7 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers

The increased ease of publishing online has allowed anyone with a computer to become an Internet journalist–whether they’re an expert or not. Let’s face it, everyone (and their mother, neighbor, aunt and grandma) has a blog. The interwebs are saturated with DIY projects, recipes, adventure plans, hair tutorials, home decor tips and political commentary. It is becoming more vital that businesses take advantage of blogs to connect with their audiences and transmit professional, helpful material in an entertaining and understandable way. So how do you set yourself apart as a reliable and dependable source while still connecting with your readers on the personal level a blog enables?

We’ve teamed up with Will Ferrell to identify seven tips for effective blogging. Why Will Ferrell, you ask?

1. Have the AP Stylebook on hand.

Just because blogs are casual, and often conversational, does not mean that you can skip over basic standards of professionalism. A blog is still a representation of your organization; it may even be the first impression you give a potential lead or customer. Don’t dismiss the AP Stylebook as no big deal for writing on digital platforms and make the mistake of thinking it’s only useful in print copy.

2. Make hyperlinks your best friend.

Using hyperlinks in your blog is great way to engage readers and advance them further in your relationship. The convenience of hyperlinks can connect them to other landing pages on your site where you can present them with the opportunity to convert – an offer or call to action.

You can also use hyperlinks to legitimize claims by giving readers direct access to your source – this will increase your credibility. They are also useful to connect to a helpful source that your audience will appreciate. This HubSpot blog also sights link building as the most powerful inbound marketing tool when working on search engine optimization. (See what we did there?) Basically, hyperlinks will enhance your blog and become your new best friend.

3. When in doubt, source it out.

You may think that your personal experience is expert enough to legitimize a claim in your blog, and sometimes it is. But for certain topics, it is best to have sources that back up your content. Make sure that your sources are reliable. Journalism standards suggest fact checking against two to three additional sources.

4. If you’re bored, so are your readers.

Don’t put your readers to sleep. Your blog’s purpose should be slightly entertaining but informative. As you are writing the blog, think to yourself: “Would I want to read this on my phone while I wait in line at Starbucks?” Because that’s the decision your readers are making. A blog is a unique opportunity to show a little personality as you inform and engage your audience in a more comfortable setting. Keep their attention and format your blog efficiently.

5. Keep section titles short and sweet.

The first thing many readers will do is scan the section titles to decide if reading the blog is worth their time. The purpose of a section title is to preview what the reader can expect in the text that follows. Choose your section titles carefully, but don’t make them too long. Their purpose is not to tell every single detail of the paragraph to follow (talk about a spoiler alert).

6. Forget that copy & paste exist.

The worst thing you can do is copy content from another company’s blog to your own. Chances are, a search engine will bring up both your blog and the blog you copied. If a reader can tell that the content has been duplicated, your credibility and reliability as a trusted source is damaged. This will make the reader question your ethical decisions as an organization.

7. Research your research.

If you are making major claims in your blog, make sure that your research is correct and from a proven and reliable source. Another blog that does not have sources for their claims is not a reliable source. If it is the purpose of your blog to make you a trusted expert in your industry, it is extremely important that you have your facts right.

Ultimately, your blog can become a way to develop relationships with your audience as you walk with them through the buyer’s journey and help familiarize them with your brand. Be sure you write original content in a way that makes your audience want to keep coming back for more. Soon, you will have devoted readers who become your brand’s evangelists.

Updated: Apr 13, 2022