6 Tips for Blog Writing Beginners
Starting a blog for your business is a great way to attract customers, build a business brand and educate your audience that you can provide the solution to their challenges. However, there are things to consider before you embark on the commitment blogging requires from you.
TIP 1 - Make a Start
Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts with the world. Blogging is not just about getting traffic to your site, it's also about driving targeted traffic to your business.
What do you want to blog about? Make a list of topics that you are familiar with, issues that you can talk knowledgeably about. Choose a niche: Select a specific topic or area of interest that you are knowledgeable or passionate about. This will help you establish your authority and build a loyal audience. Then build your schedule of topics so that you can plan ahead for writing your content.
Who are your readers? Define your target audience: Identify the people you want to reach with your blog and tailor your content to their needs and interests. This will help you create content that resonates with your readers and keeps them engaged. What are your audience looking for – is there something that you can help them achieve, or a knowledge gap you can help fill?
What are you trying to achieve with this blog post? What is your goal that blogging will help you achieve – e.g. brand awareness, issue solutions, topic authority, followers, etc.
Tip 2 – Understand the difference between a Blog and an Article
A blog is a website that contains articles and information about a certain topic. Blogs are usually written by one author or a group of authors who share their thoughts on the given topic. Blog pages are usually updated regularly with new posts and content.
A blog is usually written in a more conversational tone, it can be informal and focused on a specific niche or topic. It's also easier to update a blog as the writer can post new content at any time.
Articles are usually written in formal language and they have to be submitted to an editor before they are published.
An article is a piece of writing that forms part of a newspaper, magazine, or journal, typically on a particular subject. Articles are generally longer than blogs and they often report on current events or provide commentary on the news.
Tip 3 – Spot When to Write a Blog
There are 6 indicators that you should consider writing a blog. These are:
When you have something to say that is timely and relevant to your audience: This is when you have something important or interesting to say that is timely and relevant to your audience. This could be something about current events, or something about a trend or development in your industry.
When you want to share your opinion or expertise on a subject: This is when you want to share your opinion or expertise on a particular subject. This could be something you feel strongly about, or something you have a lot of knowledge about.
When you want to build relationships with other bloggers or experts in your field: This is when you want to build relationships with other bloggers or experts in your field. This could be done by guest posting on each other's blogs, or by collaborating on projects.
When you want to generate traffic to your website or blog: This is when you want to generate traffic to your website or blog. This could be done by writing interesting and keyword-rich blog posts, and by promoting your blog on social media.
When you want to establish yourself as an expert in your field: This is when you want to establish yourself as an expert in your field. This could be done by writing detailed and informative blog posts, or by speaking at industry events.
When you want to make money from your blog: This is when you want to make money from your blog. This could be done by setting up Google AdSense, or by selling products or services through your blog. Many bloggers successfully generate an income from their blogs by reviewing products relevant to their business focus.
Tip 4 - Know how to write a successful blog
There are many factors that can contribute to writing a successful blog, but here are some key elements to keep in mind:
Develop a unique voice: Your blog should reflect your personality and writing style. This will help you stand out from other bloggers and establish a distinct brand identity.
Create high-quality content: Your blog posts should be well-written, informative, and engaging. Use storytelling, visuals, and other elements to make your content more compelling. The content should also be spelt correctly and be grammatically correct – to avoid undermining your message.
Promote your blog: Use social media, email marketing, and other channels to promote your blog and reach a wider audience. Engage with your readers and other bloggers in your niche to build relationships and increase your visibility. This can be done while the blog is still “current” (for example if you are posting weekly or monthly blogs) and posts need to include a link back to your blog page to enable your readers to access your blog quickly.
Optimize for search engines: Use keywords and other SEO strategies to improve your blog's visibility in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). You may need help with your SEO. This is an important part of the process and needs to be done properly for best performance.
Analyse your results: Use analytics tools to track your blog's performance and measure your success. Use this data to refine your strategy and make improvements over time.
Remember that building a successful blog takes time and effort. Be patient, persistent, and always strive to improve your skills and knowledge.
Tip 5 – Decide how regularly to post a blog
The frequency of your blog posts depends on your goals, resources, and audience expectations. Here are some general guidelines to consider:
Consistency is key: Whether you post once a week or once a month, it's important to establish a consistent publishing schedule that your readers can rely on.
Quality over quantity: It's better to focus on producing high-quality content than to churn out mediocre posts just to meet a publishing schedule.
Know your audience: Consider your readers' expectations and preferences when deciding how often to post. For example, if your audience expects daily news updates, you may need to post more frequently.
Don't burn out: Be realistic about how much time and energy you can devote to blogging. If you're feeling overwhelmed or stretched too thin, it may be better to post less frequently but with higher quality content.
In general, many successful blogs post at least once a week, but some may post daily or less frequently. Ultimately, the frequency of your blog posts should be tailored to your audience and goals. It's more important to produce high-quality content consistently than to post too often or too infrequently.
Tip 6 – Get your blog length right
The length of a blog post can vary depending on the topic, purpose, and audience. However, here are some general guidelines to consider:
Aim for at least 300-500 words: This is the minimum length for a blog post to be considered informative and valuable to readers. However, some blog posts may be shorter or longer depending on the topic and purpose.
Consider your audience's attention span: In general, online readers have short attention spans, so it's important to keep your blog posts concise and focused. Aim to convey your main message or idea within the first few paragraphs, and break up longer posts into smaller sections with subheadings.
Quality over quantity: It's better to focus on producing high-quality content that's informative and engaging than to focus on the length of your post. If you can convey your message effectively in 500 words, there's no need to stretch it out to 1,000 words.
Consider SEO: Search engines often favor longer content that provides in-depth information on a topic. Aim to write at least 1,000 words for posts that target high-volume keywords and cover complex topics.
In summary, the ideal length for a blog post depends on various factors. In general, aim for at least 300-500 words, but don't hesitate to write longer posts if the topic requires it. Focus on creating valuable and engaging content that meets the needs of your audience, and consider your SEO goals when deciding on the length of your blog post.
Conclusion
Plan ahead
Create a schedule that you can stick to. As you work through your blogs and posts, keep track of information that you will find useful in the analysis phase of the project.
Be yourself
Don’t be more formal than you usually are. Write as you would usually speak when on the phone or face to face with a potential customer. It will help build your character in the minds of your readers.
Write what your desired readers want to know about
Knowing your market, your potential clients needs and providing solutions is key to building a successful business. Writing engaging and useful content attracts your ideal audience who may then become customers.
Be realistic about quantity and frequency
Making a start is all well and good – monitor just how much time it takes for you to stay on top of your blogging and social media commitment. Getting it right may take some persistence on your part, or help from elsewhere, but it is worth the initial effort.
Think long term
How do you manage disruptions, like illness or a heavy/seasonal work load. As your business picks up you will need to ensure that your consistency in publishing blogs and business promotion remains intact
Next Steps
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. We hope you found it useful and informative and that we have inspired you to give blogging a try.
Based in the East Midlands, CLH Media are a family-led digital marketing agency. We are committed to supporting micro businesses in promoting their businesses to enable them to become more successful and grow.
We can help you promote your blogs and with every step of planning your digital media strategy. We even provide coaching in writing blogs. We offer a free initial consultation - you can book your slot on our website www.clhmedia.co.uk, or give us a call to explore how we might help you take your micro business to the next level.
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