Online publishing platforms like Wordpress and Blogger make it easy for anyone to create a blog. Even Facebook’s Notes application allows for easy updates with rich media formatting. But, lately I’ve noticed some rookie mistakes that distract from an otherwise thoughtful post. Writing for the web is different from writing for print and offers vast opportunities to enhance readers’ experience. Here are 3 very simple rules of thumb that will improve your blog posts.
1. Title
Make your title interesting. Assume that your reader is scrolling through hundreds of posts a day. What’s going to make yours stand out in someone’s inbox or RSS feed? You’ve got one opportunity to grab someone’s attention, so go for it with a headline that packs a punch. You can find many examples of killer titles at problogger.net as well as the elaborate analysis of what makes a post title stand out pictured below.
Speaking of pictures…
2. Visuals
A picture is worth a thousand words and can do wonders to support a post. If you are writing about a new fashion line or culinary creation, imagery is key. An excellent example is a recent review of the Sucre holiday chocolate collection. Take a look. Tell me, what’s more likely to get your mouth watering- an eloquent review or beautifully shot pictures of delicious chocolate goodness?
3. Links
It is a personal pet peeve when a blogger references a source without a hyperlink. If something is worth mentioning make it easily accessible to your reader. For example, if your post is inspired by a great article you read, link to it. The same goes with noting aTwitter user or Facebook page (yep, shameless FSC plug). Make it easy for your reader to follow someone you endorse.
Plus, everyone loves inbound links and they can help grow your social capital and online reputation. Now, of course you don’t want to go overboard hyperlinking every other word and should be conscious about directing traffic away from your site. Whenever possible, make sure that your link opens in a new window or tab. That way, if users navigate away from your page and continue to browse through multiple pages, you are still just click away.
These are just three simple tips to keep in mind when writing a blog post. There are a ton of other ways to optimize your online presence and we’ll continue to share tools and tricks every week. In the meantime, what do you look for in a blog post?
