Don’t Forget Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on Your Blog
Another blogging tip is to optimize posts for search engines. As we already covered, the post should be at least 200 words long for search engines to have enough content to analyze. Also, making a post...
View ArticleThree Tips for Reader Engagement: Blog Comments Provide Quick Feedback and...
Another successful blogging tip is to engage readers. Interacting with our audience is the best and easiest way to connect with readers and build a following (that is, grow our platform). The best way...
View ArticleDoes Your Blog Need Pictures?
My eighth blogging tip is to include a picture. Really? Then where are they? I’ve never included artwork on this blog. For other blogs I occasionally do but not usually. Four reasons why I don’t...
View ArticleMake One Point Per Post
Another blogging tip is to make one, and only one, point per post. Trying to cover two or more points is a distraction that will turn off readers, cause confusion, or risk them missing key...
View ArticleProof then Publish
Another blogging tip is to proof and then publish. That is, once written, review with care and post without delay. It’s that simple. Some beginning bloggers are afraid to share what they write. They...
View ArticleBlogs and Links: The Art of Helping Readers and Improving SEO
Great writing is essential to successful blogging. Using links when we blog helps us better serve our readers and aids in search engine optimization (SEO), which lets more readers find our work. This...
View ArticleIf We Don’t Promote Our Blog, it Doesn’t Matter
When I started blogging in 2008 my readers came from two sources: friends who knew about my blog (that is, I told them about it) and people who discovered it online. I had more readers who I didn’t...
View ArticleDon’t Go Forward Until You Backup
I’m a fanatic about backing up my writing. Each time I take a break, I make a backup copy. Each time I finish working on a piece for the day, I make a backup copy on my local hard drive … Continue...
View Article14 Posts on Better Blogging (Plus 9 More)
For the last 14 weeks, I’ve been running a series on blogging. I’ve enjoyed interacting with everyone who’s commented: it’s been fun. I hope you’ve picked up some good ideas to make your blog better. I...
View ArticlePromote Your Blog
A few weeks ago, when I finished my series on blogging, I invited readers to post a link to their blog. No one did. I know many of you have blogs, so I’m not sure what went wrong. Perhaps the …...
View ArticleFinding a Place to Write
A month ago in my post, “The Rhythm of Writing,” I shared that my wife and I moving would interrupt my writing. My blog posts for the past three Saturdays reflected this, as I provided the starting...
View ArticleLearning More About WordPress
This weekend I’m attending Grand Rapids WordCamp, a fun, but intensive, two-day event about WordPress. The meeting is geared towards developers, so it’s mostly more technical than we writers need for...
View ArticleHow Can We Connect Our Blog with Our Book?
As writers we’re encouraged to blog. Our blog should be a platform-building, audience-enhancing tool. The rub is the time we spend blogging is time not spent on our book. Is there a way to do both at...
View ArticleHow to Blog Your Fiction Book
Last week we discussed ways to connect our blog with our book, which works well for memoir and nonfiction but not so much for fiction. While the vision is clear to blogging a memoir or nonfiction work,...
View ArticleWill Blog For Money: 12 Questions to Ask Before Becoming a Blogger for Hire
A company asked a friend to write blog content for their website, and he wasn’t sure where to start. He called for advice. “So, what’s a blog?” I skipped the pat answer and connected with his...
View ArticleNews Release: Blogging Video Available
Blogging Video Available: 12 Tips For Better WordPress Content Creation Veteran Blogger Peter DeHaan’s WordCamp Grand Rapids Presentation Is Now Accessible Online Peter DeHaan spoke at the recent...
View ArticleDo You Really Want to be a Ghostwriter?
I once said that if all you want to do is write, you should be a ghostwriter. Ghostwriters don’t need to seek an agent, sign with a publisher, or promote their books. They just write. The downside of...
View ArticleWriting Blog Posts In Advance
Last week’s post was long, my longest ever on this blog. It was far longer than my goal of 200 to 300 words and beyond my limit of 500. Today’s post will make up for that. It will be short. … Continue...
View ArticleWhen Your Post Goes Viral: 4 Tips For Survival
As writers we all want more people to see what we write, right? If we have a book, we want more people to buy it, and if we blog we want more people to read it and comment, right? Be … Continue reading →
View ArticleWhy Writers Can Excel at Content Marketing
Ever since I first heard of content marketing, I understood it conceptually. Content marketing is providing interesting and useful information to our audience without trying to sell them anything. But...
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