Disclaimer: In NO WAY do I feel qualified to give any sort of advice when it comes to writing improvement. My grammar is sketchy and my vocabulary is limited to words like “lame” and “awesome.”
Welcome back to class everyone! Did you all find a comfortable chair? You there…in the back? I don’t bite, you can sit right up front here!
Before I begin, I just want to say that I have read posts about WHAT people SHOULD and SHOULDN’T write on THEIR own personal blogs and almost all came off as pompous and arrogant. In NO WAY do I want to seem pompous or arrogant. These tips are merely things that have worked for ME.
Let’s begin! *clap, clap!* I think for easiest information digestion, I’ll just put these tips in list form. These are the things that I’ve done in relation to my writing that I think have helped increase my traffic.
1. Shorter paragraphs, with breaks between paragraphs are easier to read.
I cannot digest posts without paragraph breaks. They make me constipated.
2. If you’re seeking comments, talk about things that people relate to, include your readers in the conversation, ask them questions.
I like to think of Playgroups are No Place for Children as a sort of community blog. It’s not often that I write a post that is “deep,” but rather I write things that lots of parents would like to discuss also. Many of my posts ask questions or spur conversations, which I feel like creates an atmosphere where people feel comfortable commenting.
3. Let readers into your life. Be real, write from the heart with honesty.
4. Along the same line as letting people getting to know the real YOU, include pictures with your posts.
This certainly doesn’t apply to you if you would rather not post photos of yourself or your kids. Dooce had a great post recently that convinced me that posting pictures of my children is no worse than taking them in public to the grocery store where they’re exposed to LOTS more people than see this blog. I put a watermark on every photo of my children so that they are less desirable loot for picture stealing jerks. Also, after a post is no longer on my first page, I delete the photo from the post.
5. If you choose to use pseudonyms for your kids’ names, use a real name versus a cutesy name. It’s easier to relate to and follow their stories.
I have received quite a lot of positive feedback about changing my kids’ pseudonyms from Peanut and Shel to Carson and Ella.
6. Post frequently, but not too frequently. If you don’t show up to your blog, no one else will either…But! If you post three times a day, people are less likely to click through from their feed readers.
I’ve read some opinions that say you should ONLY post when what you’ve written is truly worthy of being read by others. Meh. I don’t necessarily agree. I’m well aware that all (most) of my posts are not award-winning works of art. It’s my blog and if there are some days that I don’t feel like honing my writing craft, but instead want to write a silly post, then I will.
7. Write about a variety of subjects.
I try to write about my kids one day, myself and my interests on other days, marriage occasionally, and anything else that strikes me as funny. I really do put thought into WHAT I’m going to post about, so that I don’t have twenty posts in a row about how irritating two and half year olds are.
If you have any writing related tips to share with the class, please leave them in the comments section.
Please…I beg of you! Please refrain from comments that sound like “Well MY biggest pet peeve about certain blogs is….” or “I’m too important to read about what you had for lunch!” Those kind of comments will give me stomach cramping.
Quick reminder…Blogging? It’s a hobby, no? We are allowed to write however and whatever we want on our PERSONAL blogs, right? Take these tips with an entire MINE of salt.
Is that the bell I hear? Class dismissed.
Irene
June 1, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I completely agree with the short paragraph thing. I really hate long posts with long paragraphs. I usually just don’t read them, unless the subject is something REALLY interesting. But stories about kids are usually never THAT interesting. Sorry.
I don’t think I will ever be a “great” blogger, but I really just enjoy writing and sharing photos so I am not stopping any time soon. I just decided it is my blog, I try to make it pretty, I try to make it interesting, I try to make it funny. But I will never be a Dooce….but that is OK. I am not quite sure I want to be one.
Irene’s last blog post..Sunday Snapshots!
rachellekolb
June 1, 2008 at 11:56 pm
Thank you so much for the advice. A lot of this is good to know! I love just writing about whatever…but I did realize fast that people weren’t happy about having to read more than one post…now I can post date a post and that makes it easier on me and less stressful to think of things EVERYDAY…when I come up with a few ideas I post about them and then date them for the date I want them posted…it’s a great new BLOGGER feature!
rachellekolb’s last blog post..Lets mix some church and state!
Christina
June 2, 2008 at 12:00 am
Great tips, thank you! Asking more questions to pull my readers into the conversation is on my agenda…
Christina’s last blog post..Best Shot Monday – Me and My Girl
MizFit
June 2, 2008 at 5:21 am
dang.
you + your commenters = everything is covered!
thanks!
MizFit’s last blog post..Monday Facetime
Velveteen Mind - Megan
Twitter: velveteenmind
June 2, 2008 at 9:40 am
I need to reorganize my MommyBloggers: The Resource page with a subsection just for “Getting started mommyblogging” and then include these posts. I also need to, say, launch Blog Nosh Magazine and republish these once they’ve been archived and everyone has forgotten how smart you are.
That’s my job. Reminding people how helpful Jennifer is.
Seriously, would you write a post about how to manage comments and responding to comments? The comments and consequent discussion down here is worth a whole blog post.
And I never go back and re-read the comments once I’ve commented. But I am on this one. So write about it. Please. I needs comment help.
For instance, rather than responding to all of these comments “in-comments,” I would have spun it into a new post later. No? Help me.
And I didn’t realize that the email I received from you was actually your response to my comment on your blog. I is confused for reals.
Velveteen Mind – Megan’s last blog post..Debunking, Defusing, and Demystifying the Big Name Blogger; Mommy or Otherwise. And Delurking You.
Natalie
June 2, 2008 at 10:42 am
Awesome post. I agree wholeheartedly with the break between paragraphs. Not that I’m a prime example of a success story (bwahahahahaha!), but I do tend to read blogs that are easier on my eyes.
I really REALLY appreciate your non-arrogantness (ha! NEW WORD!) on this subject. You don’t seem like the type to go to someone’s blog and point out all of the grammatical errors. Because you are humble, your advice comes out sounding like just that, good advice, and not the other spelling of that word that gets thrown around the internet.
Megan – that whole responding to comments thing has me in a pickle, too. I recently started responding to my comments IN my comments and it seems to be getting better reception than responding through email or not at all.
Plus, it makes me look more popular
fullheartandhands mama
June 2, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Great tips! I was already thinking about using real names. After reading this, I’m convinced. Well I’ll use “real” names for my kids.
Thanks.
fullheartandhands mama’s last blog post..Happy Four Months Baby Girl!
Sus
June 3, 2008 at 11:36 am
i love this class. am going to steal all your photo ideas, thanks. and maybe the name carson if i ever have more children – so glad i won’t really be ripping off your kid’s name; I thought it was real!
Sus’s last blog post..Friends with Dogs
Aimee Greeblemonkey
June 3, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Great post.
Aimee Greeblemonkey’s last blog post..5 Year Old Humor
Dawn
June 4, 2008 at 10:42 pm
word.
It cracks me up that I can pour my heart out and really work on a post and get meh response. I can ask about nail polish and everyone has an opinion. so yes, conversations are a great reader grabber
Dawn’s last blog post..The Importance of a Properly Fitting Bra
Marye
June 14, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I figure I either write about things that absolutely no one is interested in or that those who have found my blog aren’t interested in what I’m writing about.
I haven’t written lately because no one comes.
Maybe I just need to learn how to open my writing up to a conversation. hum……
Maryes last blog post..FromTwilight to Breaking Dawn
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