I don’t know about you, but I’m still huffing and puffing from that Blog Jog last week! And I’ve learned a few things about blogging from that marathon. The myriad of layouts and creativity out there in Blog Land is awesome! So what makes a great blog anyway?
- A theme – Does your blog have a purpose? What is it? Is it clear? It’s a good idea to have a focus in order to attract a community. This will keep your readers coming back for more.
- Clean layout – Busy blogs are one thing, but cluttered blogs just distract. While we’re not all layout experts, manage your white space (the spacing between chunks of text) so that your reader can transition from one interesting area of your blog to another.
- Creating interest. There are many ways to make your posts attractive. Grab your reader’s attention with the pronoun “you” once in awhile. Use pictures in your posts to give your reader’s eyes a rest from text and to help your reader make visual links with your topic.
- Using correct grammar, syntax and spelling – While stating the obvious, sometimes the obvious is not so obvious! Have you checked these carefully before pressing “Publish”? If you’re a writer, people are expecting you to dress like one! Even if you’re not a writer, by virtue of the fact that you’re writing a blog, your writing must be correct and correctly spelled.
- Posting consistently! Someone was just telling me how their expectations have been created by a blogger they’re following, so that when the posts dry up it can be off-putting! We all have times when life or writing gets in the way of blogging. Perhaps revise your posting schedule. Your followers will appreciate it if you strive for consistency rather than quantity.
- Applying the KISS Principle: Keep it Short and Sweet, Sweetheart! This is where I need to follow my own advice (LOL!). Long posts risk not being read. Consider writing a Part II. We often say in adult learning: “Leave them wanting more!”
There you have it! In keeping with the KISS Principle, this is my short list of essentials for creating great blogs. Do you have any others to add? Please share your Comment below and add to the collective wisdom of great blogging.