How do I become a better blogger?
I get this question quite a bit. Becoming a better blogger assumes you want to blog and you care about the task at hand: blogging - communicating - interacting. I’ve mentioned below a few points that I try to follow when blogging but I can’t say I’m perfect at all of them. I try. But I fail at times. So I keep trying.
The big rule of thumb though to remember when you’re searching for this kind of answer is to remain patient. You won’t turn your blog or your blogging skills or your blog traffic around overnight. Stick with it. And you’ll succeed.
So, how do we become better bloggers? Read on -
- Define the pupose of your blog. Even if your topics are varied. Define them and stick to the scope of the definition(s).
- Create visual appeal. Use graphics, photos or art in your posts.
- Stay in one place. Once you establish a place (e.g., blog.keithparnell.com) on the Internet, stay there. Don’t make people hunt you down. They won’t.
- Engage and involve your readers. If your posts are not of interest to your readers they won’t stay around or come back. Get them involved in commenting on your blog. Even if you keep most of them hidden (like I do) conversations on your posts are crucial.
- Establish a blog schedule. I’m not real good at this but I try to get up a post at least 3 or 4 times per week. I blog on several blogs so sometimes it’s hard; it doesn’t matter. You must be consistent to keep interest.
- Proofread your work before hitting the airwaves. Please! If you have this inadequacy and you know it, have someone proofread for you.
- Syndicate yourself. Use RSS feeds extensively. A lot of blog readers use feeds to scan many blogs quickly just like the morning newspaper. Personally, I have about 350 blogs that I check daily. I could not and would do this without using RSS feeds.
- Make sure you have an “about me” page or a home page link. People want to know that you’re a real person.
- Get involved in the blogosphere. Getting involved means post comments on other blogs. Get involved in conversations and when possible link back to your blog.
- Submit your posts to other social web 2.0 communities. Reddit, Digg, Delicious, Netscape, and Stumble Upon are a good start.
- Interview industry experts. This sometimes bring in a new audience to your blog from which you may pick up new loyal readers.
- Interact with your readers. Just as I’ve done with this new post, its origin is a comment from a client on another post. Interaction and conversation is always good.
- Write about something you love. This is the only way to keep your own interest. Believe me, if you don’t love what you’re talking about people will notice.
- Include lists in your posts. Use bullets or numbers. Readers scanning your blog will be attracted to lists more than thousands of words on a page.
- Have fun. Blogging doesn’t have to be work. Feel free to make your posts fun and entertaining without wondering what people are thinking of you.
- Give lots of link love! Link to many different web pages and websites. Link to competitors. It’s okay, there’s plenty of traffic on the Internet for everyone.
Hopefully this list didn’t bore you too much and maybe even struck some interest and other questions. Do you have other suggestions?
As I said, have fun with your blogging. Talk soon.
RSS and Facebook readers: click here to view and enter comments.
Related reading from my desk (or BlackBerry):
JASEzone
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
