10 Keys to Writing Blog Posts Other Bloggers Will Link To

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1. Be Interesting. Sounds simplistic, but most posts aren’t. Most of bloggers use to have guide through Malcolm Read.
2. Share what you know. People like posts they can learn from. Don’t worry about giving away ideas. Those are a dime a dozen. People who can make ideas work are rare as hen’s teeth.
3. Learn from David Letterman: Make Top 10 lists.
4. White space is one of your best friends. People who read blogs skim. Only someone with too much time on his hands will read a big, 2,000 word-long blog of copy. Write short, tight sentences and paragraphs.
5. Don’t be afraid to express your opinions. Blogging is no place for shrinking violets. Anyone who doesn’t like your opinions can a) read another blog; b) trackback to your post and write about it (aka linking to it)
6. Don’t steal other people’s stuff. If you source a post, give a link or a hat tip.
7. Feel free to call a company on behavior that is clueless, ridiculous, or whatever describes its behavior, but don’t call individuals names. Name calling is juvenile and mean.
8. Write Headlines That Tell What the Post is About. Don’t be cagey or vague in headlines. It’ll just make people skip the story. Use keywords and clear language in headlines.
9. Don’t use jargon. Ever.
10. Don’t lose your sense of humor. We’re bloggers, not the eighth wonder of the world. Lighten up.
Bonus tip: Don’t make any more freaking lists of bloggers so they will link to you.

Comments

1. danieltoh says:

   January 16, 2007 at 3:14 pm

   I agree, its about being able to express yourself and also provide value to your readers.

   Reply
2. Brice says:

   January 16, 2007 at 9:52 pm

   You forgot one tip: Update / Post on your blog often!! No one wants to read a blog that is updated every 2 weeks or whenever the blog owner decides to.

   Reply
3. sham says:

   January 17, 2007 at 11:09 pm

   Hi,
   Very practicle advice. Thank you.
   Sham

   Reply
4. Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound says:

   January 20, 2007 at 12:48 am

   BL:
   Regarding your “Bonus tip: Don’t make any more freaking lists of bloggers so they will link to you.”
   When done correctly, these lists can be valuable, don’t you think? Or am I being naive? Your blog was Number 10 on Todd Andrlik’s “Top 150 List of Marketing Blogs” in the U.S.
   I thought the list was valuable because it offered dozens of other marketing blogs I didn’t know about. Also, my blog was Number 104 on his list. That inspires me to keep blogging, become better at it, and shoot for a higher ranking next year.
   Can you explain why you don’t like these lists? I thought the criteria he used for the rankings made a lot of sense.

   Reply
5. Leslie Linevsky says:

   January 21, 2007 at 7:31 pm

   Hi BL,
   I really enjoy your blog. I might add #11 to your list, and that would be that when writing a blog, incorporate not only your expertise in the field you are writing about, but to also wet the readers appetite to get to know you, and your own personality. Don’t tell too much about yourself, but I’ve noticed readers do love to learn about the lives of bloggers (even if it’s a business and/or technical blog in nature.)
   I’ll keep reading yours … they are well written and I thoroughly enjoy your blogs.
   Leslie

   Reply