What steps do you take when you sit down to write your blog post?
If you answered “long strides” or I don’t take any steps to get to my computer – it’s on the first floor – then you’re missing my point! LOL!
What I’m referring to here is what you do before you actually begin writing!
Do you decide on a topic and then do keyword research to see how many people are searching for what you want to write about? Are you incorporating keyword phrases into your content so you get picked up by the search engines?
Do you ask yourself what your intentions are for writing on this particular topic?
What’s your purpose?
- Is it to convey a message about your business?
- Is it to explain something or teach others?
- Are you writing because you want to learn something about this topic and then share your findings with others?
Topics that other readers find useful, informative and funny are what make a reader want to read your post. You really only have seconds to catch someone’s eye so your headline should be to the point and your content should be original and conversational in tone. Write like you’re talking to someone sitting next to you.
As you write your content, think about the kinds of pictures you can add that will make it stand out and be more visually appealing to the reader. Looking at a bunch of black and white text is boring! Don’t be afraid to spice up things a little bit by adding color to important points for emphasis.
Some writers find it very useful to outline what they’re going to write about first. This helps them organize their material and keeps them on track. This also acts as a checklist so you cover all the points you want to make.
Whether you’re a first time blogger or have been involved in blogging for quite some time, it pays to learn as much as you can from different sources on writing blogs, getting them noticed and getting as much SEO “juice” as you can.
One way to do just that is to consider guest blogging. Whatever your niche may be, find out what the top blogging sites are on that subject matter and develop a relationship with that person. You can offer a link to your blogs and invite them to view them. If they like what they see, you can then offer to write a post that they’ll put on their site.
Through this technique, you get more exposure and potentially more readers to your blog. You also build your credibility as a blogger, too!
Word on the street has it that Google+ is now a major player in the SEO game as far as rankings are concerned. If you’re serious about garnering a major following for your blog, take the time to learn all you can about it.
Don’t forget to use social media to plug your blog posts. See what people are talking about and take your cue from the conversations. Eventually, you may be able to work your topic in. Phrase it as a question (think Jeopardy!)
You could say something like, “hey guys, what do you do about? Have your ever tried? etc. Find a way to work your topic in without being salesy. Remember, building relationships is your main goal so people will be willing to take a look at what you’re doing.
What you want to achieve through blogging will be a work in
progress for a while so keep plugging along and learn as much as
you can about how to get the most from your writing and who
knows, you could soon get paid for blogging!
