Ten Writing Tips to Create Blog Posts That Get Read

Okay, here is one writer's ideas. I haven't changed what I believe to be good writing in the past 30+ years, starting as a journalist, then editor, then publisher, then freelance writer and today a marketer/communicator. Hope these tips help.

1. Know your audience and write for them. What do they want to read, learn and use in their own lives/businesses?
2. Start with a compelling headline/title. This is our most difficult task. How do we attract readers in three to seven or eight words?
3. Tell a story instead of stringing together a series of related but impersonal paragraphs.
4. Write from a point of view. I usually write from my point of view and talk about ideas from my personal experiences.
5. Vary the length of your sentences to create a readable and friendly pace for your readers. Short sentences are best for creating energy and excitement, longer sentences to express thoughtfulness and provoke readers to think.
6. Create a lead (first paragraph) that moves readers to continue reading. Make sure your angle is in the lead, and it is clear, concise and tells readers why they should care.
7. Use transitional devices to move from one paragraph to the next.
8. Use bullet points and/or numerals if you are trying to share best practices, such as I am doing here.
9. Tie your story together with the last paragraph, which should smoothly link back to your lead.
10. Be authentic. Write the way you and your readers talk. Keep it simple. You are writing a blog post not a thought paper.

Here's the secret to using the above 10 tips or any tips for doing anything: Use what works for you and discard the rest. If you do that, you will understand why headlines need not create a perception of boastfulness, even when they seem to do so like the one used here, and you will learn how to create loyal readers while continuing to attract new ones.