In some circles bloggers have a poor reputation. Bloggers don’t “make the news” they just repeat it, over and over again, and a lot of them don’t even do a good job of that. However, blogs are supposed to be different than news sites and they’re supposed to be a little more personal and opinionated, that’s what makes them attractive for readers. But, you can do a lot to improve your reputation and attract more traffic if you stop writing “blog posts” and start writing “articles.”
In the blogging world it’s a mind-set thing and I’m guilty of it myself. I had a completely different attitude when I’d write articles for my article marketing campaign. While I always pay attention to the quality of the content I’m delivering, my blog posts would be a little more relaxed. I didn’t pay as much attention to grammar rules and the rules of writing for the Internet.
On the other hand, my “articles” were well written with no spelling or grammar errors. Information was delivered in bullet-point format so readers could easily scan and absorb the content. My “articles” were direct and to the point and offered no personal opinions to distract the reader.
The big difference between a blog post and an article is this: A blog post makes a personal connection while an article delivers formatted information. Imagine the impact you’d make if you combined the best aspects of the two types of writing. Here are some tips to do just that and from here on out we’re going to use the word “article” so you stop thinking like a blogger.
Write your title first: I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – write your title first. This helps you focus your content. Having the title right there in front of you tells you exactly what you want to cover in your article. It also helps you narrow your content so you don’t go rambling off in too many directions. Readers are coming to your article with one question. Answer that one question. If you want to answer another question, write another article.
Format your bullet points: What key points do you want your readers to take away from your article? Format them as bullet points now and include any information or explanation that might be necessary.
Personalize your article: Now, go back to the beginning of your article and write an opening paragraph or two that makes that personal “blog post” connection with your readers. Whether you’re using your own personal story or telling them a secret or whatever, this is where you can make that connection.
After you’ve delivered your information you’ll need a closing paragraph or two and this is where you can make that connection again by telling your readers how your own personal experience worked out or inviting them to share their own opinions.
Successful bloggers don’t stop when they reach 350 words and call it a blog post. They don’t even count words. They make the connection and deliver the information they promised in their title. Those are the bloggers who have the good reputations and have earned the respect of others.