It's been a little while since I sat down and wrote a blog tips style post, and more so recently i've really been focusing on how I can get the most out of my blog posts and all the elements that make me want to read a blog post. So I thought i'd share a few tips on how to gain full potential out of each post and possibly what you could do to improve your posts.
Now these are just tips, not rules so take them as you will and if you feel you could apply some of these to your blog, then go for it!
1. Clean, high quality images - Seems like an obvious one nowadays, but for me imagery is key and often images are what makes or breaks a blog post. You don't need a fancy camera, although is does help, you can take some pretty good images as long as you're using good natural light, making sure everything is in focus and then editing the image after. You can get some great, free, photo editing programs/apps, so again no breaking the bank. I also did a blog post on Instagram Tips, where I share how I edit my iPhone images.
2. Introducing the post - I find a lot of the time, some bloggers kind of jump into a post without really introducing what exactly you're going to be covering. Now i'm not saying go and write a 500 word intro, but a short sentence or paragraph just to ease the readers in and sort of sell the post at the same time.
3. Cutting out the blabbering - I remember in school when you had a word limit to an essay, you'd add in a load of random blabber just to bulk it out, well you don't really need to do that with blog posts. Getting straight to the point with what you're writing, but still making the content relevant is always key for me and I often find myself rewriting some blog posts just because i'm blabbering on about nothing anyone would be interested in reading.
4. Spell & grammar check - This is a big one for me and one that I suck at, reading back through posts checking my spelling and grammar. I know what it's like, you've written a rather lengthy, time consuming blog post and the thought of reading back through it doesn't excite you greatly but i've actually had readers point out spelling mistakes, which can be quite embarrassing. So i've learnt to always reread everything and it does pay off, as I always find something to correct.
5. Provide useful links - Another obvious one, but providing links I always find is crucial. If you're talking about a specific product, then make sure you link as someone reading will probably want to further research the product. Also, if you've written a previous blog post that relates in some way, then again link that because it could provide a little more info on the topic at hand.
6. Ask questions - I have always, since my very first post, ended every post with a question. It allows your readers to get involved and interact with you, and it makes the comments box much more exciting to reply to. It also gives your readers chance to give you recommendations, as you're aim it help them through the blog post but they can also help you.
So those are a few tips on how to get the most out of your blog posts, and hopefully some ways in which you could improve them also.
Do you have any tips?
