8 Steps to Better Blog WritingBy Mark W. Schaefer

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1) Headlines matter. A lot.

Blog readers are SKIMMERS who scan their inbox or blog reader to figure out what posts are worthy. So a headline that says “My views on soap” or “Thinking back” don’t cut it. You have to GRAB ‘em and make them read. Characteristics of great headlines:

Catchy Descriptive Contains keyword Tweetable (short) Also, any headline that

indicates a numbered list is going to attract more eyeballs. Busy readers like lists.

2) Write upside-down

In school, we are taught to write linearly. A beginning, a middle, an end. That does not work on blogs. You have to tell the ending first. I call that writing upside down.

Busy readers are going to be bored and frustrated if you don’t tell them exactly why they are there and what the pay-off is. So start with the end … and then explain it.

3) Keep it shortThere is no science behind this chart. I totally made it up. But I have also written about 2,000 posts so I have some sense about these things!

You have to EARN the right to go long. If you are Malcolm Gladwell, you have earned the right to go long. If you are just starting to build your audience, don’t challenge them with long posts unless it is something extraordinary. Somewhere between 500 and 1,000 words is golden.

4) Use sub-headings

Subheadings rock.A sub-heading is like a mini headline – like what you see above this sentence. Subheads draw attention down the length of the blog post and breaks up the block of gray. This is especially important in a challenging reading environment like a smartphone.

5) Use your original voice

In journalism school I was taught to keep my “voice” OUT of my writing. Just stick to the facts. The best blog writing weaves your personal narrative into the discussion and lets your personality shine. When somebody wants to write a guest post for {grow} I challenge them to write a post that ONLY they could write. Dig deep. Be you.

That is the heart of originality.

6) Keep it RITE

This is easy to remember. Try to make every blog post R- relevant, I – interesting, T – timely and E – entertaining. If you can do that consistently, you will be creating share-able blog content.

7) Be conversationalThrow the rules out the door. Write like you speak. Even. If. It’s. Choppy.

After you have written your blog post, read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like you simply talking to your audience, lighten it up. Just tell them the story.

8) End with a question

If you want to encourage comments and engagement, you don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to ask the right questions.

Although you wouldn’t normally end a whitepaper or news article with a question, it makes perfect sense for a blog.

Right?

Let’s connect

If you enjoyed this presentation, you’ll find lots of other great social media tips and time-savers at my blog {grow} which can be found at www.businessesGROW.com.

Please connect with me on Twitter and Facebook, too!

All the best, Mark W. Schaefer

About Mark W. SchaeferMark W. Schaefer is a globally-recognized blogger, educator, business consultant, and author who blogs at {grow} — one of the top marketing blogs of the world. Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for nearly 30 years and now provides consulting services as Executive Director of U.S.-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions. His clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Cisco, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, and the UK government.

Mark has advanced degrees in marketing and organizational development and holds seven patents. He is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University and is the founder of Social Slam, a national social media event that takes place each April. He is the author of two best-selling marketing books, Return On Influence and The Tao of Twitter. In 2012, he was named by Forbes magazine as one of the Top 50 social media “power influencers” of the world.

Mark has appeared on many national television shows and periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, and the CBS NEWS.