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Beyond Proofreading: What To Check Before You Publish A Post

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As a professional blogger, your words are your money. Your posts are how you connect with readers, advertisers, and even sponsors. This doesn’t mean you need to get hung up on everything being perfect, but it does mean that you need to double- or even triple check your posts before you hit that publish button. Read this post by Becca at Amuse Your Bouche for what to look for:

-Include a pinnable image

-Add titles and texts to images so it shows up in google searches

-Included all links

-Proofread for grammatical and spelling errors.

Photo Credit: Joanna Penn 

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How To Beat Back Writer’s Block

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Anyone who has ever had to write anything has experienced the pain of writers block. If you have to write a lot for your job, (or for fun), you probably face it more than you’d like. You know how it goes- staring at the blank screen for hours, procrastinating, writing some, then deleting everything, and sometimes just plain old giving up and closing the computer. But, as a blogger, freelance writer, or other professional, you just can’t afford to have writers block! Check out these blog prompts by Sarah at Stylish Sassy and Classy for help if you are feeling a little stuck:

-Current goals

-Guest post

-Currently raving

-Gift guides

-Travel- packing, trip

-Product reviews

-Feature other bloggers

Photo Credit: Drew Coffman 

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How To Get More Shares

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I honestly would have no idea how to find other bloggers without the help of Pinterest (and Facebook, to a slightly lesser extent). Pinterest is great for promoting almost all blogs- as long as you have an image in your post- and some pins will gets thousands and thousands of shares. Talk about blog traffic! For making your blog posts more “shareable,” check out this post by Madison at Wetherills Say I Do:

-Write great content- be genuine, and try to write something shareable at least once a week.

-Promote your posts- create a social media calendar

-Make sure the “share” buttons are visible

-Add a hover Pin It image / Click To Tweet

-Respond to shares!

Photo Credit: Johan Larsson 

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What Makes A Good Title?

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It takes me less than a second to decide whether I want to read something or not. How? The title of the article. Everyone’s heard the old cliché, but it’s true. First impressions are everything. Titles need to be eye catching, intriguing, and need to accurately describe what your post is about. For tips on creating better headlines for your blog, read this post by Sierra Austin at Back Log of Business:

– Try to summarize your entire articles into one sentence.

-Online audiences love numbered lists, how-to posts, and personal reflective pieces.

-If you have done every single online marketing detail by the book, then perhaps you need to start thinking outside the box and attack your audience from a different angle.

Photo Credit: Javier Guillot Jimenez 

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Letting Your Readers Contact You

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There are lots of reasons why adding a “Contact” form to your blog is a good idea. It lets you connect with readers, and also lets potential sponsors and advertisers reach you. But, while you have to be a little tech-savvy to operate a blog, not all of us are computer whizzes! Some of us just like writing and posting pictures 🙂 . For an extremely detailed tutorial on adding a contact form to your site, check out this awesome post by Erin at Designer Blogs! It’s fairly lengthy, so I can’t put any of it here, but be sure to check the full guide.

Photo Credit: GotCredit 

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Attracting Sponsors To Your Blog

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The main way to make money from your blog is by getting companies to advertise on your blog. After that, it’s only a short step to attracting sponsors and writing sponsored posts. But how do you do that? Reaching out to them can be hard if you have no idea where to start. The first step, of course, is by keeping your content interesting and keeping traffic up. Then, check out this post by Slap Dash Mom for tips:

-Be consistent and blog a few times a week

-Know your stats and grow them

-Converse with brands via social media. Tweet them, email them, call them!

-Pitch the brands after doing your homework. Not sure who to contact? Google “Company Name Press Release” and find the PR’s email on the bottom of the article.

Photo Credit: Rocky Lubbers 

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Proper Blogging Etiquette

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Starting a blog can be an exciting journey. Whether you’re blogging for profit, to advertise your business, to show off a craft, or just for fun, writing about your life and connecting with readers is always a rewarding experience. However, sometimes new bloggers make mistakes, and most of these have to do with how you interact with others. Most of the time, it’s not that big of a deal, but can be disastrous if left unchecked. It can make readers unsubscribe, which is bad news if you’re running a business blog. Check out this post by Angie Nelson at The Work at Home Wife for blogging faux pas to avoid:

-If it’s not yours, don’t use it without asking. It is one thing to include a small quote with a link back to the source. It’s another to post someone else’s article in its entirety. Just don’t do it.

-Don’t add to comment spam, don’t feed the trolls (people saying negative things). Don’t get involved in drama. Ignore them, or delete the comment if necessary.

-Don’t spam your followers. And if you start feeling desperate, stop.

Photo Credit: Texas A&M University 

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Bringing In Leads With A Real Estate Blog

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Having a widely read real estate blog is arguably the best way to get your name out there. Local advertising is great, but having your own blog is the perfect way to showcase your knowledge and let potential buyers get to know you personally. I can name at least ten Realtors off the top of my head (from different states!) just because I love their blogs so much. And the same follows for any business blog. Just starting one and promoting yourself well on social media is a great step. But how can you generate even more leads? Check out this post by Tyler Zey at Easy Agent Pro for tips:

-Promoting your blog is what matters most. Try creating a social media schedule!

-Model the best- Read other blogs, and magazines. Notice how catchy their titles are! Try to model this, but with your own local spin. Numbered lists and “best of” posts are always popular.

-Answer questions, don’t sell. Just be informative and fun. It’s not supposed to be like cold calling.

-Think of it as a marathon- Blogging is not “one and done”. Try to write a new post at least once a week.

Photo Credit: Paul Inkles 

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How To Write Your “About” Page

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Your blog or website’s “about” page is like a selfie. It lets readers see who you are, and helps them understand the real you a little better. It’s also crucial for writers that blog for their business, as the “About” page lets potential clients know how to contact you. Putting together a page that both reflects who you are and keeps clients interested can be a challenge. That’s why I love this post by Debbie at Work Your Art. It has an awesome list of questions (prompts!) to ask yourself when writing your About profile. Here are some of my favorites:

-Why do you do what you do? What makes your work personal for you?

-Where did you learn what you do?

-Where do you live? Do you have a family? A career? Hobbies?

-Have you won any competitions for you work? Received any awards?

-What are other people saying about your work?

-What skills are you currently trying to master?

Photo Credit: Susanne Nilsson 

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