or hard to follow, then you will lose your readers as they continuously lose your point. Outlining your posts before hand, is a great way to keep your points from becoming muddled or simply lost in the conversational circles that we can often talk ourselves into when trying to tie down our ideas.
Writing style can work against you in this case, especially if you are prone to large expositions of prose that tend to waft to and fro in different directions during your discussion. Outlining can further help to make sure that you fully delve into each topic you have raised within your post, not leaving any loose ends that have failed to be tied by the wrap up. Otherwise, while an interesting premise, the post overall, will not live up to the full post potential. It will kind of be the Alias of blog posts. Great idea, with a lot of ball-droppage on the follow through.
With so many other blogs out there, all vying for a piece of the online readership you need your content to be able to be understood and followed, or people will turn away. Knowing how to say it, is as important as what you are saying. Because, lets face it, if they cannot follow what you are saying, it doesn’t matter what you say, it won’t be effective.
Feel Your Words
The last tip for taking your content to the next level that I want to bring up is being passionate about what you are discussing. If you are not interested in the words you are writing, or the topic you are covering, it will be harder for your work to generate that interest or passion in others. And believe me, the reverse of that also tends to be true. If you are driven by a subject, then you more than likely will be able to impart that enthusiasm to others through your words. If they do not resonate with you, then chances are, they will fall flat with the readers as well.
Another benefit to only blogging from a place of passion, is that you continue to enjoy the work, and will be less likely to experience burn-out. While you will want to make sure that you keep your schedule flexible enough to help prevent tiring of your blogging, keeping that work in an area that is consistently challenging and inspiring you, can also work heavily in your favor. Which in turn will work in the favor of your content and your blog.
Another way to ensure that your content will connect with others, is by making sure that it connects with you. Feel your words, and they will be able to reach out to others and draw them in. Your passion will be able to transfer through your posts.
That’s a Wrap!
This concludes the list of tips to make sure that you are blogging effectively and connecting with your readers. Your blog is only ever as good as the content driving it, so make sure you take the time this make-or-break blog element demands and deserves, and the readers will respond.
