How do you become successful at blogging and what do readers look for in a good post?
We know right? Now there’s an original idea for a blog post!
Well, in truth whether or not we are actually successful or not is really down to the overall general consensus of your audience.
None the less we thought it would be fun to share a little insight into how we approach writing in the hope it may inspire others such as you (the reader) to have a go for yourself.
When it comes to grabbing the attention of your readers there are so many different elements to consider, therefore let’s break this down and get a better idea of how it works.
Choose a topic you love.
There is nothing worse than trying to write about something you don’t have a true passion for, are we right?
When you truly love and feel involved with the subject matter in question, writing and expressing your feelings on it comes as natural to you as breathing.
As long as you have passion for that which your written content is based around you should never find it difficult to come up with new and exciting topics to cover.
Be Authentic.
Never in any circumstance attempt to be someone you’re not! Your readers will see straight through you.
When conveying your feelings about the matter at hand be authentic to who you are, however most importantly BE HONEST!
If you feel deep down that something is rubbish, then say it. Never try to convey false appraisal when it isn’t neccessarily merited.
Often readers will be looking for honest opinions in order to form a decision on whether to go somewhere or do something, and let’s face it, there is nothing worse than turning up with high expectations based on the opinions of others and having them smashed to smithereens!
We would therefore always advise an honest approach authentic to who you are as this will only serve to increase both credibility and trust with your audience in the long term.
Be Original with Your Content!
This is by far possibly the most valuable advice we can give!
There is nothing that will make you stand out less when it comes to blogging than choosing subjects which have been covered in abundance (barring news of course).
When it comes to grabbing the attention of your audience choosing an original title and approach is key.
Now, if you choose to cover news (as we also do), then of course, it’s going to be hard to stand out from the crowd.
If however you choose to write about your experiences and original topics of discussion then curiosity will always ensue when it comes to your wider audience.
The best thing to do is really do your homework and look for topics which may not have already been covered, or if they have then choose the ones which either haven’t been covered recently or in great length.
Be Concise.
There is nothing worse than waffle (mmmmmm waffles – wait not that kind, we love those haha)!
When writing really think about how you approach the matter at hand and stick to the key points at all times.
It’s the same as talking to someone, if the person talking either goes off on tangents or keeps talking forever in a day then your attention immediately slips and you loose focus.
Well, when it comes to reading, we find it to have the same effect. If you write too much then people will undoubtedly take one look at your post and think “no thank you”.
Always stick to the key points of discussion whenever and wherever possible at all times, this will not only hold your attention, however it will promote interest and a thirst for more.
Is it a post you would read yourself?
Finally, as you represent those who you are targeting your post towards, always ask yourself this – is this something I would read?
If your answer is YES, then you are definitely on the right track, however if not then it maybe best to rethink the subject matter at hand prior to writing the post.
Never forget your audience as it is your audience who will offer their engagement, time and interaction. Always put them at the forefront of everything you do and honour their support at all times.
As they say, a machine is never greater than the parts that make it, and in reality this analogy can be applied to any manner of other different situations too (including your brand).
Without the continued support of your readers and those engaging with your content, you are never likely to raise credibility or trust with those your content is aimed towards.
Presentation is everything!
Always remember when you’re composing said post, presentation is everything!
The composition of a piece will either grab the attention of your reader or turn them off within the first two seconds of looking at it.
It is therefore important to be as varied and attentive in your approach at all times as physical limitations will allow.
This includes use of images at relevant times within your piece relevant to the topic discussed, captions to enable ease of understanding surrounding it’s placement and checking spelling and grammar at all times whilst composing your post.
We also find it helps to break your post up into focused topics (seen here by the use of headings) as this will enable your reader to pin point a certain section of the post should they be looking for specifics.
Using this approach will further promote interest and will help the reader feel like they are getting somewhere whilst reading your work.
Finally, know your direction of discussion and it's conclusion.
Finally, when composing a piece it’s always crucial to know the direction your discussion is heading including where to start, the mid point and how it concludes.
This will again enable you to keep it concise, to the point and relevant at all times (as well as consistent).
As long as you know how to begin the debate as well as how it should conclude then you really shouldn’t go wrong.
Therefore……….
In Conclusion.
So there you go, hopefully our advice has helped you better understand how we approach writing a piece, and if not, thank you for still reading and sticking with us this long.
In reality what works for one may not always necessarily work for all, however if you’re new to blogging and are looking for a starting point then we really hope this has helped you know where to begin.
Are you already a content creator? If so, how do you approach creating content? We’d love to know in the comments below!
Thanks very much for reading.