Guys, I know I witter on about this a lot. But blogging should be an integral part of your business and marketing plan. It doesn’t have to be as difficult or as complicated as you think it is! Here are eight blogging dos and don’ts to show you how easy it is.
Do…
…block out a set amount of time to blog
There are no two ways about it, blogging takes time. Slapping a few quick words into a blog post and throwing an image in there is not going to cut it.
That being said, it doesn’t need to take up all your time either. And if it is taking forever, then you may need to rethink your blogging strategy.
There are things you can do to make the process easier. For example, spend some time listing out ideas for posts you can write. In another time block, write key points for a few of those ideas. Another time, take one of those posts and key points and write the blog post itself.
Taking this process in small manageable chunks can make it much easier to deal with. Eventually, the process will get easier and you’ll be writing blog posts in no time at all!
…take an extra 10 minutes to edit
I cannot stress this enough. Before you hit publish, take 10 extra minutes to read through what you’ve written. Make sure it’s all looking grammatically correct and everything is spelt correctly.
If spelling and grammar are not your strong point, download some software like Grammarly to help. There’s no shame in that! The free version is certainly enough to cover the basics.
…read what you’ve written out loud
Yeah, I know people hate this tip but it’s one I always like to include, especially when you’re first starting out with blogging.
Reading what you’ve written aloud helps you to hear whether the sentences sound correct, the tone is friendly and the rhythm is natural, rather than stilted. It works as a great way to make sure your words sound like you, so do give it a try, even if you do feel a bit silly!
…borrow ideas from others
I am very much of the mind that there’s no such thing as an original or unique idea. Guys, it’s all been done before, I promise you. A quick search on Google for any idea you might have is clear evidence of that.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tackle the same topics though. Because what you can bring to it is your unique perspective, your own stamp, thoughts and opinions. And that’s a good thing!
I was talking to a lovely lady the other day who was struggling to come up with ideas for what to write about. She had some beautiful posts already written about weddings she’d shot all over the world. Reading some, I spotted a sentence in one of her posts. It said: ‘I don’t know anywhere more romantic for a wedding than Paris…’ I suggested to her that she should tackle that subject right there. Why not write about little known locations for a romantic wedding?
The fact is, there are a ton of ideas out there. You just have to keep looking for them and playing around with them… and putting your unique spin on them!
Don’t…
…pack in too many ideas
Remember that attention spans are short. Even those people who come to your blog because they want to read what you have to say will lose interest if you try to pack in too many ideas.
Try to keep your post to one or two related ideas you want to cover. Anything more, then I would recommend writing multiple posts and turning them into a series.
…waffle
I will be the first to admit I am guilty of this. I can waffle on for hours, especially when it’s about a subject I’ve got a lot of passion for.
The thing to remember here is that shorter and to the point is better than long and rambling. Again, you don’t want your readers to lose interest.
The easiest thing to do is write out the ramble first of all. Then, after a little bit, go back and re-edit the post, cutting out all the unnecessary text.
As a guide, aim for at least 350 words but no more than 750. Around 500 is a good target!
…write big blocks of text
There’s nothing more intimidating than a giant wall of text. And nothing will have a reader clicking off your blog post faster. So try to keep your paragraphs on the smaller side and utilise space to allow your ideas to be digested.
If you struggle with how to break up blog posts, try writing lists, or bullet points to start with. Later, you may find it easier to tackle posts with a bit more depth. Experimenting is what’s key here. You’ll figure out the best way to write as you get more practice.
…forget to share on social media
Above all, don’t forget to schedule your blog posts on social media! Otherwise, what’s the point in all that hard work if no one else is going to read them?
Now… no excuses. Get writing those blog posts!
If you really can’t bring yourself to tackle blogging on your own, why not get someone like me to do it for you? Get in touch and let me show you how I can help you?