- Above all else, always write for your reader first.
- Write to be helpful (think “How To’s” and educational posts).
- Keep it brief – have one main point and stick to it.
- Make it easy to read by using bold text, sub-headings, and bullet points (remember, people like to skim).
- Get visual. The right picture captures a readers attention long enough to read an entire post. So learn to use images – (at least) one per post.
- Respond to every comment. As a courtesy and a way of saying “thanks, I appreciate you for taking the time to comment.” Communities are built that way.
- Edit before you publish. It’s ok to write in a casual tone but if it’s a business blog, it bettre not bee full of tipos (yes, I wrote that last bit that way on purpose).
- Publish often (remember: consistency matters). And don’t quit too soon (you’re not going to earn 10,000+ subscribers over night and that’s ok).
- Learn to write killer headlines (most readers will only read the title of your post before deciding whether or not to read the rest of it). Read this post from Copyblogger.
- Tell readers what to do next. Subscribe? Comment? Tweet? “Like”? Purchase? What’s your Call To Action?
What else would you add? What if you were speaking at Blogworld to a room full of aspiring bloggers and small business owners – what would you say then? What if you were sitting at Starbucks with a new small business client — he owns a catering business — what advice would you give him?
Share your best blogging tips in the comments? Or better yet, write your best top 10 blogging tips on your own blog, and link back to it in the comments for the rest of us to read!