Sacred Tips of the Blog

Recently a client asked us for some help with his company's new blog. At first I was a little confused, after all how does one explain how to manage and maintain a great blog? I've read plenty of articles that give good advice on rules you should set for yourself when managing a blog, but what good is any of that advice if you don't have something to write about? Some subject matter.

So with no further ado, a list of Guidelines when starting a blog, and a list of Subjects and Content ideas, maybe for the first time ever, in the history of the universe.

Guidelines

• Find Your Blogs Voice "“ It is imperative that you decide, even before your first entry, what your blogs tone will be. You could write as if you were talking to an old friend or you could write it from a fact point of view and keep it dry. Choosing this is going to be incredibly important because your loyal readers (whether they know it or not) are going to begin to expect something out of your blog and if your voice changes it will turn them off.
• Choose a Schedule - Whether it is once a month or once a day, stay consistent. Your readers will come as often as you write and if they find an old article when they are expecting a new one"¦"¦ well let's just say that they won't be happy and neither will you when you find that your readership has evaporated.
• Cliff Hanger "“ It's a good movie, but it's a great tool for writing in blogs. Your readers will love being sucked into the impossible vacuum of a story, especially if that story has two or more parts (it gives them a reason to come back).
• Link - As you write more blog entries start referring to information from old posts and linking to them instead of giving multiple explanations throughout your blog. This may sound lazy but it isn't, as new readers start referring to old posts they will become more and more likely to become regulars to your blog.

Subject Matter & Content

• Introductions - Your first entry should let your readers know what your blog is all about (this doesn't have to be a long entry).
• The Learning Channel "“ Write some entries about the History of blank, as well as explanations and definitions of uncommon or slang words. If you keep your readers educated then they will have an easier time following everything you write, not to mention they will start viewing you as an expert and an educator in your field.
• Tips, Guides, & How To - Every now and again write a blog entry that blows all of your other entries out of the water, spend time developing this one, and if at all possible make it something that would be incredibly beneficial to your audience like a Comprehensive "˜HowTo' guide on saving money when buying a Sauna in Finland, or anything else your readers could use.
• The Feel Good - Even if you decide to write a dry, newsy blog you still have to interject some feel good stories every once in a while. This really comes down to simple psychology, people like to feel good and your readers are no different.

So there you have it, four of my all time top Guidelines and four of my favorite Subjects for blogging. One last tip I didn't mention, have fun, blogs are the best way to keep content on your website fresh, they are great for building brands and loyal clients, but if you hate having to write in your blog it will eventually show in your entries and no one likes a bitter blogger.