Nate Riggs: Blogging Styles - The List Post

NATE RIGGSsocial business design | strategynateriggs.com@nateriggs

#spinsuckspro

BLOGGING

• Understand how search engines work

• Know how humans spend time online

• Consistently have fresh content ideas

• Understand what resonates with your audience

• Speak “bloggerese” and know the terminology

• Have command over technology tools

• Understand the the nuances of blogger culture

• Have knowledge of web conversion and analytics

To win at the art AND science blogging, you must:

• 152 million – The number of blogs on the Internet (as tracked by BlogPulse, in December 2010).

• 29% of business blogs post an average of 3-4 times each week

• Bloggers are more affluent and educated than the general population with 79% have college degrees & 43% have graduate degrees

• 81% have been blogging more than 2 years.

• Professionals blog 10+ hours/week.

What you the blogger are up against:

Data from: Technorati's State of the Blogosphere 2010 reportHubspot 2010 State of the Industry Report

Don’t let this be your blog...

• Provides you with a solid foundation from which to experiment

• Familiarity with style frameworks make it easier to stay consistent in your blogging practice

• Style makes your content more inviting, readable, memorable, and engaging

• Helps you stand out in a crowded world

What practicing blogging styles can do for you:

• Understanding the list style blog post

• 3 types of list style frameworks

• 7 tips writing better list style blog posts

• 11 bright list topic ideas for your homework

Mastering the List Style Blog Post

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Understanding the list style blog post

Used wisely, the list style can help you:

• Increase the amount of social bookmarking and audience ratings

• Increase the amount of repeat visitors to the specific posts

• Accelerate sharing across social media

• Draw higher amounts of comments and audience interaction

• Create greater affinity between the blogger and audience

Well designed lists also preform:

Quick Break for QUESTIONS?

3 types of list style frameworks

1. Look at posts from the 30,000 foot view

2. For today, the content doesn’t count

3. Layout is everything in readability

Your study guidelines

Simple Lists

• Appropriate for higher number of list items with less information per item

• Use numbered bullets to help your readers navigate

• Always include the total number of bullets in the title

• Each bullet demonstrates one question or statement

• List as many items as are relevant to the content focus

• Periods are only necessary for complete sentences

Simple Lists

Post Framework:➡ Introduction sentences

• Tell your audience why this list matters to them

• How will this list help them

➡ Bulleted list elements• Each bullet is typically one

sentence• Bullets can be sequential or

random

➡ Summary sentences• Instruct your audience as to

what to do with this list

➡ Call to action• Ask them to take that action

Detailed Lists

• Appropriate for shorter lists that contain more information for each bullet

• Use of sub headers as bullet points in conjunction with text or numbered bullets

• Bullets may contain full paragraphs of detailed information, steps, etc.

• Total number of of bullets is typically kept to 10 or less, to control overall post length

• Make sure to use proper punctuation in the bullet descriptions

Detailed ListsPost Framework:

➡ Introduction sentences• Provide more backstory that

supports your explanation of the details

➡ Bulleted list elements• Each bullet item may be 50-

100 words in length• Use numbered and text sub

bullets to increase readability

➡ Summary sentences• Instruct your audience as to

what to do with this list

➡ Call to action• Ask them to take that action

Hybrid Lists• Appropriate for lists that require lots

of visuals or demonstrations

• Use numbered or text bullets, but apply the rules from previous lists

• Integrate media such as videos or photos to demonstrate the list

• Each bullet then reflects a list element present in the integrated media

• Don’t be afraid to turn the camera and show yourself to your audience

• Make sure to embed the video above the fold or utilize auto-play for videos below the fold

Simple ListsPost Framework:

➡ Introduction sentences• Tell your audience why this list

matters to them• How will this list help them

➡ Media integration• Use video to audible and

visually list each of your bullets• Embed photographs as

examples of list elements

➡ Bulleted list elements• Apply rules from previous lists

➡ Summary sentences• Instruct your audience as to

what to do with this list

➡ Call to action• Ask them to take that action

Quick Break for QUESTIONS?

7 Tweetable Titles for writing killer list style blog posts

@prtini

Tweetable Title 1: @nateriggs says - choose blog post titles wisely: SEO keywords or attention getters - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 2: @nateriggs says - link often to other blogs to leverage pingbacks and get attention - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 3: @nateriggs says - make your list style posts easy for your audience to navigate - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 4: @nateriggs says - use repeat keywords and phrases in list posts to build SEO juice - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 5: @nateriggs says – Leave your list 80% complete and ask your audience to help your finish it - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 6: @nateriggs says - use mindmaps to create your list bullets at random, then order them - #spinsuckspro

Tweetable Title 7: @nateriggs says - experiment with different list styles. Mix, match and create your own - #spinsuckspro

Quick Break for QUESTIONS?

11 bright list topic ideas for your homework

6.# of things you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career

7.# most important times to support your co-workers

8.Top # things to never say in a client meeting

9.Top # ways that small businesses can benefit from using the internet

10. # of opportunities you might be missing by not blogging regularly

11. The top # best blog posts you’ve read this month

• Content marketing consultant

• Social business design

• Professional speaker

• Daily blogger

• Author in progress

NATE RIGGS

nateriggs.comnate@nateriggs.com@nateriggs

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