The biggest problem for content creators, who also happen to be experts, is they aren’t writers.

Simple website platforms like WordPress have opened up the world of publishing to anyone with an internet connection. One result of this revolution is everyone who can, now thinks they should. And that, my dear friends, is a terrible assumption.

A few years back I wrote a little piece called Just Because You can, Doesn’t Mean You Should. That particular little charmer was about not giving in to the pressure to use all existing technologies just because they happen to be available.

Blogging is exactly the same. Even if you’re a great writer, trying to capture your thoughts can be a tough slog through a muddy valley.

Writing is a lot harder than it looks

Creating an engaging narrative is not something that comes naturally to most folks. And even those who’ve spent the better part of their lives pumping out a prodigious amount of great work will tell you that it isn’t always easy.

So when I read a post from an expert I can generally tell within a few seconds if I’m going to get to the end.

It’s not meant to be a slag.  Just a reflection of different skillsets.  The biggest giveaway is formality. Nobody should write a blog to impress their 11th Grade English teacher – unless that happens to be your assignment. If so – go at it.

Save your formal writing for essays and business proposals. Blogs are not deserts. They shouldn’t be dry. If your expertise is in business development add some colour. A story. Anything to make what you’re trying to get across come to life.
Robots do read your blog. They just don't buy your stuff. #marketing Click To Tweet

Here are 5 simple steps to organize your blog content for success:

Add and image or video

One of the key indicators for Google is how long people stick around your site. So including compelling images and videos is a great way to improve that metric. Just look at the top of this article. There’s free video that was made using the Lumen5.com app. But more important than impressing Google – most people react better to videos. So your blog content actually becomes more engaging.

Break it up into sections

There is nothing worse than dense text. I once had a client who would literally right 2000 word tomes each week. The content was good. But the medium and presentation was all wrong. Make sure that you break you content into digestible nuggets of genius. Use headings and bullets and numbered lists so folks don’t get lost.

Link out to authoritative sources

When I’m researching a new topic I love lists that come with links to referral sources. So does Google – which is how I find them. When you link to outside sources – not only do search engines recognize it, so do your readers. And that gives what you say added credibility

Write for the reader – not a search engine

Robots do read your blog. They just don’t buy your stuff. Search engines are very smart robots. They index and sort everything on the web. But if you write for them – stuffing keywords and and awkward phases filled with even more keywords into your content – you’ll turn off the real people who are going to be your clients.

Go for more information and less selling

We’re all in sales – I get it. But that doesn’t mean that everything you create should be about you and how awesome your product or service is. Concentrate on what your reader needs and wants from your content more than what you want them to do. Use your content to become more like a trusted resource and thought leader that a shifty sales person.

BONUS

Add a call to action somewhere

You aren’t going to be a shifty sales guy. But you need to pay your bills. Remember to have some sort of CTA on your page. If you look up towards the middle of this blog you’ll see a sign-up for a free online workshop. Go ahead and sign up. It will be well worth your time:-)

Aidan Crawford

Aidan Crawford is president of Short Circuit Media. His main job is helping consultants, trainers and professional speakers get their marketing in order by creating and implementing strategies to help them reach their target audiences.

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