Does
the name J.C Marting ring any bells? It should. She guest postedhere last week...and I left off her POST. She'd written a POST and
then talked about her debut novel. Tina, the oh so clever and
together scheduler of guest posters forgot to put the POST in the
POST. So here's the POST. Sigh. My big apologies to J.C...
Tell
ya' what: leave a comment on THIS POST, and I'll do a random number
generator and buy you a copy of Oracle. Gladly. I'm excited to read
it...but currently not able to read. Or schedule posts correctly.
I've been ill. True story.
5
Tips on Writing a Popular Blog Post
Ever
wished you had more people reading your blog posts? Ever wanted more
people commenting, or linking to your post, hence driving more
traffic to your site?
We
all follow the popular blogger, who garners hundreds of comments and
shares for every post they make. What is their secret? While I don't
profess to be one of these super bloggers, I follow some of them, and
have noticed some common elements in their blog posts.
1.
First things first: write about something worthwhile
While
we all have the odd post about your family holiday, readers want
posts they could potentially benefit
from. Hence, your blog posts should be informative. Know ways to keep
ants away from your picnic? Or a sure-fire way to make soufflés
rise? Perhaps you're well-versed in the art of haiku poetry. Share
this knowledge of yours with your readers, so they can benefit from
them, too.
2.
The hook: a catchy title
The
title is the first thing your readers see, so try and catch their
attention from the get-go. A post called “Great Uncle Benny's Beer
Mat Collection” might not catch the eye of many people (except
perhaps beer mat enthusiasts). The title should give readers clues as
to what the post is about.
A
suggestion of some useful phrases to include:
- “How to…”, e.g. “How to Sleep in Class Without Getting Caught”
- A time span, e.g. “Get a Booty Like Beyonce's in 10 Days”
- A list (everybody loves lists!), e.g. “5 Tips on Writing a Popular Blog Post”
3.
Brevity: the soul of a great blog post
Ever
started skimming through a blog post, or giving up on it completely,
because it was way too long? If you're like me, you probably follow
dozens (if not hundreds) of bloggers, and just don't have the time to
digest a 1,000+ word epic. Chances are you'll read and comment only
on the shorter, snappier posts.
A
good guide to the ideal length of a blog post: keep it between 300
and 500 words.
4.
Bells and whistles: making your post reader-friendly
Big
blocks of continuous text can be dreary and a strain on the eyes.
Make your post reader-friendly by breaking up the text with some
relevant, attention-grabbing graphics and images: a photo, a graph,
even a cartoon illustrating your point. Just be sure to check
copyright restrictions, and always
cite your sources.
Another
way to break up text is by using numbering or bullet-points, hence
dividing the text into smaller, more manageable chunks.
5.
Any questions?
Stimulate
discussion in the comments by ending the post with a relevant
question, something that makes your readers stop and think.
For
example:
So
there you have it: 5 tips on writing a popular blog post.
Which
of these strategies have YOU ever employed? Do you have any
additional tips of your own?
Do
share your thoughts. ;)
J.C.
Martin is a butt-kicking bookworm: when she isn’t reading or
writing, she teaches martial arts and self-defence to adults and
children. A writer of dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a
psychological slant, her short stories have won various prizes, and
have been published in several anthologies. Oracle,
released by J. Taylor Publishing, is her debut novel.
Born
and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her
husband and three dogs.
Website:
http://jc-martin.com
Blog: http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JCMartin_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jc.martin.author
Blog: http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/JCMartin_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jc.martin.author