Blogology 101- Be Relatable

On any given day you can probably find at least a dozen blogs being advertised and shared on your timeline. How many of those blogs do you actually click on? Now how many do you actually read through to the end?

In today’s day and age just about anyone can start a blog but not just anyone can have a good blog. In order to have a successful blog with a regular audience and following, there are several key points to remember but todays point is being relatable. Have you ever read something and three lines in rolled your eyes and said, “This is ridiculous” and closed the tab? Why was that? Probably because whoever wrote it wrote the blog post either without actual experience on the matter or wrote it completely lopsided and bias. So it’s important to remember a few things when writing a relatable piece,

  1. Transparency – Nobody likes smoke and mirrors so if you’re going to write about a life experience or something that’s happened to you, be honest. If there are key elements of the story you’re missing or can’t share it’s probably best to skip writing about it because your readers will find those cheese holes in the story right away and it’ll probably deter them from reading the rest of the piece and possibly anything else you post. If there’s a life lesson that you want to share but don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty then try your best to zoom in on that one aspect, why it’s important and how it’s able to stand on its own.

 

  1. Don’t be bias– Even though the experience you’re sharing is yours and yours alone you need to be mindful of the fact that the way things played out for you may not be the same for everyone. In fact nobody will see the same two scenarios the same so in order to be successful blogger it’s always better to keep an open mind. Even if you feel super strongly about something try and convey it in a way that says you believe what you believe but you’re aware and respectful of other people’s views.

 

  1. Knowledge– When you’re writing about a current event or something that’s going on in the world make sure you confirm your sources. Check the validity of the information against other sources and use neutral sources that people are less likely to disregard or dislike. For example don’t always use the same source, use several that back up the information you’ve found or have. Building an audiences trust is crucial in getting them to share your work and keep coming back to read it.

All in all people have to feel that they’re reading something that increases their knowledge, helps them through a hard time and isn’t trying to shove something down their throats. In the age of technology more and more people turn to blogs or other online forums for advice before their buy things, before they visit places and when they need advice. If you want to have a blog that pops remember your audience will be diverse so you should be too.

Blogging Practices: Setting Up Your Content Menu

Hi everyone! Hope you’re off to a good start this summer. I am happy to announce that after negotiation with the brains behind Openlab and The Buzz, I along with other bloggers will be blogging this summer. Hope you will enjoy reading our posts and find them interesting!

I know you’re all used to reading my posts about food and I promise we will get to it soon, but for the next four posts I will be discussing best blogging practices for those that are looking to start a food blog.

cartoon of two computers communicating

Image Credit to: blog.plush-media.com

Setting Up Your Content Menu

From interviews and podcasts to slide shows and reviews, you’re not limited to the variety of posts to feature on your blog. Regardless of the angle of your blog, remember that an assortment of content will appeal to a broader audience.

As a blogger, your primary responsibility is to produce original content for your site or any site.  Posts can be about cooking, eating, food safety, food-related travel – really anything. Here are a few forms your posts could take:

  • Reviews:  Share your experiences and insights about restaurants, cookbooks, kitchen gadgets, and food brands to provide your audience with tried and tested suggestions for expanding their culinary repertoire.
  • How To’s: Audiences love this! Go back to basics by featuring simple technique posts tied to your area of expertise such as: how to pipe rosettes, how to order from a restaurant wine list, how to choose a wine store, and etc. This concept also applies to providing step-by-step photos to illustrate the process of preparing longer recipes.
  • Lists/VS.: Picking a topic and ranking things numerically is always an easy crowd-pleaser. It’s easy to read and gives people something to agree or disagree with. You could do a “Top Five” for almost any topic. A good list tends to kill on comments, so we’ll often save them for our last post of the day, which is the prime slot.
  • Newsy Stuff: Any time you come across an interesting food-related article in the paper that might have broad appeal, consider linking to it for a quick post. Particularly if it’s something controversial, it’s a good way to get people talking.
  • Series: Create a themed series for you blog by dedicating an entire day, week, or month to specific ingredient or topic. For example, dedicate the first week of December to foods that make great holiday gifts, post only about ice cream for the month of July, and etc.
  • Interviews: Post a simple and straightforward interview with a notable food name or fellow blogger that’s both informative and entertaining. Address trendy topics such as their top five favorite restaurants or what foods are always in their fridge. Promoting your culinary comrades enhances the online community centered around your blog, is a great way to meet new people and introduces your audience to new faces.
  • Recipes: These are the bread and butter of your food blog. Recipes can range from four-course meals to children’s snacks, but they are always better when accompanied by a short anecdote about discovering them, creating them, whatever. 

If you’re looking to start a food blog or any blog at all, I hope you found some of these content ideas helpful. Next up, I will be discussing about branding and promoting your blog.

What are some content ideas you can share with me or other bloggers?