Tips for allnurses.com Members Who Would Like to Blog

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The tech side of blogging is crucial to developing a solid blog.

4 Tips On How to Be More Effective with Your Blog

Increase Article Submissions
Watch Your Writing Style
Promote Your Blog
Stay Active

1 - Increase Article Submissions

The best way to increase traffic to your blog is to have fresh content. Submitting articles on a daily basis will ensure the success of your blog.

2 - Watch Your Writing Style

A successful article is one that grabs the reader's attention and promotes reading. To do this, you must first write an article that is easy to read.

To grab the reader's attention follow these simple rules:

Use the Inverted Pyramid Structure
Create Short Articles
Use Short Paragraphs
Format Text When Appropriate
Use appropriate text link
Link to your past articles

Use the Inverted Pyramid Structure

We were always taught to begin an article with an introduction. However, when using the inverted pyramid structure you begin with its conclusion followed by any supporting information.

Do you remember the last time you read an article from start to finish? Do you remember why?

Typically, most readers will jump to another page before reading the entire article. They will scan a page - if nothing stands out they will exit. This is why it's important to have the conclusions or key points first.

NOTE: Every blog article should have an introduction. The intro will tell the reader what the article is about; and, it may be used for inclusion in newsletter or main page when promoting article.

Create Short Articles

Write short articles. A 600 word article will provide just enough information. Long articles scare people away - it's just too much to read in so little time. If your article consists of 2,000+ words you should consider splitting into 2 or more articles.

Use Short Paragraphs - Long paragraphs are Difficult to Scan

3 sentences maximum when possible.
Use short and familiar words - no jargon.

Format Text When Appropriate

To promote reading:

Use Bold, Italic, and Headings
Divide content in short paragraphs
Use bulleted list when possible.
Offer plenty of contrast between text and background.

Do NOT

Change font-size - use default.
Use emojis within text. emojis are great for conversations but not for articles.

Use Appropriate Text Links

When adding links to your article use descriptive text for links. Which do you think is better?

USA TODAY: Latest World and US News - USATODAY.com is OK.

http://medscape.com is OK.

Link to Your Past Articles

A great way to promote your articles is to link to each other. So when writing an article - always think about your previous articles. If you believe that it's content can help support your current article than mention it.

3 - Promote Your Blog

Whenever possible promote your blog. You can mention your blog to your co-workers, family, or friends.

Other ideas:

Promote your blog on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc
Clear your forum signature and use this space to promote your blog.
Add your blog URL to your business card.