Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

Reader-Focused Blogging: Set an Empty Chair at Your Blog

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empty chair at table

In To Sell is Human, Daniel Pink lets us in on a success secret of one of the 30 wealthiest people on the planet – Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com. At every important meeting, Bezos leaves an empty chair at the table. Pink writes:

“It’s there to remind those assembled who’s really the most important person in the room: the customer.”

I often suggest to business bloggers that you write as if you’re talking to ONE ideal customer, imagining that person is sitting across the desk from you.

Here are five ways to make that empty seat as welcoming as possible:

  1. Begin again and again – If you’ve ever read a bedtime story to a child, you’ve heard the command, “Again!” No matter how many times you or others have covered a topic, your most important reader is the one who’s hearing it for the first time, or who just needed to hear it again.
  2. Answer real questions – As you picture the imaginary customer sitting in the chair, give that person a voice. Think back to conversations with current and prospective clients. What’s the first thing people said or asked when you told them what you do? Answer those questions. Again.
  3. Watch your language – Some people suggest you write as though you’re explaining your concepts to a young child. Others say your grandmother should be able to understand. The point is to eliminate – or spell out – any jargon or acronyms that will be unclear to someone new to the topic. Use the same words your clients are using when they ask their questions.
  4. Make it comfortable – Ensure your text is easy to read (dark text against a light background), and that it’s large enough for people with older eyes. Choose a clean, uncluttered layout, break up long paragraphs into lists or sub-points to create more white space on the page, and choose attractive images to go along with your posts.
  5. Provide a menu of choices – Make it easy to find other topics and information on your blog (provide a search box, list of categories, recent posts, related posts, etc.). As well, cater to different learning styles by offering your content in different formats, such as audio, video, slideshows and graphics.

There are many benefits to keeping up with your business blogging, but the most important one is the relationship you build with each individual reader. Keep that person in mind as you write your next blog post.

P.S. For more tips on reader-focused blogging, check out “How to Make a L.O.V.E. Connection With Every Article You Write.”

10 Steps to a Top 10 Blog Post

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10-steps-top-10-blog-postSitting down to write a blog post can be intimidating, especially if the whole idea of blogging is new to you. With so many important responsibilities competing for your attention, I know it’s easy to let this one slide.

Yet if you start blogging and then stop, it can damage your credibility. And if you’re not blogging at all, you could be missing out on attracting new customers and gaining more visibility for your business.

I often suggest that new or newly stuck business bloggers use a structure so they have somewhere to start, and readers and writers agree that the top 10 list is one of the best.

(If you’re using my weekly blogging method, a top 10 list makes a great “how to” article for your monthly feature.)

Ready to jump in? I’ve put together these simple steps for writing a top 10 article as a blog post:

  1. Define your audience. Think about the ONE ideal reader you are writing this article for. Imagine he or she is sitting across the desk from you. What are the types of problems you can solve for this person?
  2. Start with the title. What title might grab that person’s attention? Here are some examples to get you started:

    Top 10 Ways To
    Top 10 Reasons Why
    Top 10 Benefits Of
    Top 10 Signs That You
    Top 10 Mistakes
    Top 10 Symptoms Of
    Top 10 Clues That
    Top 10 Times To
    Top 10 Excuses For
    Top 10 Lessons About
    Top 10 Rules/Commandments Of
    Top 10 Myths About
    Top 10 Truths About
    Top 10 Tips For
    Top 10 Steps To
    Top 10 Uses For
    Top 10 Resources For

  3. Open the floodgates. Brainstorm and write freely without censoring yourself. See just how many ideas you can come up with.
  4. Select the best. Now pare down your notes and choose the 10 tips you think are strongest. Maybe there aren’t 10, and that’s okay, too. Top 5 and Top 7 lists also work well!
  5. Revise for consistency. Check that all list item titles are approximately the same length and style, and only contain one point. They should all be short sentences or headings, from one to five words long.
  6. Give more information. Expand each of your points into one or two sentences that give the reader more information. Again, try to be consistent with the length and format of each item.
  7. Introduce your article. Try to answer these two questions: What is the problem you are solving for the reader? What impact might this problem be having? This paragraph can also serve as your blog post’s excerpt for social media links and search engine results.
  8. Conclude your article. At the end of your article, sum up what you’ve delivered and point out again why this is an important issue.
  9. Edit and proofread your article. Step away from your writing for a few hours or even a few days, so that when you come back you can be more objective. Read the article out loud and listen for any run-on sentences, confusing ideas or missing words.
  10. Publish and promote. Post the blog post onto your site and immediately send the link to your social media contacts. Then follow up with additional social media posts during the week.

If you’re stuck in the blogging process, this 10-step method can jump-start your creativity. And if your 10 tips succeed in helping someone with an important problem, that could open the door to new readers, new referrals and new business.

Photo credit: extranoise via photopin cc

Five Ways to Blogify Existing Content to Attract Your Ideal Customer

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Small_2438119817 Your business probably already has a goldmine of potential blog material at its fingertips, whether you realize it or not.

For example, you might have: training manuals, instructions, sales scripts, company descriptions, service/product descriptions, customer feedback and questions, meeting notes, presentation slides, Facebook page activity, LinkedIn group discussions, handouts, memos or emails.

With a few simple adjustments, you can turn that content into blog posts that will attract prospective customers and help them see if you’re a good fit.

If you or your staff are constantly referring to something during client calls or sales meetings, if you’re often sending it as an email attachment, or if you’ve ever heard, “Thanks, that was helpful!” after replying to an email, chances are you have the beginnings of a good blog post.

So this might make a good blog post – now what?

Here are five elements that will help turn existing content into an effective blog post. Hint: Follow the embedded links for more information about each topic.

  1. Length – I recommend that your blog posts are between 250-500 words. In some cases you’ll need to pare down what you’ve written. Other times you’ll need to expand on what you’ve written (often just by adding an introduction and conclusion). Also check the length of each sentence and paragraph. Online writing requires more white space to give your readers’ eyes a rest.
  2. Links – As Debbie Weil says, if you can’t link to something, it doesn’t exist (that’s why we’re getting your content onto your blog!). Links are how you give credit to those you’ve mentioned, build relationships with other experts, and add more value for your readers. Linking to your own blog content also breathes new life into your old posts and gives people reasons to stay on your site and come back for more.
  3. Language – Tweak your language to stay consistent with your brand. Use the same words your ideal customers use – especially in your blog post title. Apply any keyword research you’ve done for search engine optimization.
  4. Love – Building blog posts out of real customer interactions shows that you’re thinking about your readers first and your marketing goals second. Delivering consistent, high-quality content shows how much you care about the people you serve in your business. Try to write each post to one person as if he or she were sitting across the desk from you.
  5. Logic – For each blog post, pull out one key message from your content. There may be plenty more where that came from, which is good news if you want to be a weekly blogger.

Transforming other types of content into blog posts means that:

  • You can easily share the content in a way that brings people to your website, where they’re one click away from doing business with you
  • You can link to and promote the content on social media sites
  • You’ll keep your blog fresh with new content, which will impress both your website visitors and the search engines
  • Because this piece of information is directly related to a real customer concern, there’s a good chance people will be searching for it online

Photo credit: digitalmoneyworld via photopin cc

The Etiquette of Reblogging

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Copying-contentBlogging consistently can be a challenge, but it’s crucial to your credibility to keep it up.

I often suggest that business bloggers look to other blogs for content ideas that will be valuable to the prospective clients who may be reading.

Recently a client asked:

“What is the etiquette for re-blogging someone else’s blog [post]?”

Great question! You have a few options:

1) Share the content with your network by posting the permanent link to that post in your email newsletter and social network accounts, always introducing it with the author/company name so it’s clear that you’re not taking credit for the content.

2) Interview the author about the topic, by email or phone, so he or she can state the same ideas, but in a written conversation with you where you get to participate with your own thoughts.

3) Write a review and/or expansion of the post, where you briefly quote (no more than 1-2 sentences) the original blog post, and provide the link, author and title of the original post.

If you have EXPLICIT permission from the author, you can also:

4) Reprint the entire article on your own blog, including a bio of the author and an additional statement that reads, “This blog post originally appeared on [blog name] and was reprinted with permission,” followed by the permanent link to the blog post.

5) Revise/adapt the article to suit your own audience, including a bio of the author and an additional statement that reads, “This blog post originally appeared on [blog name] and was reprinted and adapted with permission,” followed by the permanent link to the blog post.

Note that on some blogging platforms you’ll actually see a “Reblog” button. In this case, the system will automatically generate the proper links and credit the author appropriately.

For more information, please see How to Share Great Content Without Plagiarizing.

photo credit: Alan Cleaver via photopin cc

This post was updated on November 17, 2014. See: Business Blogging Etiquette: How to Properly Use and Share Other People’s Ideas.

How to Turn LinkedIn Activity into Blog Posts

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Pen-for-writing-blog-posts-from-linked-inThe other day I was using Google to search for guidance on a difficult client situation, when I came across Ilise Benun’s post on the Creative Freelancer blog, “Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Client.”

Ilise runs a LinkedIn group called Creative Freelancer Conference, built as an extension of the annual HOW Design Live and Creative Freelancer Conference. In the blog post, she repeated a question from one of her LinkedIn group members – with permission, of course, and with a link to the member’s website.

At the end of the post, Ilise wrote, “This question has gotten a number of helpful responses from other creatives. Any advice for Stacey? Join the CFC LinkedIn Group to take part in the conversation.”

I was very impressed by this clever combination of LinkedIn and blogging, and I asked Ilise how the blogging strategy is working for her. She replied:

“The LinkedIn Group I moderate for creative freelancers is a place where members engage in very rich discussions. But that group is restricted to members so it’s not accessible to those outside the group or to the search engines. By reposting on my blog, I’m trying to make the material available to a wider audience and grow the LinkedIn Group as well. And it works!”

It certainly worked on me – I joined the group! It also helped when I saw that several people from my network were already members.

By the way, if you’re thinking about starting your own group, check out these tips for effectively managing a LinkedIn group.

As a perfect follow up to my previous post about how to turn your Facebook activity into blog posts, here are a few other ideas for doing the same thing on LinkedIn:

Browse LinkedIn’s Questions and Answers

Whether you answer on LinkedIn or not (note: doing so would be great for attracting new connections and showcasing your expertise), browsing the questions about your industry is a great way of making sure your blog content is relevant. If one person asked, many are wondering!

[Update January 22, 2013 – LinkedIn is closing its Answers section at the end of January 2013. Instead, look for relevant questions within your LinkedIn groups.]

Follow LinkedIn’s Thought Leaders

LinkedIn now features regular posts from some fascinating and inspiring business leaders. Write a response to one of these articles on your blog, or just see how they inspire your own ideas.

Review Your Endorsements

Is there a skill you’d like more recognition for? Write a blog post that demonstrates that skill. You could tell the story of how you used that skill to help a client, or write a “how to” article that highlights your knowledge and expertise.

When you’re active on LinkedIn and other social networking sites, you’re creating valuable content that can benefit both your business and your website visitors. Be sure to take that extra step and convert your social networking activity into blog posts.

Photo credit: The Seafarer via photopin cc