The biggest problem for content creators, who also happen to experts, when it comes to blogging is they aren’t writers.
Blogging platforms like WordPress have opened up the world of publishing to anyone with an internet connection. One result of this revolution is everyone who can, now thinks they should. And that, my dear friends, is a terrible assumption.
A few years back I wrote a little piece called Just Because You can, Doesn’t Mean You Should. That particular little charmer was about not giving in to the pressure to use all existing technologies just because they happen to be available.
Blogging is exactly the same. Even if you’re a great writer, trying to capture your thoughts can be a tough slog through a muddy valley.
Writing is a lot harder than it looks. Creating an engaging narrative is not something that comes naturally to most folks. And even those who’ve spent the better part of their lives pumping out a prodigious amount of great work will tell you that it isn’t always easy.
So when I read a post from an expert I can generally tell within a few seconds if I’m going to get to the end.
It’s not meant to be a slag. Just a reflection of different skill sets. The biggest giveaway is formality. Nobody should write a blog to impress their 11th Grade English teacher – unless that happens to be your assignment. If so – go at it.
Save your formal writing for essays and business proposals. Blogs are not deserts. They shouldn’t be dry. If your expertise is in business development add some colour. A story. Anything to make what you’re trying to get across come to life.
Robots do read your blog. They just don't buy your stuff. #marketing
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Robots do read your blog. They just don’t buy your stuff. Search engines are very smart robots. They index and sort everything on the web. But if you write for them – stuffing keywords and and awkward phases filled with even more keywords into your content – you’ll turn off the real people who are going to be your clients.
So take a step back and work on the craft of writing before you jump into blogging. It will save you countless hours creating articles nobody wants to read.