How to Write Blogs

How to write blogs: making the most of your blog

If you have not got a blog, but are considering starting one, then these tips will set you on the right track to creating a successful blog that your readers will value:

Most savvy business owners have a blog. Though the goal of these specific web addresses is to ultimately boost business, people simply will not read it if it’s overly promotional.

Tips on How to Write Blogs

So what then are the secrets behind how to write blogs that is mutually beneficial to the business owner and the reader? The answer is complicated, indeed. There are a few ways to increase your chances of a happy marriage between the two, however. Consider these blogging tips:

1. Talk about things other than your goods or services. The best blog posts are more informational, and less promotional. Keep up on industry trends, new products and happenings in your industry. Then write about it. How to write blogs means not simply reposting a news story, but discuss how it impacts your business, your customers and your industry as a whole. It is important to interpret what you find and show that you are an authority on a particular issue.
2. Update often. OK, so how often is that? For most search engines, that answer is at least once every week. If you have the time and energy, crank out fresh content three or four times each week. Time of day is not as important as frequency. Give the search engines, and your readers, something fresh to think about on a regular basis.
3. Use social media. I know, I know. This is a trendy thing to say. Well, there’s a reason for that – it works!  If you want your post to be read, promote it in as many places as possible. If you are lucky, readers will enjoy it so much that they will share it with others in cyberspace. A how to write blogs secrete, do not forget this as social media helps spread your blog.
   
4. Think about SEO. You know all those little tricks that web developers and content writers use to help boost the page rank of your website? Those are important in blogging too. A potential business customer may reach your site because of a well-formulated blog post and decide to make a connection. Even though you are not “selling” anything in an informative blog, you are representing your company. Take the time to format each post correctly to drive optimal traffic to your blog that has potential for detours to your main website.
5. Submit your blog URL. A quick way to help search engines find you is to give them a road map. Even better, give them your site map. Google, Yahoo!, Bing and AOL all have options for submitting new links to help let the Internet “spiders” crawl your blog. During this process, the SEO principles mentioned in the last point will really come in handy.
6. Encourage interaction. Try your best to prompt readers to respond to your pieces. Have a comment section that is easy to use, and have a form that readers can fill out with suggestions for future posts. This is a great way to involve your potential customer base. If a comment is left, respond to it and keep the thread going. Involved readers are more likely to think of your product or service when they need it.
7. Be professional. It is okay to use a conversational tone, but stay away from anything that could be viewed as offensive or too political. Stick to the facts. Be an authoritative voice on your particular subject area and let that be what sets you apart from competitors.

If you have an existing blog, go back and see which areas you can improve based on this list. A well-designed blog entry has the potential to bring in thousands of readers in its lifetime. If even a fraction of those readers end up buying your product or hiring you, then the few minutes that your post took to type are worth it.

Use Your Blogs to Market

Collect your informative posts (say a year’s worth) and publish them as a book. It immediately elevates your standing in your profession or industry because, as a non-fiction author, you are often regarded as the expert on the book’s subject matter.

Organizational Tips

There are so many different organizational styles when it comes to how to write blogs Are you uber-organised, everything has its place, can’t sleep if dishes are in the sink?

Or are you the opposite, a disorganized mess?

Perhaps you fall somewhere in between, as I suspect most of us do. While being disorganized in your personal life doesn’t necessarily have consequences, being disorganized when it comes to your writing or blogging can.

Organizing your ideas, writing schedule, and editorial elements can sometimes be tough. If you are a business blogger or writer, keeping on top of a schedule is particularly important. But even those who write independently could benefit from some organizational tips. Organization helps you with on how to write blogs.

Here are a few ideas to keep you organized:

1. Keep track of the time you spend writing – I am definitely guilty of over or under estimating the time it takes me to complete a writing project. If you know how long it actually takes you do a task (like write a blog post) then you can allocate your time better. I often tell myself that it just takes a certain amount of time to write a good post, when in reality the research, linking, and editing can often double that time span.
2. Design a note-taking system – this is a piece of advice I could certainly use myself. Ever been struck by ideas for a blog post when you’re out and about? How about when killing time surfing the web at home? Consider implementing a note-taking system that helps you to keep track of these ideas. You can use a cloud-based storage system to make yourself a file that you can access from any device. Or, you could simply carry around a notebook. Just depends on what works best for you.
3. Get your workspace ready to work – writers often work in unconventional places. You might like to write at your desk, from your couch, or on the Wi-Fi network at Starbucks. Wherever you like to work, take the time to make it peaceful and organized. Even if this means loading your laptop bag with everything you’ll need to work on the go.
4. Put things where you can find them – those of us who are writers are often “the creative type,” meaning that maybe we don’t think like a lot of other people when it comes to organization. In this case, take the time to put things where you would find them, not necessarily where you think they should go. This can help you to find what you’re looking for in a hurry, whether it is something digital or an actual object.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to knowing how to write blogs.

Research and Write

I wonder if, like me, you turn to the internet as your first port of call when you want to find something; whether for business or personal use.

I’m always amazed at the stuff that is out there – literally at the end of your fingertips. And when I was looking for inspiration for verses for a friends memorial service that’s where I started to look.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because I found something unexpected – although I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. It was an online website at which you can set up a memorial page. I thought it was a great way of sharing with family that is spread far and wide and is especially nice for those who can’t attend a funeral. 

So how does this help you with how to write blogs?

Everything!

Because there are times when your writing skills are needed for occasions outside your business; writing speeches for christenings, weddings, special birthdays and anniversaries and, of course, memorial services.

Writing for an emotional occasion is probably harder than when you are writing for your business. For me, I found that following the same principle of ‘writing to a friend’ helped me write.

And writing can be therapeutic as well, it certainly helps with the healing process.

Isn’t it nice to know that as you’re developing your writing ability you are creating a skill that is useful in all aspects of your life, not just business?