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A blog topic or theme

Published 13 January, 2010 | By TashWord

Writing a blog takes time, and if you are doing it as part of a marketing strategy (however informal!) for your business, you want that time to turn into readers and potential clients.

Whilst a blog is good for building relationships and demonstrating the person behind a business, lots of irrelevant and/or personal posts won’t work so well to promote your business and products/services.

I have just read a blog post by Penelope who wrote about wasting your time unless you have a topic or focus. She makes the point that you can can use a wide-minded perspective on the focussed topic to keep it interesting, but that to keep people coming back for more they need to know what your blog is about.

 Withn each post, it is particularly important to stick to your topic so people can follow the message in each post. And each post should generally contribute to your overall topic – for example, my blog is about business communications and development so posts on email subjects, basic grammar, business resources and blog content are all relevant.

However, I think even a business blog can include the occasional off topic post and stay relevant to their readers. But it really does have to be infrequent to maintain the feel and theme of the blog.

Sometimes, you can find a relevant angle for off topic ideas. For instance, I recently joined in blog action day on climate change – while I believe in helping the environment, it isn’t what this blog is about so instead of writing about climate change in general, I wrote about how I run my business to reduce my impact on the environment and climate change. At other times, I have used personal experiences such as going on cuboree last year and being subscribed to newsletters by ‘friends’ to inspire relevant posts.

Using such personal moments for inspiration

  • is more interesting to read than impersonal, almost text book type of posts
  • gives you an insight into me as a person as well as a writer
  • lets me be creative
  • gives me opportunities to blend my personal and business lives
  • demonstrates my versatility and real world understanding of my topic

So how tightly do you think a blog should stay to one topic? Does it vary for a personal blog compared to a business blog?

Does your own blog(s) match that opinion?

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Photos in blog posts

Published 4 December, 2009 | By TashWord

Do you like seeing photos in blog posts? Do the blogs you read most often include photos all the time, some of the time or never?

I was just reading some blogging secrets (shhh don’t tell anyone!) from Chris Brogan and he suggests using a picture in every blog post. His argument is (and a sound argument it is) that it catches people’s eye so can draw them into your blog.

Some people use pictures for inspiration for blog posts and some people blog about topics that really need images (I’m thinking in particular of someone like Lauren Perkins who often blogs about artwork she is working on).

I occasionally add an image to brighten up my blog and make it look more interesting, but don’t do it all the time because it may slow down the site itself, I write about writing so am not sure pictures suit my brand, and it isn’t always easy to find a relevant picture when you write about capital letters or pairs of misused words!

But I am curious – how effective do you think images are in blogs? Would you like to see images added to more or all of my blog posts?

Posted in blogging, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Incorporating single points

Published 17 November, 2009 | By TashWord

There are times when it seems appropriate to use a list, or when it is common practice to do so in your context, but what do you do if there is only one item to be listed?

When I wrote about numbered lists the other day, I mentioned that one item doesn’t make a list so something like the following looks a little silly:

Our product comes in these colours:

  1. blue

In this case, you have two real options – incorporate the item into a sentence or use a non-numbered list.

For the above example, sentence form will work much better:

Our product comes in blue.

In other situations, it may be required to use a list format even if there is only one item. A bullet point or em-dash is better than using a numbering system. This may apply, for example, making a point within a list…

Our product has the following specifications:

  1. 1m wide
  2. made of stainless steel
  3. suitable for domestic use
    – 10 year guarantee void in business settings
  4. 50kg when constructed

 

Posted in grammar & details, writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Numbered lists

Published 13 November, 2009 | By TashWord

I was recently asked about numbered lists so here is some information about them for everyone else, too!

Using a list can be a better way to present information than just using straight text all the time – it can simplify things for the reader, it is generally much easier as a quick reference and it can make the document more visually interesting than a page of text alone.

Adding numbers to a list (and although I use the word number, a numbered list may use roman numerals or letters instead of Arabic numbers) is usually reserved for when the order of the list is important or when reference to specific points is likely.

Clarity and consistency are the two keys to making a useful list. If the items in a list have further divisions, make sure those divisions are clear – or make multiple lists. Lists with divisions are generally referred to as outline lists, such as the following:

  1. prepare a draft
  2. edit the draft
    1. check spelling
    2. check grammar
    3. ensure everything makes sense
  3. get someone else to review the draft
  4. edit the draft
  5. finalise the draft
    1. add formatting
    2. check page breaks and similar details
    3. send to print

The sub divisions in this list are clear to the eye but would be much clearer overall if they used a different numbering system (for example, ‘add formatting’ would be a or i and ‘send to print’ would be c or iii.)

If there is only one item, it technically isn’t a list so a number isn’t required. A single item can either be incorporated into sentence form or just be listed with a bullet or em-dash. Adding a number to a single item is likely to confuse people as they look for subsequent points that don’t exist.

Keeping numbering clear and consistent is also critical for speakers, not just writers. I have attended a number of presentations where they start with clear points (E.g. “here are five ways to get website traffic. Number one is…”) but get sidetracked or forget the numbering and my notes are confused and/or disjointed as a result.

Do you have any further questions about numbered lists I might be able to help with?

Use your words, and numbers, wisely!

Posted in grammar & details, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Give options that make sense

Published 4 November, 2009 | By TashWord

I have written before about the need to use clear questions in surveys to get meaningful results, and given some tips on how to write such questions. Every time I do a survey with poor questions I cringe – do they really not care about getting good results or just don’t understand that not everyone knows what they are really asking?

One of the most common questions I have seen in online surveys is the following:

Are you …

male
female?

Technically, the answer is yes  – I am male or female and so is every other human I know of! Fairly pointless question to ask unless you have a third group responding.

In this case, we can see what is really being asked (“which are you?”) and the available answers lead us to answering correctly, but it isn’t always so easy.

It was great recently to be asked to help a major research centre refine their questionnaire. They had determined the questions they wanted to ask but understood that how they asked was critical to the final result of their research.

So if you are preparing surveys or questionnaires, my two key tips are:

  • read the questions to make sure the options answer the question and suit your needs
  • get at least one other person to read the questions to ensure they make sense to a less involved pair of eyes

Use your words wisely!

Posted in bad writing examples, grammar & details, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Maximising topics

Published 21 October, 2009 | By TashWord

Last week, I aprticipated in Blog Action Day(BAD09) with over 13,000 other bloggers – we all posted on the topic of climate change in order to make everyone aware of this important topic.

While everyone wrote about climate change as the theme, there were many different angles covered – for example, I listed green decisions for my business to inspire other businesses to fight climate change and I read posts about conserving water, marketing, using local foods, some affects of climate change (affects on western society caused by direct climate changes) and things we can do to stop climate change.

This made me think about using a limited topic can provide many blog posts and/or articles – as well as about climate change of course!

Even if you limited yourself to business related aspects of climate change, there were many different ways you could have participated in BAD09. Here are just some of the business angles to show what I mean:

  • tips of how to reduce a business’ impact around the office
  • discussion of how manufacturing businesses can reduce their emissions
  • discussion of how business can contribute to the solution
  • opinions on carbon pricing and how it will impact small businesses
  • list some business ideas that will help the planet
  • low impact marketing ideas
  • how climate change has impacted on a particular business or industry – or is likely to in the next decade or half century
  • discussion on political and social factors affecting how a business can implement greener processes

So next time you are looking for something to write about to promote your business, look back at old or obvious topics within your business and see if there is a different angle you can discuss – there usually is!

Not only does discussing different angles give you more blog posts/articles, it also:

  • gives you the opportunity to share more of your expertise in a niche subject
  • lets people read about different aspects and therefore be more informed
  • gives people who may use your article (e.g. website owners and other bloggers) more choice about what angle of the topic to use and that increases the chances or your article being read
  • demonstrates your knowledge and that you have more than one dimension
  • enables you to link between posts more easily

Use your words wisely, and your topics thoroughly!

Posted in blogging, newsletter content, web content, writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Clear titles

Published 19 October, 2009 | By TashWord

I recently read an article with a ridiculous heading. It claimed that the majority of Australians were victims of internet scams. As I have never been such a victim, I doubted the title and read the article (ok, so a ridiculous title did work in terms of getting a reader!)

What they really meant was most Australians have been exposed to internet scams, or had the opportunity to be taken in by such a scam. They then quoted that about 13% of people have actually been hurt by a scam.

Their title was misleading and dishonest really, and totally reduced their credibility in my eyes – I’m not planning on returning to their articles.

Titles and headings are important – they need to attract attention, set the topic for the article and work as part of your brand. In short pieces, the title also has to prove its worth in giving part of the message.

Use your words wisely, and honestly!

Posted in bad writing examples, writing | 2 Comments

Writing for the group

Published 19 September, 2009 | By TashWord

While individuals may be insoluble puzzles, in the aggregate they become mathematical certainties.
Sherlock Holmes

When writing to sell your business to people, you can’t be sure how any one individual will react to your words. However, you can write so that the majority of your audience (and by audience I mean people who are possibly going to buy from you, rather than the entire global population) will react the way you want them to.

This means it is important to remember that one negative response is not the end of your business, and may not be representative of everyone’s reaction. It also means that you need to use words and expressions that many people will understand, not just ones that a few people will relate to.

Writing for a group will bring better results than writing for one or two individuals – although writing as if to individuals is still effective and personal.

Posted in writing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

New weight loss system?

Published 16 August, 2009 | By TashWord

I was on a walk yesterday, and I noticed a sandwich board out the front of a beauty shop. As well as the usual details, it included some text to the side as if to attract attention. The text was:

50% off new clients

If you are very overweight, you may be happy to know they could remove 50% of you (I wonder if you get to choose where the 50% comes from?) If you aren’t overweight enough to want to loose 50%, we can only hope they don’t remove other parts of you!

Of course, what they really meant was new clients pay half price on their usual services – but it is important to write what you mean rather than assume people can understand you.

How could it have been better?

50% off for new clients {yes, adding one word makes all the difference!}

OR

half price for your first visit {longer, but very clear and also shows the discount is for only one visit}

Have you read your marketing messages to be sure they say what you mean them to?

Posted in bad writing examples, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Accountable communications

Published 29 July, 2009 | By TashWord

What are accountable communications?

It simply means giving a message that is justified and that you are willing to stand by.

For many jaded consumers, the marketing message in many ads and business materials is not trusted because there have been too many hyped up, false promises in the past. And people understand that marketing companies use many techniques to support their message .

To make sure your message is seen as trustworthy and is accountable

  • avoid exaggerations (the occasional obvious one may work)
  • justify any claims
  • only give it in appropriate ways (i.e. don’t spam or annoy people)
  • check the details
  • use an appropriate look – colours, layouts, font sizes and so on all influence how your message is perceived. For example, the long letter with yellow highlights style of webpage doesn’t build trust in Australians as much as it appears to in the USA

What messages have you seen that didn’t come across as accountable or reliable?

Posted in blogging, newsletter content, web content, writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment
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