We’ve all done it before- written a blog post that wasn’t our best; started a blog with one topic in mind and then ending up with a completely different story at the end. Depending on your audience, they might forgive you; but sadly, for the vast majority of us, mistakes like these can negatively affect our credibility within our niche. Therefore, take heed of the following mistakes that are commonly made when blogging, and make sure that you’re on top of your game the next time around. Your audience is depending on you!
Going Off Topic-One of the unfortunate things that many of us do too often is start off our blog posts with one idea in mind; then by the time we finish writing what we thought we had to say, we realize that the post has taken a completely different direction. While some readers may forgive you for this, it is usually better to err on the side of caution and avoid any confusion. Stick to the topic and keep it simple.
Rambling-Following closely in the footsteps of going off topic is rambling. Often times, blog posts fall apart due to the fact that the author is digressing about something or the other. How does this translate to the reader? Readers will usually quite reading what the author has to say before they even finish whatever it was they were rambling on about because their writing comes across as having little or no meaning. Again, stay on topic.
Complaining-Complaining in posts is usually a no-no, unless you are somehow tying it into some bigger point-which you had better reach quick. Remember, you want to keep your readers engaged. You can get away with complaining on a personal blog or journal, but for a professional site and for building credibility, this can be catastrophic.
Photographs- Imagery is important when blogging. People like pictures because they like to feel a visual connection to what you are talking about. Photographs serve many different purposes such as tying a piece of writing together to help promote a deeper understanding; or they can be used in place of words to help illustrate a point. Often times, bloggers use photos to help break up the text and give their readers’ eyes a break. However, just make sure that you are careful about the type of photo you use as well as the size. Both need to be relevant to the amount of text on the page as well as related to what you are talking about. For example, if your focus of your blog post is based around an image, then your image will be bigger, etc.
I don’t know about you; but for me, when I am surfing the net and come across a blog site, I’m immediately drawn or turned away by the following things:
Length- Length is an ongoing issue for many people. More often than not, lengthy blogs tend to lose their readers either because of the way in which they are written, the typeface that is used, external distractions on the page or due to long, unbroken text that simply doesn’t give the eye enough of a break. Personally, I don’t mind reading a slightly lengthier blog as long as it has a point. Additionally, I find that, like a good book, if the opening line isn’t great, chances are I won’t get past it. That being said, when writing blog posts, always aim to keep it short and to the point
Title- As stated earlier, the opening line is a biggie. Equally as important (if not moreso) is the title that you attribute to the blog post you are writing. The trick is to know when to keep people guessing versus knowing when to just spell it out for them to let them decide. For instance, a blog post that is titled like this one informs the reader of exactly what he or she will be reading about whereas a blog that is titled “The Day I Died” is more abstract. Both blogs titles draw in a potential reader because of the title. Try not to be too abstract or vague because rather then draw in the reader, you will do the opposite. So, for instance, something titled, “What I Did Today” wouldn’t really garner much readership.
Focus-What is the focus of your blog? This should be spelled out or made pretty darn clear within the first few lines. You never want someone to reach the middle of your blog post or [gasp] the end of your post and still have no idea what it was they just read.
Pictures- Pictures are an excellent way to draw people into a blog. They can also be incredibly distracting if they are too large, too small or too frequently used. Use the amount of text within your post to help guide you in terms of how large or small the picture should be. In most cases, pictures are usually used as a sort of aside to the blog. The only real time a picture should be made huge is if it is the focus of your blog post. In this case, showcasing the photo at either the beginning or at the end of your blog post would be acceptable.
Ads-For those out there who have websites or blogs that are monetized, ads may seem like a godsend. However, like someone who gets a tattoo, it isn’t long before one ad simply isn’t enough. The economy may be tough right now, but it is still no reason to pepper your website with advertisements and banner ads. If you absolutely must have ads, consider putting them all on a separate page. Not only are ads distracting, but they begin to look somewhat sloppy and less professional as you accumulate more of them.
What are some things that you do or don’t like to see on blogs?
We’ve all been there before. You receive an email notification that lets you know that someone has left a comment on your blog. Finally! Finally, people are beginning to read your blog posts and appreciate what you have to say (at least enough to respond to it). However, when you open up your blog editor, you soon realize that the so-called “comment” is nothing but a spammer. It has all the signs of being a spammer because the content and quality of what the person had to say has almost nothing to do with your blog directly and most certainly doesn’t do anything to contribute to the readership or exchange of ideas.
The comment? “Great post.”
Blogs are like plants in terms of their progression. As a dedicated blogger, you feed your blog by trying to write posts that are near and dear to your heart and with a little social networking and a few readers to start out with, you get to watch it grow over time. So, then why should blog comments matter at all?
Judge a Person According to the Content of Their Comment
There are some people out there who are more than satisfied just to receive a stack of comments, even if the vast majority are spam, because some comments looks better than “no comments”.
WRONG ATTITUDE.
Part of the reason that people write blogs is as a means for expressing their opinion about something and/or as a means of eliciting some sort of response from their readers. Blog comments that are meaningful mean the world to those of us who are putting ourselves out there each and every day by way of our writing. We open ourselves to all sorts of criticism as well as deep, well-thought out responses. It let’s us know that our efforts aren’t in vain. After all, there isn’t much of a difference between someone who writes in their diary versus someone else who writes a blog post that no one sees or takes the time to comment on.
Do Unto Others…
If you see a blog post that interests you, and it allows you to comment, COMMENT. But only leave a comment if you actually have something to say other than “good job” or “nice post” or “That was really interesting”. The more meaningful comments you receive on your blog, the more driven you’ll be to not only respond to commenters and check out their blogs, but it will also inspire you to maintain a high level of quality in your own writing- which will hopefully attract more readers!
Whether it’s business blogging, micro blogging or political blogging, it seems that everyone has jumped in the “blogging wagon”. However, not all blogs are created equal. That being said, here are some questions to keep in mind when you’re surfing around the web checking out blogs.
10 Questions to Keep in Mind When Examining a Blog
What is the main theme? Every blog you read should have a point or a main theme. For example, a business blog might offer advice or tips while a political blog might offer up the latest political news on a particular subject.
What sorts of blogs is this person reading? Most bloggers are quick to put up a blogroll of some sort. A blogroll is nothing more than a list of blogs that they like to read, and they might even label it as such. It would behoove you to click through their blogroll to see what sorts of things they’re reading as it will reflect upon them.
What is the layout like? It only takes a split second for someone to click on another person’s blog and realize that they don’t like what they see. That being said, readers should pay attention to the layout- is the information that you want difficult to find? Is the color scheme annoying?
Is the content drawing you in? Content is and always will be king in the blogosphere. If you have nothing to say, people will pick up on that pretty quickly.
Who would read this blog on a regular basis? Why? What is it about the blog that draws you in? Is there a connection?
How could you utilize this blog for your own business endeavors? Think of ways that reading other people’s blogs can help you in your own business endeavors. Make sure to always credit those whose ideas you would like to borrow!
Is there something that you can add to the conversation? Do any of the blog posts strike a chord with you? Is there something else that you feel you could add?
How many people are commenting on posts? Comments are sometimes (not always) a great indicator for how many devoted readers are following the blog.
How long are the blog posts? If posts are too long, you might run the risk of losing readers- especially if you’re dragging out something that could be said in 100 words. Sometimes it is best to break up a blog posts that is too long, simply letting readers know that you will complete the blog post in “parts”.
Does the blog have an “About Me” page or mission statement? One of the first things many readers look for is an “About Me” page- especially if they like what they’re reading. People want to feel that they can connect with other people that they share something in common with. Having an “About Me” page or even a mission statement will let readers know who you are as well as what your intentions are for the blog- not to mention the fact that it will make you look a heck of a lot more credible as an author!
Here are the noteworthy blogs/sites for this week:
All Things Digital- From Facebook to global information technology, this blog covers it all. Managed by a talented team of editors and staff, this web site is dedicated to news, analysis and opinions as it relates to technology.
IP Democracy- Written by Cynthia Brumfield, IP Democracy serves to analyze the intersection between technology and policy. It also functions as a forum for the discussion of other topics related to publishing, communication and wireless technology.
Cable Tech Talk- Backed by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, this blog deals with technology news as well as telecommunications policy.
Neal Wiser- This is the personal blog of Neal Wiser in which he covers such topics as: interactive marketing, technology and the web, business, entertainment, ethics, project management and more. You can also follow him on Twitter here.
Matt Herzberger-is a web designer originally from Iowa. His site deals with various topics ranging from web design to web 2.0. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Here are the noteworthy blogs/sites for this week:
.eduGuru-Founded by Kyle James, this site deals with Internet marketing as it pertains to colleges and universities. Written from a really interesting perspective, I highly recommend checking it out. You can also follow .eduguru on Twitter.
College Web Editor-Written by Karine Joly, a marketing professional and new media expert, College Web Editor dot come deals with the WWW, marketing and public relations in higher education. Check out Karine’s profile on LinkedIn.
Interactive Media for Higher Education- Written by Seth Meranda, this blog shares information regarding the latest news and insights as it relates to web 2.0 and higher education. Also, make sure you check out Seth on Facebook.
Web Development Blog-Written by Heidi Cool, web development strategist, this site takes an insightful look into the world of Internet marketing via SEO, social media, podcasting and more. Extremely informative!
Here are the noteworthy blogs/sites for this week:
