How to Write a Blog

I thought I would share some tips from my Public Relations book Writing and Reporting News: A Coaching Method on how to write an effective blog post.

A blog is an online conversation you are having with the reader. It's two-way communication where you say something and hope for a response. You may use the first-person voice because you are expressing your thoughts.

Tips for writing your blog:
- Be brief. Blogs are not meant to be term papers.
- Be clear. Use simple sentences.
- Be focused. Like a news story, which should have one main idea, a blog should also contain one topic.
- Be careful; check your spelling and grammar. Informal communication in e-mail and blogs tends to be sloppy. Errors in spelling and grammar mar credibility.
- Be interesting. Provide something new or evocative if you are writing an opinion about news.
- Be accurate and fair. Don't spread rumors or information that may not be truthful.
- Be conversational. Write as though you are talking to a friend.
- Target your audience. Consider the people you are trying to reach and write about topics they would want to read.
- Write a clear headline that will hook the reader.
- Add links to related sites or other blogs if relevant.
- Add a question at the end that would elicit readers to post their responses to your blog.