In the past, we have discussed what it takes to be good writers and editors. Today, we will check out how to be great bloggers. It is not enough to just be an ordinary blogger. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. The extra attention to detail, the extra hours you put to make sure you come up with a good blog post and the extra time you take to research before you blog set you apart from all the other bloggers.
Whether you are a full time blogger or an influencer, it is important to take your blogging seriously. A great blogger:
Has a feel for language– it doesn’t matter whether you are blogging in French or English. It is paramount that you communicate to your target audience. This means that you should have language prowess in order to pass the message that is intended. Grammar mistakes and wrong tenses should be avoided.
Manages his/her time– bloggers generally spend a lot of time in the internet. It is very easy for them to get lost in their virtual world. Since they know this, a great blogger has a schedule that he keeps and follows it to the letter. For those especially who write for a number of blogs, time management helps keep up with the blogging demands as well as personal demands.
Is focused/dedicated– if you are a blogger, you should change your name to these three. They go hand in hand with time management. A great blogger is focused, he/she knows what to do at what particular time. He knows that if he/ she is distracted at any particular time, he will lose time which translates to loss of valuable blog input. He knows that his dedication to the blog is what will make the blog prosper. This means that he/she will update their blog regularly with post that actually makes an impact. These posts will be done on time with just the appropriate length to hook the reader from start to finish.
Is unique/specific– When we start blogs, we usually have an idea of what we want to achieve from that blog but along the way, we find ourselves writing what has been done before. This is good only when you want to add more information to the topic but when it reaches a point where you are just doing repetition, you should stop and re-evaluate. On the onset, you should research existing blogs to see the kind of topics bloggers are writing. From there find your niche-a topic that is not widely covered and go from there. Also it doesn’t hurt to be a little bit personal. Every personality is unique in its own way so try and make you blog be like your personality. Uniqueness is what differentiates a good blogger from a great blogger.
Is thought provoking– Have you ever read a blog and learnt nothing from it? We do not want that for your blog. A good blogger captures their audience, hooks them and arouse their thought when he is done. I can give an example of Mark Maish’s #perspective vs. reality where he outlined people’s perspectives on university courses and the actual reality that people face after they leave campus in their quest to find jobs that fit what they studied. Readers actually took to social media and gave their stories. The blogger was actually able to tap into his reader’s emotions and address an issue that affected a number of people.
Is a social media enthusiast – a great blogger is a social butterfly. He /she will make use of the social media platforms in order to market his/her blog. He or she will be in every available network interacting with readers and fellow bloggers with the aim of exchanging ideas and discussing important topics. He will also read other blogs and comment on them. This will help them get noticed. If you constantly promote other people’s content, they will promote yours which also gives you high chances for traffic. Also, having knowledge for SEO is an added plus. Most bloggers know the importance of good key word search because at some point, they will want to monetize their blog by selling ad spaces.
Is Passionate– good bloggers are passionate about their blogs. That is why they spend a lot of time ensuring that their blog posts are of good quality. A good blogger blogs about what he/she is passionate about. Whether it is technology or lifestyle, a passionate will show it in his writing; from the way he describes it to the way his post flows. The moment one loses that drive, his blog will also not last long.