Not even writers want to read about writing all the time, right? Why would you expect your readers to do the same? Authors have a special opportunity with their blogs because not only do they have fellow writers following their posts, but once they establish a fan base, readers like to check them out from time to time. You can’t cater to just one crowd. So here are ten ways to make your author blog interesting to the normals too.
1. Quality over Quantity
Creating a blog people want to read is tough because everyone’s looking for something different. Many authors lose site of the reasons people read blogs, and they start adding bells and whistles that are actually quite annoying. To make matters worse, they try to write something every single day, even if that something is a paragraph of nothingness. Don’t write unless you can achieve one of two things: entertainment or information. Each blog post should say something or at the very least, amuse the people reading it. Also, get rid of the clutter. By clutter, I mean those four thousand badges.
2. Connect with your Readers
When you become familiar with the folks following your blog, it’s easier to write content that they’ll enjoy. Use analytical tools to determine which posts get noticed. Tools like Google Analytics can tell you which pages are viewed, how many times, and how long people stay on the page. It doesn’t take long to see what it is your readers want to see. Another thing many of us don’t think of doing is visiting our followers’ blogs. I know you only have so much time, so instead of looking at every single blog, look at the followers who comment regularly. Go to their blogs or check them out on Twitter. Find out what interests them and you’ll be on your way to making your blog their go-to cyber-spot.
3. KISS
I’m guilty of ignoring this tip, but it really is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given on blogging. Long, dense articles are like stabbing your readers right in the eye. They see this and they’re all “Jesus, I only have a half hour lunch break.” Make it easy for your readers to scan your posts quickly. The faster the read, the more likely they are to comment and return. This doesn’t mean every post should be less than 500 words. By all means, write a long post, but as with writing fiction, make it pleasing to the eye. Keep it simple stupid. Break up long paragraphs, use descriptive subheadings, and don’t use fancy fonts.
4. Interaction
Make it easy for your readers to interact with you. Don’t make them jump through hoops to comment on posts, and good lord don’t moderate your comments. When I see the “your comment will post after moderator approval” message, I get annoyed and usually don’t return. In addition to commenting, include widgets to let people easily share posts on their social media profiles. End each post with a question that encourages your readers’ participation. Ask for thoughts, opinions and suggestions, and acknowledge anyone who offers these things.
5. Mix it up.
Guest posts are cool, but don’t just have another author write a post about their new book. This is yawn-worthy. Instead, include guest posts from all kinds of folks. Personally, I go to a blog because I want to read what that blogger has to say. I usually skip guest posts. But I’m probably not the norm on this particular issue. So, if you’re going to have guests writing posts, make sure they relate to you or your books in some way, but keep things unpredictable, varied, and interesting.
6. Be passionate.
Choose topics that you are passionate about and you can’t go wrong. When you’re passionate about something, it takes very little time to hammer out an article, and your emotion leaps off the screen. Readers like this.
7. Get informed.
Read news stories, reviews and other blogs. Know what’s going on in the industry and the rest of the world. This enables you to draw from a huge well of sources and makes your blog posts diverse. Don’t just stick to writing and books. Believe me, you can write about almost anything and still connect it to writing. The more you know, the more confident and authoritative your writing will be.
8. Don’t let format bog you down.
While I admire the dedication of folks who keep their blogs ordered and all themey, this formatting can really limit your options and your readers. Blogs don’t have to be “articles.” Use different formats to keep things fresh and interesting. Interviews, book reviews, articles, lists, FAQs; these are all formats that are popular and totally usable on an author blog. Step outside your blog box and try something new.
9. Repurpose
So eventually you’ll hit a wall. There will come a time where you think, “Jeeze, there isn’t anything I haven’t written about.” This is when your old articles become new. Using tip 8, repurpose those old blog posts into something fresh. A single article can rewritten several ways. Use your imagination. You’re a writer, aren’t you?
10. Be yourself.
Because nothing sends folks running faster than a phony-ass blogger.
Not even writers want to read about writing all the time, right? Why would you expect your readers to do the same? Authors have a special opportunity with their blogs because not only do they have fellow writers following their posts, but once they establish a fan base, readers like to check them out from time to time. You can’t cater to just one crowd. So here are ten ways to make your author blog interesting to the normals too.