3 Sensational Tips for Writing Good Content

Previously in this series I shared 14 tips for increasing your blog traffic. We’ve chatted about building a sense of community at your internet home. We also talked about using good SEO (search engine optimization) to increase views to your blog. I had three ways you could improve your SEO in that post and we’re going to talk a little more in detail about the number one way you can bring people and search engines to your blog–by writing good content.

click the image to see all the posts in the series!

You may have heard the phrase “content is king”. And it’s true! Even if you don’t have the most beautifully designed website or a perfect presence on social media or an eBook that has made you tons of money, it is your content that will ultimately drive people to your blog {and, hopefully, get them to stay}.

All of the tips I’ve given you so far help you to spread the word about your great content, yet the important thing to remember, like I mentioned yesterday, is:

Providing readers and future readers with fresh, engaging content is what will bring people back to your blog time and time again. Others will link back to your helpful posts {external links}, pin them and share them with their friends, family and blog readers.

Here are my three best tips for writing good content. I used a little bit of alliteration to hopefully help you remember these principles to follow as you write!

Keep it….

Real. Resist the urge to follow in another blogger’s footsteps. That doesn’t mean that you can’t look at other blogs for inspiration or ideas, but instead it means that you don’t want to copy what’s popular in order to get people to read your site.

I’ll give you an example from my own blogging experience. In the beginning, I would create posts that fit specific types of link-ups. Recipes, homeschool ideas, and crafts were some things that I did. I began to realize that although I did get views and some comments on those posts, they weren’t my areas of strength and so people wouldn’t necessarily become followers (and I took no offense to that!).

Once I started refining my blog’s focus to faith, family and practical tips and encouragement on parenting, my following grew because I was writing about things that I was passionate about! My connection to these topics flowed into my blogging and the way that I interacted with readers. They get excited about the things I get excited about and that’s real.

One caveat to this tip. Being real doesn’t mean being a jerk. There are some instances I’ve seen online where those writing cannot seem to maintain tact or grace. They say “that’s just my personality” {and yes, these are Christians, not just non-believers}.

But I personally believe that while we can use humor, wit and sometimes even a bit of sarcasm to drive home our point, when we are characterized by unprofessional behavior and writing style, it may be that God is nudging us, through blogging, to become more gracious, professional and kind.

Here are a couple of posts that might help you in these areas:

How to Write Persuasively Without Being a Jerk

How Real and Transparent Should You Be on Your Blog?

Keep it….

Relevant. As you write, and as you are defining the focus and vision for your blog, share your words in a manner that is applicable to your readers. Bloggers can focus on the practical {four traditional manners to teach your kids and how to do it} AND sharing personal experiences and encouraging readers on a spiritual and emotional level {such as my post called why do I keep yelling at my kids?}.

Whatever method you most excel at, have confidence in what you are saying and learning so your readers can see that it is important to you and can be important and relevant to them as well!

In blogging, there is a term known as “evergreen” content, meaning you write about topics that aren’t just the trending stories on the front page of the paper {or on your Yahoo homepage, or what have you}. When you make something “evergreen”, it lasts forever {or at least for a really long time!!}, just like the pine tree.

Write about things that stir your soul! Timeless information that can help people today or three years from now when they come across it on the web. That’s part of why I like to include Scripture in many of my posts, because it is a truth that is always applicable. When I share struggles and finding God’s grace in mothering, it likely pertains to a situation that my readers are facing, just like I faced it at one time or am continuing to work my way through it.

Practical tips on a variety of topics are also very helpful. Just stay focused on your “niche” and be on the lookout for what your readers respond to and want to read more about!

Keep it….

Relational. Write in a conversational tone, as if you were talking to a good friend (like my friend Monica and I pictured above). Once you’ve written a post, go back over it to see if it seems as though you “know everything” or are an “expert” about a particular topic. Obviously, you probably don’t intend to write this way but I find it happens to me sometimes.

I can go back and reword if necessary so that I’m not just telling people what to do with their life but relating my own struggles and efforts, both things that have worked and things that need to change. Identifying with others and encouraging them in the same way I’d like to be encouraged shows my readers that I do care about what they are going through! 

As you are relating to your readers, don’t forget that they are the ones to focus on–not yourself! You are wanting to help readers, so don’t just tell stories about yourself and then ask for a pat on the back for your good work. Being relational has an end goal of meeting the need of your audience, not a goal of self-promotion.

Writing in your own voice while being real, relevant and relational will go a long way in producing great content that will draw readers who want to join you in the journey of life!

What are your best tips for writing good content?

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