We all know that there are many blogging platforms on the web ( we use Wordpress at BlogNet Awards), but there is one thing that every blogger and every blog platform has in common – CONTENT!

A good friend of mine has a favorite expression ” Content is King”, but so many people don’t know how to write content, especially blog content that will get people to break down the doors to want to read what you have to say. While there are no exacts in writing that next great blog post, with time, practice and good blogging tips that next blog post you write may just be the one to bring your blog front and center for the world to see.

Here are some of my favorite tips that has proven to be useful for me:
1. Be Original. The fact is people are drawn to others who speaks their mind. How many times have your read the same thing in the same way that everyone else has said? People will ignore you. Instead of trying to copy others, use your own unique point of view. Sometimes that can be done as simply as using different analogies or by coming from the opposite point of view.

2.With all the blogs in the blogosphere plus everything else a person has to do, the reality is that people scan what they read. While others might say, in general people are lazy, I believe that for the most part people are on a bit of an information overload. Make it easy for people. You can do this in a number of ways:

a) use short paragraphs – It is a proven fact that people reading blogs will get lost in large amount of text, so break everything into smaller portions

b) It is OK to have good spacing in your post. Think of it this way, your readers will not be so overwhelmed and it is scientific fact that readers eyes are drawn to what is inside spaces.

c) Use your formatting to your best advantage. Use the bold , italics, CAPITALS to emphasize your points. The color and style will once again draw your readers eyes to where you want them to go. In general you should never use anything smaller than a 12 point font. According to one study that I read ” 12-point Times New Roman and 10-point Arial result in the fastest reading speeds, while both fonts in 12-point result in the most legible text and best overall reading experience for the audience.”

d) The use of headings and Sub Headings midway through posts ( link bait) not only help with the post structure but have the ability to draw the person reading down the page and will help them find points that they are interested in.

e) We all know that people should use images in their post. This is not just for ” eye candy” but will also give a visual scan of what your content is about. A good balance of pictures with your written content will make your blog content more interesting as well as more professional looking.

3. Ask yourself who you are writing your content to. You should always keep in mind that you are writing to a person who has their own thoughts and feelings. Use the word “you” in your posts because it will convey a message that you are giving them your full attention and simply because people like feeling special.

4 This may sound like an obvious tip, but this one is a basic – Use small words. You are not out to impress people, just be clear in what you are saying.

5. Do any of you remember growing up, when you were told to watch your P’s and Q’s? Translate that in blogging to watching your spelling and your grammar.

6. Last but not least choose your title carefully. You may wonder why I have put this at the end of this article instead of at the beginning. You should always choose your title AFTER you have written any post. That is when you can read what you have written and then put thought into an attention grabbing Title. Your title should be considered a mini advertisement to your post or article. In terms of SEO,here is a gem of wisdom for you – Words at the start of titles are thought to be more powerful than words at the end when it comes to SEO. keep Your Title short, simple and easy to understand. Make sure that they meet a need to your reader so that they want to read what you have to say.
The fact is that writing content takes practice and more practice, but over time you will find your own blogging tips and tricks that you can use.