A blog about blogging

A blog can come in many different shapes and sizes. Its overall intention well and truly depends on the business or organisation, but nonetheless it speaks for your brand and offers a unique way to have your say. But what makes up a good post? There are a million generic tips on the art of blogging, so we thought we would consider some of our clients’ blogs and showcase the varying ways to engage your audiences. These are four types of posts that we feel work well.

If your blog doesn’t feel like it’s offering anything to its readers, then the chances are you aren’t writing about the right things. Whether this is a copywriter giving out five writing tips or a developer talking about new software, readers will always welcome guidance that offers them something constructive in the process. We particularly like this example of an instructional post delivered by our friends at Newcastle Carers, a local independent charity working citywide to provide support to unpaid adult carers. Given their deserved reputation for being a dependable charity that offers unwavering support, they act upon this accordingly through their post ‘Have You Had Your Free NHS Flu Jab Yet?’. It tells its readers everything they need to know on the matter in a simple and easy to read way before offering an immediate solution to fix the problem. It’s succinct and straight to the point.

If your blog doesn’t feel like it’s offering anything to its readers, then the chances are you aren’t writing about the right things. Whether this is a copywriter giving out five writing tips or a developer talking about new software, readers will always welcome guidance that offers them something constructive in the process. We particularly like this example of an instructional post delivered by our friends at Newcastle Carers, a local independent charity working citywide to provide support to unpaid adult carers. Given their deserved reputation for being a dependable charity that offers unwavering support, they act upon this accordingly through their post ‘Have You Had Your Free NHS Flu Jab Yet?’. It tells its readers everything they need to know on the matter in a simple and easy to read way before offering an immediate solution to fix the problem. It’s succinct and straight to the point.

Being bold enough to share your own perspective lets people get to know you and sets you apart within your field. Whilst they don’t call it a blog, we love our favourite club World Headquarters’ point of view on things in their ‘Stuff We Like’ section. With content like ‘Bars We Really Rate’ alongside a whole host of music-related posts, it not hard to see they know what they’re talking about. Perhaps even more importantly, however, it shows a sheer adoration for their roots and what they do. The energy and enthusiasm that comes through their posts is so apparent that it’s a sure sign of what to expect from their projects.

Lastly, whilst it’s important to remember you are blogging for your business or organisation, it’s also a place to, as The Guardian put it here, “reflect the human face” of the company. The If U Care Share Foundation, whose whole charity encourages speaking up in aid of suicide prevention, use their blog as a testament to their cause. During Men’s Health Week in June, each male member of the team gave a new post each day, documenting personal memories, experiences or feelings regarding their mental wellbeing. They ultimately use their blog to preach their message in a positive and touching way… and we’re all for it.

There are countless different approaches to blogging, and we have only had the chance to touch upon a few of them in this post. Regardless, simple and relevant content is the key to engaging with your target audiences.