Part 4 – Stop Thinking Like a Writer and Start Thinking Like a Blogger
Blogging isn’t the same as the writing you did in high school or college, because your audience is different.
Your readers are, most likely, mixing business with pleasure when they visit your blog. They’re looking for new information. They need to solve a problem. Or, they’re just curious. But they’re expecting to be entertained, too.
If you have an easy-going style that sounds like you’re speaking to readers one-on-one, you’ll do well. Injecting humor is even better. Be approachable and genuine. In other words, be yourself, or an even better version of yourself.
Tips to Help You Write Like a Blogger
Find your voice.
It’s a bad idea to be a carbon copy of other bloggers; be yourself. You have unique experiences and viewpoints that to bring to your blog. Strive to make it different, unique. Think about how you would normally make friends – show them who you really are, and they either like you or they won’t. Essentially, it’s the same with your blog readers. Be yourself, be genuine, express your personality, and those who connect with you will not only stay with you, they’ll become your biggest fans.
Don’t bury the lead.
Most blog visitors are short on time and want their info NOW. If you wait until the end of your post to give them the good stuff, they may never see it. Start with the big benefit first and tell them right away why this post is going to make a difference in their day, or even their life.
Keep it short.
Most blog posts could benefit greatly from some brutal editing. If a sentence doesn’t move the post forward, delete it. The same goes for complete paragraphs. Shorter posts tend to work best, particularly if you’re new to blogging. Authority posts – those with 3,000+ words – are something you can aspire to as your reputation builds. In the beginning, keep posts short, addressing only one main idea per post.
Become a headline pro.
There is NO getting around this – you need to become an expert at headlines. Without a compelling, tweetable headline, your posts will never be read. Try writing the headline first and then tailoring the post to the headline, rather than working the other way around.
Screw up.
That’s right. Make mistakes. Be imperfect. Be human. The best bloggers are real people who aren’t afraid to make mistakes. If you try to get every single blog post absolutely perfect, you’ll never publish anything. Write it, edit it, post it, then move on. If you make a truly big mistake, correct it. If you make a whopper, let your readers know you screwed up. They’ll love you for it.
Rewrite.
While it’s okay to screw up, that doesn’t mean you don’t want to put your best foot forward. Write and then rewrite, because people will spend more time reading your posts if they enjoy them. Review your writing and find the places that don’t quite make sense or may be confusing, then fix them. Read your post aloud. That’s an easy way to find the bits that need fixing.
Be honest.
Are you sad? Depressed? Angry? Stressed? Disappointed? Worried? There is power in authenticity. Write about it. Some of your readers are going through the same thing you are. And, it’s therapeutic for you, and for them, to just get it out there.
Entertain.
You may be writing about business or some other serious topic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t entertain as well. Use stories, humor and the element of surprise to turn the driest material into something fun and interesting.
Mix it up.
Use videos, photos, interviews, infographics, reviews, humor, cartoons and anything else you can think of. Be original. Be fresh. Be unique.
Bring in other authors.
When your blog has a following, invite other writers to spice up the conversation. Consider asking a provocative question, with you taking one side and another writer taking the opposing view.
Check out Part 5 – Blogging Skills 101