Written by Jacqueline Wolven of Moxie Works and Moxie Life.
Sometimes writing blog posts can seem challenging because we aren’t sure what to write. I’m not talking about writer’s block (that is a whole other post someday), but am instead talking about what kinds of posts to write. Sure, you can just use it like a Hello Kitty diary and write whatever hoops in your heart, but maybe you are trying to mix it up a bit and want to add a different spin to your blog. Not only that, there is some science that folks click on different kinds of blog posts. So your chances of gaining more clicks improve when you mix it up a bit. Here are 5 types of blog posts that you can start interspersing into your blog:
1. How To’s
The number one kind of post that is searched on is how to do something. Really, anything. People look up how to hem pants, how to cook omelets, how to fix the dripping sink, how to dance like Brittany Spears, and on and on. There are a few ways to do the How To post that draw attention. First, you can do it straight like a recipe and just spell it out in text. That works for some people and if you are doing your first how to it might be where you start. Second, you can do a detailed photo post. This has step by step instructions. Pioneer Woman is famous for these and the visuals really draw you in and convince you that you can make that amazing Moroccan Meat Loaf. Third, step into the land of video. Video is, hands down, the most searched vehicle on the web. Show people how you do something and you will draw hits over and over. Your videos do not have to be perfect. They don’t have to have TV studio production values… in fact, it might be better if they don’t. Just shoot it and post. You will see magic numbers happen.
2. Reviews
Sure, there are a million reviews out there, but if I read your blog and I am getting to know you I want to know what you like. I am building a relationship with you and I want to know what kind of toothpaste you are into. Seriously, you might think that your reviews or ideas about products are only useful if you are getting paid to post them, but the blogosphere has allowed us all into your supply closets. So, tell me about the sheets you have, the restaurant you went to, the new spice you are using – anything that you love/hate and I will be interested. Just remember if you are or are not compensated tell me that too. I want to know if this is an unvarnished opinion.
3. Show & Tell
One of my favorite things is show and tell. I am just a grown up kindergartener. I know that. But really, if you go shopping at Sephora, unpack your little bag on video and show me what you got. I love it. Did you just redecorate a corner of your house? Show me. I love to see what people are doing. Are you working on a new work project? Show me that too. I can’t be with all the bloggers I read, but I love to peek into their lives. And the more you show the more interested I am – well, keep your pants on. I don’t want to see that.
4. A Rant
Yep. Get personal. Get loud. Get passionate. If you rant about something, anything, people will read it. Get on your soap box and tell me about what you love, hate, want to fix, think someone else should fix and you will get hits. People love to watch a hissy fit from a distance. Rant away.
5. Projects
Involve your readers in your projects that you are tackling. This especially works with projects that you do every day. “30 Days of Drawings”, “40 Kinds of Soups”, “30 Days of Photos”, etc. Whatever you are doing make a project out of it and invite other people to participate. One way to do that is to create Flickr group that allows them to post their photos which creates a community around your project. You can also link back to posts that participants are doing – creating a lot of link love!
There are hundreds of kinds of posts, but I encourage you to try one of these and see what results you get. I know that one thing that will happen is that you will post more frequently when you commit to trying something different, experience some kind of rise in blog hits, and start to find your niche. Don’t ever feel like you are stuck doing one kind of post – it is your blog and you can mix it up anyway that you want to. That is the beauty of self publishing. Now go write posts!
Jacqueline Wolven blogs at MoxieWorks: Real Life Marketing for Small Buisiness and Small Towns and MoxieLife where she explores the beauty of living in the South and being in her 40’s. Her passions are doing good work, zen business, gtd and living the life you create. She left a successful career in San Francisco as the director of marketing to build her own, personalized, studio dedicated to helping small business. What she left behind were pointless meetings, red tape, and budgets that were astronomical. What she gained was a sense of living my life on my own terms, the ability to help clients have real success, and the joy of saying yes or no when she needed to.