Writing Content for Your Blog? Things You Should Know

If you are a professional writer, you would hate some of the guidelines enumerated here. Writing content for blog breaks some of the rules in writing, unless you are using it to showcase your talent. But if you are one who needs to impress search engines, and at the same time, work on some other important matters, you can’t spend half of your day writing a single post. Besides, average users scan content. They rarely read word per word, unless they need to.

So that being said, let’s talk about guidelines in writing content for your blog.

1. No grammar and spelling errors please

Just because users scan articles on the net, it doesn’t mean that you can post anything without regard to grammar and spelling. Readers do not read every word of your article, but they can spot spelling mistakes – even grammar errors. Publishing poorly written content affects your credibility. Besides, search engines now are built to check for these mistakes, and if they find such errors, the ranking of the page is going to be affected.

2. Work offline

Just for an hour or two, log off from the Internet when you are writing. It’s easy to get distracted with Twitter, Facebook, email messages, and Skype. I cannot deny their importance in blogging. That’s given, but there’s a time to promote and socialize. When you are writing and you want your readers to feel your passion, focus on them. Talk to them as you write.

3. Keep it simple

People seem to think that worthwhile writing should be long and a lot more descriptive. Being descriptive or creating a picture to create some emotional response should only be used when you want to capture your reader’s attention on some important points that you wish to emphasize. Cut out the rest. There’s no point in publishing content that’s not useful.

4. Don’t worry about writing what you don’t know

Blogging is about trust and authority. People will come to learn about your expertise. But what if there’s a gap somewhere? Clear your mind and read – and then, write about it. If you want to be an authority on a subject, fill yourself with all the information that you need first, and then put it on display.

5. Quantity produces quality

Make it a habit to write every day. As you write more, your skill develops. Looking at my blog that I started four years ago, I can see how much I have changed in terms of expressing myself in writing.

6. Understand your readers

The first thing that you should consider before creating your content is your readers. If you know your readers well when they come to read your blog, you can address every bit of their concerns.

Present your article in such a way that would make them feel you understand their problem exactly. Sometimes, they don’t realize that some things can pose some problems. But when you start to point them out, they start to connect the dots. And when you present solutions, your blog becomes valuable to them.

7. Make it engaging and compelling

I must admit that writing content that engages readers is a difficult task. Make it a two way communication practice by asking questions. Highlight important points. Break down the information into bullet points. Make it conversational.

I know that we were thought that we should not start a sentence with “but” and “and” when writing an essay. With blog content writing, conversational tone is the key to engage readers. We normally converse starting our sentences with “but” and “and”. Do not hesitate to use them.

Following what works well can only get you so far. Practice writing now or you will never move forward.