Archive for blog writing – Page 3

Should Thought Leadership Content Be Ghostwritten?

Ghost-writerAn interesting post from Hubspot author John Hall: “Why Ghostwriting Thought Leadership Content Doesn’t Work.” He contends that busy executives who outsource their thought leadership content are missing out on quality elements.

As a ghostwriter of leadership content, my first reaction was to tell him he’s all wrong. But his article was an excellent outline of what happens when thought leaders try to outsource blog writing and other leadership content to unqualified contract writers.

“Ghostwriting content is not inherently bad. The problem is that not all content should be ghostwritten.

“Consider your end goal of producing thought leadership content: brand awareness, reengagement, loyalty, credibility, conversions.

“Now ask yourself: Should this business-building tactic be delegated to someone who knows very little about you or your industry? If you lean toward the idea that it’s worth the time you save, then know that your content will lack these not-so-minor details.”

Hall lists five elements that end up being neglected in ghostwritten leadership content: Read More→

Easy to Make Ebook and Blog Writing Mistakes

Writing-Pen

Here’s why it’s so easy to make these common ebook and blog writing mistakes:

Many small business professionals with a business blog are keenly interested in getting their message out there, and don’t care so much in writing “properly.”

Younger people, in particular, like to write like they talk. Speech can be a great way to convey personality. It’s more like jazz rather than a sonata.

When people use a lot of verbal expressions in online content, however, their readers have to work harder to understand the message.

Blog writing with a conversational tone is good for connecting with people, for sure. You should, however, make a concerted effort to follow grammar and writing rules that make your blog easier to read. Read More→

Please Don’t Mistake Blog Writing for Book Writing

ContentPyramid

Blog writing isn’t the same as book writing. Here’s why.

An interesting post from Jane Friedman called “Please Don’t Blog Your Book,” gives four reasons why you shouldn’t use your blog to write a book. She’s right about blog writing being different than book writing.

And I agree with her that blogs make bad books. The informal nature of blog writing isn’t what you expect to read in a book. You read a book for in depth coverage of concepts, not for conversational snippets.

Here’s a similar example: I bought an ebook called “Blog to Book Deal: How They Did It.” It consists of poorly transcribed interviews. A podcast makes for a terrible book because the way people speak is not conducive to good reading.

As for Friedman’s four reasons, I disagree that you shouldn’t use your blog to write a book. Don’t use it thinking you’ll land a big book deal, however.

  • Use it to flesh out ideas and compose content that can be repurposed in chapters.
  • Use it to stimulate conversations with readers and get their input.
  • Use your blog to gather stories and interviews from others.
  • Use it to start building a platform of readers interested in your topic or expertise. Read More→

Blog to Book: The Secret Behind Expert Ebooks

BlogTurning a blog into a book is nothing new. There are software programs that will help you do this. Experts, however, will need a more polished ebook if they want to create credibility as a thought leader.

Unless you’re a fantastic writer in a sexy cutting edge topic, you’re not likely to be discovered and land a huge book deal just from your blog.

Sure, it’s happened and those people are “almost famous,” at least in the Blogosphere.

What I’m talking about is entirely different and it applies to professionals (doctors, lawyers, financial planners, executive coaches and all types of expertise consultants). If you’re any kind of expert, your credibility depends on a strong internet presence with content that showcases what you know, what you do, and who you do it with. Read More→

Write an Ebook: How Are Books
and Blogs Alike?

ExpertEbooks-StuartMilesHow do business bloggers write an ebook? The same way a chef creates a gourmet meal or a singer delivers a concert. One step at a time.

Anytime I think about starting a large project, however,  I start to put it off because – well, it’s just so huge! One way to go around this is to break it down to simple chunks. That’s why it’s easier for me if I think of it like blog writing…

Blog writing (and ebook writing and cooking and concerts) starts with passion, connects with an audience need, involves planning and revision, collaboration with technicians, and finally the project is delivered.

To me, writing a blog post is a micro version of ebook writing. It looks like this:

  1. As a professional, I feel a passionate drive to broadcast an important message to my readers
  2. I know the people in my audience tell me they are frustrated about something
  3. I usually write a list of solutions that help with this problem
  4. I research to find out more about this
  5. I write a new post, optimize it for keyword phrases, format it, add an image and write a catchy title
  6. I publish the blog post
  7. I update my social media sites, usually by asking people an evocative question and linking back to the blog

So what’s holding you back from writing your expert ebook? I know you have the passion, most of you have clearly defined purpose… so where do you get stuck? Read More→

6 Easy Tips to Be a Better Blog Writer

BlogWritingHow can you get to be a better, faster blog writer?

Did the job of blogging or writing fall into your lap? Or have you been a professional writer for some time, who’s now transitioned into blogging for yourself or a business?

Bloggers come from all walks of life, that’s one thing that I know for sure.

Whether you’re a professional writer or not, here are some tips on how to be more productive and efficient when it comes to writing. No blogger is safe from the pitfalls of writers’ block or lack of inspiration.

Here are a few ways that you can work on becoming a faster and better blog writer, which will in turn free up your time:

  • Set yourself up for success.  Are you easily distracted? Clear your writing space of anything that might take your mind off of the task at hand. All I need to write is my PC, a notebook, and a pen. I have to keep everything else away if I hope to get anything done.
  • Plan your content before you start. Even if it’s just jotting down a few ideas before you get started, you’ll be happy you planned ahead when it comes time to start writing. Sitting down to a completely blank canvas can be stressful. Try to come up with some ideas about what you’ll write about ahead of time. Read More→

Ghost Writers Needed: For Business Blogs Everywhere

Ghost-BloggersMany professional business blogs need ghost writers. How else can busy professionals maintain quality content and frequent publishing schedules?

What about you and your blog? How can you consistently publish on your professional business blog and never have to worry about coming up with ideas, researching facts and stats, and writing compelling, quality content that solves problems for your readers?

I’d like to tell you an easy answer, like, “All you need to do is outsource!” But it’s not at all easy to find quality ghost blog writers who understand your business and clients, is it?

Here are some other objections I hear from my blog consulting clients about outsourcing to ghost writers, along with my responses: Read More→

Why You Should Write Quality Blog Content

Best-Business-BlogQuality blog posts are key to your business getting found on the Web. While that may sound obvious – (“Of course, why would I write something ho-hum boring?”) it’s harder than you might think. Not everyone agrees on what quality content is.

Quality content scores high with readers, your target clients, and with search engines. If you want to get found, get known and get clients online, you need to write and publish quality blog posts that resonate with your readers.

There’s a lot of emphasis on publishing frequently. Most professionals and small business owners are told that once or twice weekly is a bare minimum. But none of that matters if what you write is boring, mediocre, confusing or poorly written and formatted.

What is quality content? Sure, you know it when you read it, but what are the essentials? It depends on who you’re writing for. As writer Ginny Soskey at Hubspot blog points out:

“There are lots of concrete principles of writing that can help determine the “quality” of a piece of content. Verb usage, spelling, sentence structure — these all have defined rules that, for the most part, have stayed pretty constant. It’s black and white. That is wrong; this is right. 

“Then there are the gray areas in writing. Stylistic preferences. Imagery. Storytelling.” Read More→

6 Content Marketing Rules for
Professionals on the Web

Content-Marketing-for-ProfessionalsFor busy professionals who want to get found on the Web, writing quality content that not only informs but generates business leads is a challenge. Most small businesses and professionals like doctors, psychologists and leadership coaches aren’t media or Internet experts. Many don’t even know what content marketing means.

I’m a big fan of the Content Marketing Institute and have followed its leader, Joe Pulizzi, since he first played the content marketing trombone and started leading the big parade. For any consultant and small business owner responsible for getting found online, CMI offers great advice.

Joe’s latest book, Epic Content Marketing, is a fine example. Written for both small businesses and global corporations, there are key content marketing principles to aim for. Here are six principles that anyone can and should apply to their writing, whether it be for for their business blog, e-newsletters, or e-books and websites.

I’ve taken each principle and adapted them for independent coaches and consultants, who are my ideal clients. Anytime you write content on the Web, your content should meet these principles:

  1. Fill a need. What problems do you solve for your clients? Most Internet users go online to either be entertained or educated. Your clients have challenges that you are uniquely qualified to help. Write quality content that does just that. Read More→

6 Easy Tips to Write a Blog Post in 30 Minutes

Blog-WritingCan you write a blog post and publish in under an hour? How about 20 minutes? That’s my record. But as anyone who’s ever made love knows, fast isn’t always better. And sometimes it is.

There’s usually too much for small business professionals to handle. If you want to stay on schedule, you’ve got to learn to “just do it!” and do it fast.

Here’s how I research, write, add an image, compose a compelling title, and optimize for SEO and publish a blog post in under an hour. Read More→