Common mistakes made while blogging
blogging
To understand exactly what a blog or blogging is , it is safe to say that they have been in existence since the very beginning of the world wide web and is a particular form and format for publishing a series of what are usually relatively brief articles to a website, where they are listed in reverse chronological order. Originally used mostly for publishing personal diaries, blogs were widely adopted across a range of personal and professional purposes, and arguably inspired the format of subsequent social media platforms. Today, blog‐style content is ubiquitous on the web, without the term “blog” necessarily being applied in all cases.
The Oxford English Dictionary Online defines the noun blogging as “ A frequently updated web site consisting of personal observations, excerpts from other sources, etc.. typically run by a single person, and usually with hyperlinks to other sites: an online journal or diary.”
People use it as a platform to express thoughts, present ideas and share knowledge. However, weblogs can also be misused to influence and manipulate the readers. Therefore, the credibility of a blog has to be validated before the available information is used for analysis. The credibility of a blog-entry is derived from the content or the author or the blog itself respectively and its external references or trackbacks.
What are the mistakes made?
Who is your target audience?
Not understanding the target audience : The biggest mistake bloggers make is misunderstanding who their audience is. Many blogs are written well and clearly understand the topic, but they fail to connect to their audience with their posts. The key point is understanding the problems and their audience and what the readers already know about the topic in order to write posts that deliver useful information.
Being indecisive
Covering too many topics : Secondly, trying to be everything to everybody is not always the answer , writing about a myriad of topics just in order to appeal to a wider audience can also have fatal consequences. If not, the posts could include the wrong information or exclude the correct information, making the blog too complex or too elementary.
Inconsistency and many ways to say it
Being inconsistent: If you are writing sporadically, that is simply posting when you feel like it or when you randomly have an idea, then that’s a big No. When you blog, you become an authority on your industry and provide a constant source of information and content to consumers therefore, creating a bond with your readers. Inconsistent blogging has the opposite effect as it can most likely create an impression that your company/you are unreliable, and consumers will quickly lose interest without any new content to enjoy.
Tips on how to write a good blog:
Planning and structuring
Planning/structuring :
Writing for a blog can, at times, feel daunting. You sit down to write and the words don’t come. In fact, most of us struggle with coming up with what to write . At times like these, a little structure for your blog can go a long way. A good blog post is about one topic, one story, one idea. Before you begin blogging, figure out what you want to write about. Choose a mock headline to give yourself some structure. You can always change it later, and start writing. Good titles are interesting, descriptive, and engaging. It should read like a magazine headline or a TV newsflash, daring the reader to click the link. This is the first thing your readers see and the only thing so take time crafting a great headline. This is the first step (and the last) before you hit the publish button.
Importance of having supporting facts
Creating good supporting points:
Every story you tell or idea you share needs to have supporting rationale, something the readers can sink their teeth into. They don’t all need to neatly fit into a three-point argument or a seven-step process, but you can’t be all over the place. Consider what you want to say and how you will back it up. A great way to organise is to make a list of bullet points. Then, write the body of the post using these as your main sections (if appropriate turn the points into subheads, like I did with this post). If your blog post is a road, these points are the street signs leading your reader to the end.
Hitting the right note :
If you’ve hooked your readers attention with a good title, drawing them in with an interesting lead paragraph, and then leading them through with compelling points would be your next big step. All you have to do now is to wrap it up. Refrain from being vague. You don’t want your audience wondering why they bothered reading your post in the first place. Give them something to take away. Whatever the topic is, be clear about it. The body of your blog is the part of the post where you invite your readers to answer a question, leave a comment, or share your post. Make it clear and on point.
Blogs have been used most often as journals. They are not only a journal tool that is used for communication but they also teach strategy, answer questions that can be used in a variety of pedagogical methods. Obviously, blogging is an effective tool for delivery of instruction which outweighs the drawbacks of the traditional communication tools such as email or bulletin boards. Staying consistent, reaching out to the correct target audience and writing posts that hold answers to your readers questions or something that they can relate to is your key to perfect blogging.
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