Writing a blog can be a great way to share ideas and to make a positive difference in the lives of other people. Just for fun, I thought I’d “pull back the curtains” and give you a peek at what it takes for us to write and share our blog at Simply Great Lives. There are a lot of variables to keep in mind and work with to be able to do it well.
First, in case you hadn’t noticed, John and I take turns by week. This week, it’s my (Rena’s) turn. One time earlier this year I was feeling too overwhelmed to write a blog, so we switched weeks. That was unusual. We pretty much stick to the schedule. Consistency is important, so we do our best to put it out regularly and on time. Can’t say we’re perfect, but we really do try.
We use WordPress for our website, which includes our blog. It has a search engine optimization (SEO) tool built in that pretty much runs my life. (OK, that’s an overstatement, but it really does determine a lot!) I must comply with a list of guidelines in order to get a little green circle in my blog editor. Yellow or red isn’t cool; it’s gotta be green. That makes Google happy, I think, and more likely for my blog post to show up in people’s online searches.
Following are some of the hoops I jump through to get that prized green circle. Some items are hard and fast rules. Some are suggestions that tend to get the green.
- Identify a key word
- Use the key word in the title, first line and several times throughout the post
- Limit title to 28 characters or less
- Keep length of the blog to between approximately 300 and 500 words
- Include an image (that’s licensed as free to share and use)
- Keep sentences relatively short and simple
- Include sections with headings
- Include a list that’s bulletted or numbered
- Add a link to an outside page
Of course, the little green circle isn’t the only concern. For example, picking an appealing title is crucial if I actually want people to read the post. I’ve found people generally like positive titles versus negative ones. People certainly don’t like to be told what not to do. The title can’t sound like a bummer, either. One of the blogs I wrote recently was called, “See the Hurting Child.” It had a lower email open rate from the people we sent it to. I guess it probably sounded like something unpleasant. I should have picked a better title because it was really about empathy in our everyday lives. Oh well. Live and learn.
There’s a whole science around when a blog should be posted–which day and what time. We’ve been posting blogs Monday, Wednesday and Friday for years because it works for us. We send it out early so people can get a positive word before they start their day.
Oh yeah, and pick a topic you care about. Otherwise, why bother?
There are other nuances to writing a blog, but those are some of the big ones. If you would like to start a blog to make a positive difference in the lives of other people, feel free to contact us for some pointers.
