Having a blog set up and running from a technical standpoint is always an accomplishment.
Once you have got your blog set up, widgets configured, plugins installed and a zippy theme in place, you now need to focus on content.
Blogs are about content, content and content.
Whether that’s pictures, videos, articles or whatever – you have to focus on content.
Don’t Promote Your Blog Too Early
My suggestion is that you don’t do anything to promote your blog until you have at least 20 articles on there. (Or the equivalent in images, videos, or whatever content you’re planning on putting up).
You need to build up a good store of information behind the scenes and then launch your blog when there’s lots there for people to see and explore.
If you do it the other way round the only visitor you’ll still have after a couple of weeks will be your Mom, or your boyfriend, or your wife (or all of them, depending on how supportive your family is 🙂 ).
Remember also that you need to keep adding content to your blog.
If you’ve picked a good (for you) subject to blog about this won’t be too much of a chore. The difficult part will be restraining yourself from publicizing it before you’re ready!
How Often Should You Post?
You’ll see lots of articles about blogging telling you that you have to post a new article every day, sometimes multiple times a day.
If you can do that easily go for it. But don’t feel you have to.
You’re far better off putting up 2 quality articles a week than 7 bad ones.
When I started my blog I was only putting up 1 article a week. Even now, nearly 1 years later, I try to get one up a day… but that does not always happen (the past couple weeks have been sporadic at best. Shame on me!).
Much more important is that your passion and enthusiasm for what you’re writing about comes across. This is what will attract and keep readers.
Write with enthusiasm, express your views clearly, don’t hedge your bets and you’ll build a following.
One thing that is important, though, is routine.
If you want to put up 1 article a week be sure to do so. If it’s 3 articles a day then maintain that schedule as well.
Writing Style
Writing a blog is very different from writing school essays, and very different from writing in the corporate world.
Unless you’re writing a blog focused on one of the professions (law, medicine, etc) your writing style needs to be easy going and informal.
Readers don’t want to be faced with large chunks of text and they don’t want sentences that ramble on for ever.
Web readers have little time and even less patience!
Break up your text. Use short paragraphs, short sentences, bullet points, bolding, italics, headers and sub headers to enable your readers to assimilate your information quickly.
You can create tone and urgency with bolding, italics and all CAPITALS – use all the tools in your toolbox!
Write like you talk. Blogs are conversations and readers like to be able to read them quickly and easily. Writing like you talk is a good way to establish a connection with your reader and turning your blog into a conversation piece.
One of the best ways of doing this is to read your article out loud to yourself before you publish it. Does it sound natural? Is that the way you talk?
If either of those answers are ‘no’ go back and re-write the bits that sound awkward.
Leave your article before editing it. After you’ve finished your final draft, leave your article for a few hours before re-reading and editing it. It enables you to come to it with a fresh mind – which is what your reader will have.
Lovely Blog!! I have a few left to do today – Will do it!! I am now disciplined to blog daily through this challenge – You Tube video blogs are also a must now!! Agree that it is so important to write as you would talk!
Be Blessed
Sylvia
Very Cool, Sylvia! I am going to go check out your video blogs!
Great Reminders Paul…I really like the one about letting the final sit for a while. That is good advice!
Annie – How many times have you written something only to go back later and think, “What what I thinking?!?!?” Well, the same goes for your blog posts! Thanks for stopping by, again 🙂
Great advice, especially on Writing Styles since we’re past 1&2. Will pass the link on to my blog partner.
Welcome, Carolina! And thanks for the kind words! I hope this is good discussion between you and your blog partner! It is awesome that you have someone you can bounce ideas around with!
Paul, you have provided an excellent set of guidelines for bloggers… one that I might add I paid a hefty price for and took months of “coaching” to receive! You are generous with your time and expertise and I am grateful that I have found your site! Thanks!
Denny – I am happy to accept any money you want to pay 🙂 I am glad you are getting some benefit, or at least some reassurance that what you learned is correct! Glad I can help! If there is anything you want to see, let me know!
Excellent tips – very helpful. What’s amazing is I did a lot of these things by accident. I’ve been blogging for 3 years now, and it’s been quite the ride.
Thanks for the encouraging confirmation!
Debi
Sometimes accidents are good, Debi! Keep making the good ones, and learn from the bad ones! On the other hand, go ahead and learn from the good ones as well!
Dear Paul,
Thank you for every bit of wisdom you share. It is all so valuable and I know you are sharing what YOU know! As always, good job 😉
Thanks, Michele! You say the nicest things! Aww Shucks! 😉
Great one Paul!
-AJ
Thanks, AJ!
Paul, I love these tips! Especially your advice to not promote your blog until you have some great content up already AND not to post something just to post something.
Glad you agree, Nancy. There are some cases when you might want to start sharing right away. For most people, however, I think it is best to wait. Your mileage may vary – go with what you like!
Excellent ideas Paul…as you say, consistency is extremely important! …Thanks, Hughie
Just today, I told someone, Persistence, not perfection! Just keep going at a good steady pace and things will be A-O-K!
Paul,
Having come from the corporate world I originaly found it difficult NOT to write in a report format. Although dependent on message and target audience sometimes it can work.
I do agree that when writing a blog, you should write as you would speak. It make it easier on the old eyeballs!
James
Tell me about it! I *used* to be a stickler for grammar. Aint the case no more! 😉
My biggest hurdle to over come was on my other blog, http://AllAboutGratitude.com – I would always want to ask the question, “For what are you grateful?” It does not flow as well as the ‘poorly phrased.’ “What are you grateful for?”
Thanks for stopping by, James!
Brilliant post and great advice – Writing Style is very important. Thanks for sharing.
What is really a challenge, Anastasiya, is that the style on one site may not site well with another site! Find out what you audience best responds to, and go with it!
Thanks for stopping by!
Great tips Paul. How you consistently manage multiple sites is impressive. I want to be like you when I grow up 🙂
Funny thing, Thea, I was going to offer a class on “How to be like Paul” but I figured no one would sign up for it!
At least I know 1 person will sign up for it!