Blogs

Seems like everbody's doing it – 60 million everybodies, at last count.

So why all the hoopla about blogging?

First you have to understand what a blog is. A blog is a user-generated Web site containing journal-style entries that are generally displayed in reverse chronological order. Though they really began as online diaries (the term comes from "Web log"), many blogs provide thorough commentary or information by experts on specific subjects, such as food, politics, or local news. Blogs generally combine text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and social media (online technologies people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other, taking many forms, including text, images, audio, and video) related to their topics. Many bloggers enable readers to post comments in an interactive format.

The facts that blogs are dynamic – new content is added with great frequency – and largely text-based makes them very attractive to the search engines. Because it's so easy to include links within your postings, blogs are an effective method of off-page SEO and can dramatically improve traffic to your Web site.

Is  there a particular blog writing style?

Although blogs often are written quickly, in a more casual, down-and-dirty style of writing that is far less concerned with proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the like, the best-read blogs tend to be the ones which combine excellent, authoritative information with persuasive writing that is correct and easy-to-read.

If  you have a lot to say on a particular subject and think blogging might be for you, but you're not so confident in your writing abilities, consider a transcription service like CopyTalk or IDictate, which allow you to dictate your blog entries and have the transcriptions delivered to your inbox in a matter of minutes. You can then have a pro do a quick read-through/edit for polishing before you publish your posts.

As Amy Grahan points out in her blog, Contentious, it's a myth that blogs are not edited or fact-checked. In fact, many blogs feature rigorous editorial processes that include substantive fact-checking and extensive citations.

       If you would like to step up your own blog game,       
   consider hiring a qualified editor for your blog content!  

What are the qualities of a good blog editor?

The best editor for your blog is someone who is well-versed in your subject matter, or who at least has more than a passing knowledge of your material. For instance, you are not likely to hire a retired Montana cattle rancher with a penchant for editing to help you out with your blog about the best solar cooking practices. Use your discretion! There are all kinds of excellent editors available – but you want to know your editor is familiar with your subject.

You also want someone who is efficient and has the time to turn the work around quickly, as one of blogging's most important features is its immediacy.

Also, make sure your editor has the ability to preserve your voice. After accuracy, this is the single most critical requirement for ANY editor, regardless of the type of project – and it's especially critical with respect to your blog, which is your regular communication with the world and the place that will begin to establish your credibility as an expert in your subject matter.

Any other advice?

Before you embark on your blogging adventure, or invest in an editor for your blog, do your research and see who else is already blogging on your subject. This is not an attempt to derail you from your dreams of being the next great blogger, but merely to get you to begin considering how you're different and what sort of content you will write and post.  Will you be perusing the others' blogs and posting your own commentary on the things with which you agree or disagree?  Do you have a completely new spin on the same old thing?  With competition for blog readers getting heavier by the day, you need to know that your material is (a) worth your time to write – and market, and (b) worth your readers' time to read.

Hire the best!

If you believe the staff at WordsMadeEasy.com would be a good fit to edit your blog, send us a note so we can get started! The cost for us to edit your blog is just 10 cents a word, with a 200-word minimum.  E-mail us today so we can make your blog sing!

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