Ever wondered why some bloggers seem to have all the success, while you are sitting there typing away post after post – with no one reading? Here are a few tips I have tested that have not only worked for me, but that I have seen implemented in the majority of the top blogs.
1. Chose Your topic Carefully – The best of writers can talk about anything and make it sound good, but why make it hard on yourself? choose a topic that you are passionate about, and let your enthusiasm show shine. It will compliment your writing style and make for a more interesting read.
2. Study The Topic – Read up on the subject your are about to write about. Find out what others have written, and let it spark some creativity in your mind.
3. Create A Killer Headline – This is the most important step of them all. In fact it should probably be point number one, because if people are intrigued by your headline, why would they read the rest of your post? Don’t be afraid to flaunt your headline, people don’t like bland and mundane.
4. Deliver The Content – Your headline has promised it – now deliver! There is nothing worse then reading the title of a article, thinking it is going to revolutionize the way you view a topic, only to find it is a boring ‘copy and past’ job, that has taken 2 minutes to throw together. This hits on point 2, make sure you study the subject so you can deliver the content!
5. Use Bullet Points – formatting is so important! People like structure, and bullet points make articles much easier to read, and also helps the readers retain the information by giving them the key points of the article.
6. Choose Photos Wisely – No one likes a bland blog, but that doesn’t mean just splashing a random photo here and there just for the sake of it. Make sure the images compliment the article.
7. Make Your Opinion Known – People read blogs because they are written by people, people with opinions. If they wanted a scientific explanation to something they would consult a textbook, so let your readers know what you think personally about the topic you are writing about.
8. Use Lists – I know there are so many top 10 lists and I’m sure everyone is getting sick of them, but the thing is, they work. A busy reader can easily scan the main points to see if its is of interest before deciding whether to read on.
9. Provoke Your Readers - If you want to really grab your readers attention you have to challenge the way they think, question their beliefs and push their buttons. So start your blog with a statement or challenge that will make your reader need to read the next couple of lines to make sure you said what they thought they read.
10. Don’t Go On Too Long – Say what needs to be said and then get out of there. No one likes a rambler. Enough said.
I have to say I do love lists. It makes the post more organized. Though I know it’s somewhat looked down upon because of overuse. In my opinion if you use a list but don’t promote it as one like “10 Tips To A Better Post” it won’t seem so cliche. Your “Killer Blog Posts – 10 Simple Steps” is clever that way to go about it.
I totally agree! You have to make your lists stand out, and the title is the first thing people read!
Nice post. I agree with your points. Daniel Socco from Daily Blog Tips had said that the Post Title is very important as it has a great impact. So he writes a post and then the Post title
That is a great idea. That way you can write a title that really fits the post you have written.
I start with a post title, then write the post, and then I rewrite my post title. I find that strategy working the best.
no.9 is very important because if you write on something that doesnt generally requires an input from your readers, then they wouldnt care to comment
Syed – that is a very interesting strategy! I like it!
Melvin – that’s exactly it!
One thing about the blog titles is that with WordPress, you should make the title have as many keywords as possible :) This makes your content SEO friendly :D
-Mike
KISS..keep it simple stupid..words to live by :X
Man, if I got back and look at some of my first blog posts, I broke all the rules haha.. terrible! These are great tips!
These are all valid points. I try to stick to a lot of these guidelines, as well. This post has just reminded me that I should try to remember these things more often :)
This is a very nice article. I was just wondering how I could spruce up my post on my blog so that they were more compelling. I going to try your advice and then see what happens.
Jae
Very simple steps but can go a long way in helping to improve blog posts.
Very simple steps but I’m always amazed by how many people forget the points.
The only thing I would disagree with is that bullet points help. I hate bullet points.
Killer post, Thomas!
I used to be a regular commenter on your blog, but as I have started a few blogs, I had to reduce blog commenting. But now I am back :) (Btw I am the guy from Let’s Sermo)
Farrhad – I definately remember you! Great to have you back commenting :D Looking forward to seeing you around the blogs!
nice idea for attracting readers………..