Kim Dushinski from the HighTechMomsClub asked me a great question a while ago as part of the Be Original Project, “How do you put together a great blog post?”
Well, I must admit that a lot of my own answer to this question isn’t very sexy – using tried and true copywriting methods really does make for a great blog post. But is that all there is to it? Of course not.
So here are eMom’s secrets to write a heart-stopping blog post:
Invoke an Emotional Response - This approach takes practice, and quite frankly, it takes emotion to pull it off well. To elicit an emotional response for a reader, you need to write with emotion – it’s a process of “transference“, not “creation“.
Share Your Own Life Lessons – If you are going through a challenge or have just overcome an obstacle, this is the kind of subject that people LOVE to read about. Readers want to be reminded that they are capable of greatness – and the best way to remind them is to lead by example.
Reel ‘Em in Right Away – You must give the reader a reason to continue reading within the first paragraph or two (at the most). There is too much content on this planet to be consumed – get to the point or you’ll lose attention immediately.
Be Vulnerable and Open – Being larger than life is a nice ego boost, but it can also build a wall between the author and the reader. People don’t want to hear that you are a super-hero. Readers want to connect with you – and in order to do that, they need to feel respected and empowered in their own right.
Remember the Unsexy Rules of Copywriting -
- Use lists and bullets
- Spend as much time on your headline as you do on your post
- Use “Me, Myself and I” sparingly
- Remember to sell in EVERY post – even if you are just selling the reader on an idea
- Cut
outevery wordthatyou canbe cut outwhile keeping the message intact - Add value
And since this is technically a meme – I’d LOVE to hear from the following people on the same topic:
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Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow). 
Easton Ellsworth is owner of 
Great tips Wendy. Some of my best posts are the ones that came right from the heart and took the least amount of editing.
And we love to hear about your life lessons – as they do let us all know it can be done.
Yeah, that’s how I find so much value in going through crappy experiences!
That is agreat summary!I agree with invoking an emotional response. When I was writting my about me page, I started really superficial, I am certified in this, speicalist at that… but than I realized what really qualifies me to write about natural fertility is my personal past experiences, and they wern’t allways good.
Great post.
Hethir
P.S. How do you get your point across in so few words. My posts end up being full articles which ends up a “guide”?
The best posts I’ve created are some of the ones that are written from my areas I am the absolute most knowledgeable about. However my blog cannot be entirely about domain registration and web hosting they will get sick of it so I do my best to learn other topics so I can write and give the same ideas and information i would if i were talking about webhosting or something
LOL Hethir! Actually, the key to fewer words is practice, practice, practice!
Plus, some of my best (but l-o-n-g) posts in the past repeatedly got comments such as “Wow, I can’t absorb all of this in one reading” or “I’ll have to come and read this one again later because it’s so long”! Talk about an incentive to shut the hell up and be concise!
I have to say some long posts are like that but thats why I tell people to choose the read more option in wordpress because if people see oh this is 3 long paragraphs already ..eh not right now… kind of feel they can still scroll down and not have to keep going through the one post to get to the other ones.
I’ve found it works well.
Wendy:
Thanks for answering my call to enter the meme. You certainly didn’t disappoint – these are awesome tips!
Coincidentally (or maybe not so) these are some of the reasons I stuck like glue to your blog after the first reading. I really do feel like I know you and I believe what you say because of it. Please don’t tell us to jump off a bridge or anything.
Keep up the great posting. I’ll keep reading.
ROFL Kim!!
Well, I’d never tell you to jump off of a cliff, but look into my eyes and feel yourself getting very sleepy as you click on all my ads and buy everything I recommend! (OK, Google, TOTALLY kidding!!)
Let’s see . . . how to produce a great blog post. Hmmmm Get Wendy Piersall to write it?
Again, great post, Wendy (and yes, it’s Monkish!
)!
Why? Because the common denominator of each of those (esp. 1,2, & 4) is intimacy. What you’re talking about is being real, being intimate, and being honestly authentic with your writing, rather than sitting back and academically spouting platitudes.
I really appreciate your voice, Wendy. Just wanted to tell you that.
Thanks for the mention Wendy.
I’m just on my way out to join some friends for a poker game, but I’ll start a quick blog draft before I leave.
Enjoy the weekend!
Very good tips Wendy! I think I need to work harder on creating an emotional response!
Someone told me that my posts about my failures were their favorite ones because it helped them to see that we’re all human…I like posts that have a good comeback story/lesson. I also like your posts that have meaty “to do’s”, you are very generous. Sometimes I wonder if you should save the meat for eBooks. You could write some excellent ones, Wendy. When are you going to do that?
Actually, Kelly, I’m writing it daily – one blog post at a time!
Good for you! Let us know and we can help market them on Start Up Princess for you.