Anyone can blog. If you have a story to tell and you can write, then you can blog. But with 275.9 million blog accounts on Tumblr (Tumblr, Jan 2016) and more than 409 million people viewing more than 22.6 billion pages each month in Wordpress (Wordpress, Jan 2016) how can your messages break through the clutter of the blogosphere?
Here are some useful tips to think about:
- Research your topic and take time to write it
Invest time in shaping your blog so that it’s interesting and relevant. There is no substitute for quality and substantive content. - Conversational language - no jargon
Understand your audience and personalise your message. - Attention grabbing headline and lead
Catchy headlines and leads can draw in your reader so tell us what you want to say up front. - Provide useful and unique information
Your content should be original, engaging and relevant. By being knowledgeable in your field you can help build trust in your organisation. - Make it easy to read/scan
Structure your blogs so they are easy to scan so readers can gain information quickly. Give your readers visual cues by creating lists, subheadings and use bold and italics. - Use images
Incorporate the visual element – images, videos and graphics are as effective as words, sometimes more. - Don’t forget the call to action
This is where you spur your readers into finding out more about who you are by driving traffic to your company’s website. - Proofread proofread proofread!
Bad grammar can cause lasting damage. Don’t confuse your and you’re. Please! - Timing is important
Be consistent with when you post. Do it regularly. Content calendars can help plan ahead. - Interact with your followers
And finally, a blog opens a two way dialogue, so interact with your readers and be responsive.
Forbes list of top bloggers 2015
In this saturated blogosphere, do you think blogs still a space we should be using in PR? Or have social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram replaced the need to blog?