How to Spot the Weakest Part of Your Blog Post (and What to Do About It)
Article by STEFANIE FLAXMAN from copyblogger.com
What does a rough draft of a blog post have in common with all the other blog posts by all the other content creators in your niche?
Too much.
I’m sure you’re aware that there are countless other writers musing about the same ideas you are, and in similar ways.
The goal of a typical first draft is to transform your scattered thoughts into a cohesive article that explains a topic to your target audience. But why should readers choose your content over another writer’s work?
If you don’t take the time to revise your rough draft in a way that shows you are an authority, and that you have a solution that isn’t available anywhere else, they won’t.
To help you narrow down the sections of your blog posts that could use improvement, here are eight common weaknesses I see over and over in drafts that are sent to me for editing.
And, more important, quick and easy ways to strengthen each one.
Weakness #1: You have an undefined strategy
- You haven’t clearly defined why you’re writing
- Your content has no purpose
- You only write when you’re inspired
Do you know any writers who have started blogs and then quit after a short period of time? (Have you done that yourself?)
Don’t make the mistake of writing without a plan. An editorial calendar holds you accountable for your work and helps you produce focused content at a steady pace.
How to fix it:
- Set goals for your writing before you begin
- Keep a schedule
- Accomplish your objectives
Each piece of writing you produce should serve a larger goal that you have for your platform.
Before readers can engage with your work, you need to know the intention behind every word you type and keep this aim in mind as you write new content.
Weakness #2: You make a promise you don’t keep
- Your headline doesn’t match your text
- Your advice is not realistic
- You don’t deliver
Novice and seasoned bloggers alike occasionally get carried away with smoke-and-mirror content — the type of writing that makes big claims without any helpful advice to support the objective of the post.
How to fix it:
- Start small
- Know your limits
- Promote your strengths
You don’t need to claim to have answers to all the world’s problems to attract readers to your blog. In fact, readers enjoy vulnerability. You’re human just like they are, and it’s important to reinforce that notion.
Instead of pretending to be the world’s foremost expert, help the people you canhelp. Explain your specific expertise in a straightforward way that doesn’t make outlandish assertions, and that follows through on your promises.
Weakness #3: You write generic information
- Your topic is vague
- You don’t educate
- Your article could be written by anyone
When you don’t provide unique, ultra-specific, urgent, and useful content for your readers, they lose interest quickly and won’t remember you.
And if you’re easily forgotten, you don’t get an opportunity to build your reputation and establish authority.
How to fix it:
- Have an opinion
- Do research
- Establish a brand
Writing is hard work. You don’t need me to tell you that.
Effective blog posts require loads of creative energy. They’ll wear you out but also help frame your presence as an impressive online content creator.
Remember that anyone can type words into WordPress; it’s your job to show readers a fresh perspective.
Weakness #4: You don’t use subheads
- You don’t guide your readers
- You have long blocks of text
- You miss engagement opportunities
Subheads are another chance to capture a reader’s attention. How? If your headline doesn’t attract a reader, then a phrase she views in a subhead may change her mind.
Well-crafted subheads are like a safety net. Your readers may be slipping away, but a strong subhead may catch them and bring them back to your message.
How to fix it:
- Tell a story
- Write numbered lists or bullet points
- Add images
Each section of your blog post should keep a reader engaged. Making your writing easy to read is a simple way to hold your reader’s interest.
As you edit your content, break up your text in appropriate ways: you could use strong titles to introduce different sections or a variety of images that complement your topic.
Weakness #5: You go off on too many tangents
- You lose focus
- You ramble
- You imitate another writer
In attempting to make posts charismatic, you may insert too many personal anecdotes that distract readers from your topic.
Similarly, you may love another writer’s style, so you copy their tone and voice. While you may think a certain tone and voice also matches your personality, it may actually sound inauthentic and contrived.
How to fix it:
- Find your own voice
- Learn selectivity
- Remember your goals
As you practice writing, you learn that you can’t express all of your ideas in one article. You won’t communicate effectively if you do. You may need to narrow down your objective while you proofread and save extra thoughts for other posts.
Read full article on copyblogger.com
The post How to Spot the Weakest Part of Your Blog Post (and What to Do About It) has been shared by ceo-book.com.
