According to Nielsen.com, there are more than 181 million blogs in the world. I’ll take their word on that. In fact, the number has probably jumped since you read these words! It's amazing to think so many people have so much to say.
One challenge I hear from many in recruiting, staffing, and HR is that they don't know how to write their blogs. So they do nothing. Businesses and associations are hiring me to train their employees and members on content development and free social media tools that can drive traffic and revenue.
Reality check: Being stuck or afraid isn’t a viable excuse any longer.
Here are 10 ways to help you craft powerful blog posts:
1. Tap into your expertise. Write about something you are knowledgeable about and enjoy.
2. Share value. Don't worry about giving something away for free. When you are open to sharing helpful information, you'll build relationships and credibility. Abundance will follow.
3. Be transparent. Be authentic and avoid hidden agendas and negativity. Write with integrity. Your reputation is on the line.
4. Write in short, punchy and easy-to understand sentences. People are so busy these days that we all appreciate concise and succinct communication. Hey, Twitter’s doing it with just 140 characters!
5. Weave in your personality. Blogs are not typically written in a formal business style. Blogging is more casual, which allows us to insert our personalities into our posts. This helps us connect with readers.
6. Avoid J-A-R- Jargon, Adjectives and Rhetoric. Your readers are probably not looking for a stuffy dry sales pitch but for something that's compelling and thoughtful. Deliver it and you'll develop a loyal following.
7. Connect your posts with timely news stories. The news provides us with plenty to blog about! By mentioning current events — and reacting to them as you desire — you show people that you’re interested in what's happening in the world. You can also tie in the news to your business, clients, talent, and prospects. The result: You will be creating attention-grabbing and timely posts.
8. Speak directly to the reader. Use active verbs and first-person language. Ask them a question or write a statement such as "Consider this." Keep people engaged.
9. Solve their problem. Providing useful tips to help ease a pain is important. Think of it like this: Your reader has an injury or pain and you have the medicine (solution) to help ease their discomfort.
10. Forget about the length. There is no right or wrong when it comes to writing blogs. Some people post only a few lines a day while others have several paragraphs or a tip-sheet style approach. Longer doesn't mean better, it just means longer (see #4)
Remember, there is no such thing as Writer's Block. Ideas and topics are all around. The key is to pay attention and connect the topic back to your business. Practice, practice, practice and you'll get better with each post. You may even come to enjoy it.
