Written By: Gaye Swan

Blogs are everywhere these days. How can you make yours stand out in the crowd? To increase your chances of attracting an audience, here are a few simple tips for creating a strong, professional blog post. 

Determine the Purpose

A blog can serve many purposes: 

Establishing yourself as an authority in your area of expertise

Driving traffic to your website

Highlighting important aspects of your business

Building brand awareness

Encouraging customer engagement

In deciding on a particular blog entry’s purpose, begin with your target audience and build from there. Is there an action you want them to take, or are you offering specialized information? Is your aim to keep your website fresh and relevant? Are you explaining the benefits of a new product? Determine the purpose and the rest will follow.

Determine the Structure

First, decide roughly how often you want to post – once a week, once a month, bi-monthly, etc. You can be fairly loose about this at first, but once you get an audience you’ll need to be regular. 

Blogs can be structured in a number of ways, and you can mix and match. For example, one month you can write a how-to post, and the next, review a product or book related to your purpose. Besides How-Tos and Reviews, a few of the most common topic formats are:

Image-based

Personal

Interview

List-based

Step-by-step

The internet is a wonderful source of templates if you need a little help.

Keep a List of Topics

Keep a running list of topics you’d like to cover; this can be as simple as keeping a notebook handy or creating a spreadsheet on your laptop. Most phones have some type of Notes app. Anytime an idea strikes, capture it! You’ll be glad you did when you sit down to write your blog post.

For a professional blog, brainstorm ideas that provide added value to your customers, promote your brand, and establish you (or your company) as a go-to resource.

While plagiarizing is a definite no-go, reading blogs from others in your field may provide inspiration and ideas. Every professional has their own take on a topic, and citing a recognized source can lend authority to your take on the subject. 

Block Off Writing Time

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it is surprising how hard it is to actually accomplish. Set yourself a reasonable amount of time to write with NO interruptions. Turn off your phone! It’s easier to get into the flow of writing about a concept when you don’t pause to do other things in the middle of writing. You’ll be surprised how much you can write with a concentrated level of focus. 

Start with a Framework

I like to start with headings for paragraphs and build from there. Others find that a traditional outline with subtopics and key points suits them best. A basic framework is one we learned in school: introduction, body paragraphs to back up the intro, and a conclusion.

Within the framework, decide what your conclusion will be. Do you need a call to action? Make sure you include all relevant information, such as  “contact us at this number by this date,” for example.

Go with the Flow

Any writer will tell you that getting started is often the hardest part. Just start writing. Get your ideas on paper; don’t worry at first about grammar and paragraph structure. That comes in the next step…

Edit. And Edit Again

Do ideas in paragraph one fit better in the conclusion? Do you have too much information in paragraph three? The editing process is where you fix the grammar and flow of your blog. If an idea you like just doesn’t fit at all in this blog entry, fret not! Add it to your list of topics and build a blog around that idea in your next post.

Blogs are important tools, but they can also be fun to write. A little personality goes a long way and adding a personal touch allows clients to get to know you. Use these basic steps to begin your blog and then make it your own. Happy blogging!