8 + 2 Classic Writing Keys for Better Business Blogging

If you want good advice, refer to the classics. There's no better writing advice than The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B.White. Here's a post that adapts Strunk and White's advice to blog writing.

This post comes from Dean Rieck over on Copyblogger and is titled The Ultimate Blogger Writing Guide

1. Put the reader first
2. Organize your thoughts
3. Use short paragraphs 
4. Use short sentences
5. Use simple words
6. Be specific 
7. Write in a conversational style 
8. Be clear

The number 1 error I see professionals make when it comes to business blog writing is that they are frequently ego-centric. And this isn't necessarily in a bad way, it simply doesn't bring the results they expect.

They are so passionate about their message and their expertise, they preach. They shout. They proclaim. They implore. They explain. They document and support their logic.

But they forget about that old background tune that repeats in the head of all readers: "What's in this for me?" They assume that their readers are like them and interested in the same things.

If you're not keeping your eyes and ears open to what your readers want, then forget writing short, specific, clear, conversational blog posts. Readers probably left you at 'hello.'

If you're not engaging your readers to give you feedback, comments, and poll responses, you probably don't really know what they want.

You can't engage your readers without talking to them personally. Yes, I know, this may seem odd because a blog is published on the Internet and open to be read by the great unknown. But you can at least use the pronouns "you" and "I" and write like you would if they were there in the room with you.

So I'm adding a couple of writing keys I think are also essential for good business blog writing:

9. Use pronouns liberally, address readers as "you" and tell stories using "I"
10. Use bulleted lists to make your points easily grasped by scanners

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Do you want to learn more about better business blog writing? The Blog Squad (that's my business partner Denise Wakeman and I) have a blog training system we are launching this week that includes Better Business Blogging and Blog Writing modules as part of our Plan B training.

Learn more about how to Build a Better Blog and master Better Business Blog Writing by reading this page here.

Comments

[Veronica Hay]

Thanks for your great post. While I think I write short and to the point, I may have to take another look after reading what you said. Thank you for your inspiration today.