Five Ingredients for Readable Blog Content

online content ingredientsThe “in” thing is that everyone should blog.  There are so many questions that need answering. One of the them I get is, ” I’m not a good writer. What do I say?”

Well…good, engaging blog posts are a mix of storytelling and visuals. There are five key ingredients comprising readable content:

  1. Headline: Grab the reader’s attention, as well as the search engine’s. Keep the word count low and make the subject matter clear.
  2. Story: Have a beginning, middle, and end – which are the classic storytelling elements. This goes for posts that are about something (storytelling) or about a product (when you’re telling its story).
  3. Visuals: These also grab attention and will interest the audience in the subject of the post. Visuals are digested faster than words. A catchy photo or illustration will keep them reading.When shared on social networks, they help the content stand out and can help a post go viral.
  4. Flexibility: Content must work on all devices, meaning the platform is responsive. “Downtime” is a great time for your content to be read. Commuting time is optimal reading time. Readers use their smartphones to consume content when traveling, and any time during the day when they have time to use their phones.
  5. Sharing: People share more than 5.5 million gigabytes (that’s a lot) of content each day. Make it easy for them to share. Reduce clicks by having share buttons at the bottom of each post.

If you’re new to blogging, hopefully these five tips will get you started. If you have questions or need a little more help, just contact us. We’re here to help “make you more visible.”

Be More Visible – Be Informative

Whether it’s a blog, Facebook message, tweet on Twitter or an update on LinkedIn, always be truthful and avoid overkill.

  1. Write a blog or an article. Start with a trade magazine. Send a tweet. Inform your clients and potential clients about what your company is doing, the latest advancements in your industry and general information. Comment on blogs. Search your industry or area of expertise and read what others are saying. Post your comments and links to your blog site.
  2. Post it. Always put the information in your blog and on your business Facebook page. Remember to tweet your followers and let your connections on LinkedIn know about it.
  3. Conduct a seminar or demonstration. If you know, what you know, what you know… then share it. It’s one of the best ways to boost your credibility. Not sure of where to begin? Start with your local community. Many offer a variety of classes to residents and non-residents, such as computer literacy, tax tips, retirement strategies, cooking, health and fitness and, “how to start a business.”
  4. Produce a video. Make it short and to the point. Post it on your website, YouTube or make a DVD to sell or give away.
  5. Send a press release to the media. Are you offering a new product or service? Are you proud of an accomplishment? Is a special event planned? Do you have a great human-interest story that involves your product or service? Let the media know. They are always looking for positive stories.
  6. Write a book(let). Pass along your knowledge and pay it forward. Speak about your book. Mention that you are an author on your email page, business card or website. When you meet someone, tell them about your book. Now is not the time to be shy. Have a book signing. These can be held at coffee shops, in bookstores (obvious), out of your car (not so obvious). Always carry books with you and always be ready to talk about it. People are thirsty for knowledge and will be happy to take a drink from you.
  7. Write a white paper (or whitepaper). These are authoritative reports or guided that often addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are not as costly as books (many are downloadable from websites), yet they can be very useful to the end user.
  8. Pick up the phone. Call a former client. Call a potential client. Just call. Remind them that you are still around and available for business.