We've been examining the ways to make your blog more compelling. A number of Twitterati responded to my request for their ideas on the topic. The quality of writing was on their minds:
As we heard from Jim Dietzel, a Fortune 1000 blogger for Rubbermaid, "Hire a good writer. Seriously."
Colleague Tom Pick of Webbiquity tells us we must do a better job in naming our posts, using compelling headlines like "Common Myths of..." or "Mistakes to Avoid in..."
Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer thinks we need to consider the way we approach the content. He says to think like a movie trailer, not a journalist. Compelling content isn't reporting. It's entertaining.
If you can afford it, hiring a good writer for your blog is solid advice. If you can't, then you need to become a better writer. A few simple things can help take your writing to the next level. Let's address a few of these basic ideas that we have tackled here in THINKing previously.
Write Tight - My first news editor hammered one thing into my consciousness: write tight. Leave out the frills, just present the facts and move on. You don't have to create an act of literature every time you sit down to write. But remember, as Jason Falls points out, simply reporting is not enough. Don't edit out the entertainment while editing out the extraneous.
Tell Me A Story - Since the dawn of time mankind has been a sucker for a story. We may be wearing synthetics now instead of skins, but that one truth has not changed. Storytelling is a way to add some passion, interest and drama to your blogging.
Tell Me A Story About Me - Well, it's all about me after all, isn't it? Don't tell a self-serving story. Tell one that speaks to the self-interest of the reader.
Get Active - My lovely bride and mystery novelist par excellence, Terry Hoover, is the queen of the vivid verb. Peruse the first chapter of her book, Double Dead, to see what I mean.
Storystarters - Sometimes you are just stuck for an idea or an approach to a blog post. Leap those obstacles with these methods.
Do you have some thoughts on compelling content? Well, what are you waiting for...tell us!