by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
As someone who shares a lot of posts, I’m also someone who reads a lot of posts.
Blogs that are writer-focused instead of reader-focused usually need a few components to help them succeed long-term. They need to be useful, friendly, and easy-t0-read/understand.
Some posts start out with a lot of promise, but then tend to ramble a little or lose focus. Sometimes I’ll miss perfectly good posts that should be shared to a wider community because the post’s title didn’t really reflect the content of the article.
If you’re a writer who’s hoping to share posts with a broader audience in the writing world, here are a few quick tips:
Five Tips for Writing More-Shareable Posts
Keep posts on a single subject. Sometimes writers share excellent information but cram a lot of material into a single post without really going deep on the subject. Instead, consider dividing the content into two or more posts.
Create a headline/post title that truly indicates what the post is about. I’ve read a lot of post titles that just didn’t give any information about the content of the article or were confusing. Unfortunately, those are the ones that get skipped when I’m reading through my RSS feed reader. It’s usually better, when reaching out to a wider audience, to keep headlines boring but specific to the topic.
Link to your social media platforms on your site so others know who to attribute the post to. When I share content online, I always attribute the author of the post, unless that information isn’t available. Believe it or not, some blogs still only list a blogger’s first name (a lot of them are on Tumblr: a site that drives me a little crazy). Your blog should have your first and last name on it. Bonus points if you also list your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms!
Make main points in bold or use lists to help with post readability and skimming. Most of us spend many hours of the day reading–either our own writing, books, or articles. It really can help when the points of a blog post are easily accessible and readable.
Consider social sharing buttons or plugins like Click to Tweet. I don’t use these myself when I share content (I use Hootlet, an extension from Hootsuite), but lots of other people do. I use Click to Tweet here, which does seem to help a lot for sharing purposes.
Do you have any suggestions for making posts more shareable? What are some of your favorite blogs to read?
Five Tips for Writing More-Shareable Blog Posts: Share on X
Photo on VisualHunt.com
Thanks for the great tips. When I have longer posts, like on IWSG day, I use headings to break up the sections. I’ve started using them in general to highlight my giveaway details and future interviews and giveaways. I think it helps because my interviews with authors can get long.
I like the way you format your posts, Natalie! There’s always a clear distinction between the different parts of your posts and they’re very readable.
Mine tend to be all over the map with subjects, but I do list them in the title. And list my full name. Some writers don’t even have their name on their blog, which is odd.
Yours always look great, Alex! And you’re so right…the number of blogs that I see where there is no name or only a first name is perplexing to me.
These are great. I have to be careful about rambling. I do it in writing and in real life. :) When I remember, I do bold the main points of the posts. It helps me two fold. It keeps me focused, if I’m writing it. Secondly, if I’m reading it, the bolding gives me clues of the main ideas in the article.
Teresa
It helps me plan my posts, too. I think I need to ramble a bit more! I’ve been writing very short in both my blogging and my novel writing.
I couldn’t agree more about the need to make posts shareable, Elizabeth! Your ideas are expert, too. I’ve also found that it helps to set your blog so that it automatically shares posts across your platforms. That way you don’t forget one of those sites, or spend too much time posting. Scheduling helps, too, so readers know when to expect a post.
Great tip, Margot! That can definitely help avoid the time suck of posting on the sites (and then checking updates).
Hi Elizabeth – always helpful to think ahead to what may be required in the future … especially if you’re writing for publication – or have books you’re promoting. Always work out what’s sensible and required for where you’re at in life … you’ve so much to teach us – stay safe – Hilary
Thanks Hilary, and you, too!