Building a Better Blog

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes a blog stand out from the pack and be successful? Sure, you probably already know that the overall graphic design of the blog is important, but there is much more to it than that. Whether you use your blog to promote your business, promote someone else’s business or just to rant about your day, if you want to make money with your blog, you have to know how to build a better blog.

1. Title
The blogosphere is a crowded place, a little more so every day. If you want people to read your blog, you have to have a great title for your blog and for your posts. Some good examples are:
- Frequently Asked Question as a title: “What in the world is SEO?”
- Numbers: “Top Tens Tips” or “101 Ways…”
- The’s: “The Law of…” or “The Art of…”
- 5WH- Who, What, When, Where, Why, How: “What I didn’t learn”

No one wants to read, “ My bad day”, “My boss sucks”, “Marketing”, etc.

2. Format
An easy-to-read blog is a frequently read blog. Make sure that you use a font and color contrast that is easy to see. Readers tend to appreciate numbered or bulleted lists when appropriate or short paragraphs.

3. Pictures and Media
A picture is “worth a thousand words”- no really, it is. A well-chosen picture has the ability to draw a read or illustrate a concept better than 1,000 words ever could, plus the message is assimilated immediately. If an image doesn’t seem to apply to your post, consider using a joke image, such as pasting your face on top of “the sexiest person of the year” or the magazine cover of your choice.

You may also want to consider adding video on occasion. While video can easily be over-used, it can also provide a good way to explain something or, if you are commenting on an event, provide details without you having to write them.

4. Length
This aspect of your blog may seem confusing. Don’t believe it? Do a search for “optiomal blog post length” and you get 62.5 million results. Each seems to say something different, but read between the lines. Each has a different definition of a “long post” and a “short post”.

You want posts that are long enough to provide solid information but short enough for your reader to scan. This normally means 400-750 words.

5. Angle
Your angle is why people read your blog. It is your unique spin and it is like your voice. Keeping it consistent, such as always satiristic, will ensure that your readers always get the “voice” they expect.