5 Journalist Tricks to Help You Create Epic Blog Posts

in #writing6 years ago (edited)

Even if you aren't posting news on Steemit, take a few tried and true reporting tricks to capture your reader's attention.

Journalists must get noticed. If their headline doesn't grab an audience they will be replaced - there are a lot of hungry writers eager for a chance.

That's why they use a variety of techniques and strive to deliver information that the public needs and wants. They are in the business of getting noticed, and here are five proven techniques you can consume to boost your blog posts, get noticed, and amplify your following.

Get the Scoop

If you want to get noticed you are going to have to get your hands dirty. Do some digging. Advanced Google Search is a great resource to find information. By utilizing search operators you can find information "hidden" within a website.

Take advantage of site search functions to improve the quality of your search. Learn how in this easy guide.

Remember to always triple check your information for legitimacy- research, research, research!

Focus on Your Reader

What does your audience want? If your readers are into sports and technology, not many will care what the Kardashians did last night unless Kim purchased the Red Sox or Khloe invented a new form of communication. You captured your audience by writing what you know and by having a lot in common with them. In order to keep your audience and introduce new subjects, they need to intersect.

Write for one person. Think about your audience and create one member who encompasses their likes and needs. Picture this reader, down to their hair color and clothing style, and imagine him or her every time you write.

Capture Attention With a Powerful Title

If the title of your post is boring, the reader will assume the content is boring. Play around with wording until your title is catchy! Thesaurus is your friend!

I cannot stress the importance of your title enough. It will make or break your blog post!

Keep Up With Trends

You don't have to be pop culture paparazzi, but you do need to know what's going on to be a successful writer online. A quick scan of headlines a couple times a week is sufficient, and you can delve deeper into subjects that are related to your niche. Google Trends is a great resource for learning what the world is talking about right now, and you can narrow it down to a subject or one region or nation, compare topics, and even get keyword ideas.

Consider creating a Google Alert to notify you daily with reports on your topic of interest.

Not Just a Blogger

Your posts need to answer the 5 W's- Who, What, Where, When and Why. Your job as a blogger is to present information, solve problems and answer questions, and make your readers lives easier.

And you need to do it in an entertaining way.

You must craft stories that are creative and compel the public into becoming regular readers and supporters of your blog. Become a good storyteller and you will accomplish these goals and set yourself up for a successful career.


These strategies will make your job easier and cement you as a powerful blogger who presents solid information that readers know they can trust.

Think of yourself as a journalist covering the story and not just a blog writer, and your readers will never want to miss a post.


Most importantly write with passion and write often.

Images via Creative Commons and Giphy




I appreciate your support :)

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A worthy read.
Thanks.

Glad it is helpful! Thank you for reading <3

Thank you AK, hope life is good in your corner of the world ! I learn everyday here thanks to people like yourself who know stuff sharing the stuff they know with people like me who know nowt ! Its what I love here.
You mentioned write often, practise helps with making the words flow easier ?
I was chatting with someone last night, and we both agreed the most difficult thing was organising your thoughts and getting them down. I am very random in my thinking and leap about topics, do you have any tips please ?

Absolutely! I welcome questions!

Tips to Organizing Your Thoughts

  1. Decide on the topic
  2. Outline- write the key points you wish to convey
  3. Write your post, and be sure you touch on each of the points
  4. Don't publish yet! Step away for a few, and go do something else, then come back and read what you wrote. You will find that with fresh eyes, you may have missed something.
  5. Keep a notebook with you, everywhere you go. Even by your bed at night. Ideas can, and do, come anytime! Refer to your notebook when you are stuck or need ideas :)

Hope this helps!

It does thank you, and the notebook I do already. I've actually just started dictating into my phone too and I'm hopefully going to put together a real article this week based on some old notes. I've also posted 3 days on the trot now so I'm trying to get into the habit!
Thanks again :-)

Sweet! And that is the best thing to do- post every day. It will train your brain to organize your thoughts and get them down :)

This post is not only incredibly helpful, but after having a quick peruse through some of the others linked at the bottom, I'm wondering why the hell I haven't found you before! Beguiling, informative and stimulating content all around. I'm looking forward to following your posts!

Where have you been, Donny?!

It is a pleasure to meet you, and thank you! I am happy you found inspiration :)

Some great tips for newbie bloggers and reminders for the more established.

I agree, writing to your avatar, your ideal reader is key and keeps you on track instead of trying to be all things to all people...

Oh and walk away before you hit post come back, tweak and then press post :)

That is the phrase I was looking for: Ideal Reader!

Thank you!

You are but one person, and although you may feel like you should be called "Superman(woman)" at times, depending on where you are in life and family, you cannot be everything to everyone :)

Happy to help :)

You are but one person, and although you may feel like you should be called "Superman(woman)" at times, depending on where you are in life and family, you cannot be everything to everyone :)

Perfectly put :)

This is one of the best things I’ve read on Steemit in a while. Your advice is spot on, particularly the piece about how important a good title is. I would add that if a person wants to build their credibility, they need to make sure their title is catchy and accurate — and not just click bait.

Thanks for sharing!

Good point- no bait and switch! Dishonest practices such as this will only hurt you and make untrustworthy.

Thank you!

Don't publish yet! Step away for a few, and go do something else, then come back and read what you wrote. You will find that with fresh eyes, you may have missed something.

This actually helps! haha thanks! this is a very informative post. followed, upvote, resteemed and commented! best of luck! :)

I'm so happy to hear that it helps!

Thank you! And it's a pleasure meeting you!

When I was a child, there were DIY for kids shows on TV.

Now kids, we are folding the paper like this, here, we have the folded one...

I just look at the paper in my hand...the unfolded. I don't have the already folded one...I have a shapeless wrinkeled something instead...

But then, I learned to fold not by reading or by watching but by trying.
All the information you give are so precious and I have to try many times to have the correctly folded paper...

Thank you for showing a way.

Stay positive.

FD.

There are three types of learners- audio, visual and kinesthetic. Kin's learn by doing. I am one as well :) I can watch and hear all day long and not learn a thing, but once I get my hands on it I have it forever.

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Whoa those search operators are next level. I'm really excited to see what I can dig out with those. Cheers crypto fam

Sweet! I am happy to help :)

Cheers!

the cat is funny comrade .. i like to post your friend

Much appreciation :)

yes friends friends please help my blog entry once my friend is good yes

Woww amiga excelente post y gran aporte, un saludo desde Venezuela y mucha suerte para tu blog:)

¡Saludos para ti! Gracias por su amabilidad :)

por nada amiga, seria de gran ayuda que pasara por mi blog:)

Thanks for sharing, some good quality content ! I have a question though, how did you make the animations at the bottom, they are so good ! I am trying to figure this out myself, but so far - no luck. I would appreciate a hint :)

Thank you so much!

Lets chat in Discord, I will show you how to get the animations :)

I'm trying to learn these tricks with posting. I want to be seen, so I am scratching my head thinking how to make that happen. I noticed even my novel had a slow start. I needed to step it up a notch, so I did (I hope, lol)
Love catching your posts.

Edit on that last comment: Your paragraph sizes are fine in Chapter 7, the one I looked at. But you must double space in between paragraphs so there is white space between to make it easier on the eye :)

Gotcha, :-) am doing a practice run with the editing on this chapter. I am shocked what a difference just doing that did to it. I truly appreciate all this :-)

You are very welcome! I am happy to help!

Stay tuned for a contest I am hosting for my 4000K milestone, you are part of the inspiration :)

Oh cool :-) . I also went through and edited chapter 6. I just wish I had used the photo in 6-7 in the rest. Just learning as I go.

The community is forgiving ;) You know the support and encouragement here is second to none- and the absolute best online platform to stretch your writing wings :) Do you belong to any writers groups or workshops here?

None as of yet. Usually I'm not even online till late evening. I am taking some much needed break from work. My plans and hopes are to improve my skills here, and be able to turn my writing into a new career. I used to write poetry to friends, sometimes to myself and wrote mini stories. Sadly I never kept them in my moves here 21 yrs ago.

Would you mind a little helpful advice on Daddy's Little Killer? From one writer to another?

Yes please :-) This is pretty much my trial run. So I know how to do better with next one :-)

The first thing I noticed is you need more white space.

Reading is hard on the eye. Break up your paragraphs into much smaller chunks with a white space in between- look at any of mine. The first thing a publisher does when they receive a manuscript is look to see if there is plenty of white space. If not, they don't even try to read it- no lie.

White space is very important!

Lol wow, I thought I was putting too much. I was told not to put too much in posts, but maybe it depends on what it is about?

Ok, going to edit the one I just did, as a learning thing :-)

awesome, just want to try your trick as well, as a seaman I do always writing as much as possible, than always I hold on before share on. and surprisely somemore idea cames out, that aweful!,
but sometime I That idea suddenly is gone too, hehe its weird.
crassian for sharing your tricks @arbitrarykitten

The moment you get an idea- write it down! Even if it's a great one you tell yourself you'd never forget, write id down just in case!

Thanks for sharing, it was very helpful. Xx

Good, I am so happy to hear that!

Great points, plenty that I need to hear. I just need to transcribe my storytelling skills into typed form. It's different in person. Thank you for the tips!

Yes, very. What types of stories do you tell?

Life stories, lol!

Those are the best kind, I'm going to check out your work :)

Well thank you :)

I think that capture the attention with a amazing title is one of that many people have lack... I saw very good posts don't have any attention because the writer don't have the feeling of create an amazing title that makes the wow! I need to read that! in their audience.
By the way, thanks for sharing @arbitrarykitten.

That's exactly it! You must have a title that grabs them!

Thank you for reading, Rob! You have a new follower :)

the problem is, my activity to busy as a deckhand on ship, i cant brought phone on, and i didn't write it when ideas came out

Can you get a pocket voice recorder and say your thoughts into in whenever you get them on the ship?

Thanks for this! As a someone new to blogging this was very helpful.

Hopefully you're not being bombarded with too many questions at the moment, because I have one.

A problem I've run into though is that I have trouble thinking of things to write. How do you come up with ideas for your posts?

I always have time for questions :)

Me personally, well I have a few things I write about a lot. Like writing- I know a lot about it so I can teach. And Steemit, I post a lot of helpful tips and advice on how to succeed on this platform. I also write about my rescue efforts- I operate a home rescue for severely abused cats and kittens. And I am a relationship and life/motivation columnist and coach.

So pick one or two topics you are passionate about. You don't have to be an expert- you just have to be able to talk about them all the time :) Stuff you love so much you would write about for free- that is what you will blog here.

I get ideas for my topics from my real life, stuff people are talking about in the news, Google Trends every once in a while if I'm really stuck... But mainly if I need inspiration I read Steemit posts. True story! There is so much inspiration and talent here it's unreal! Sometimes I get an idea from a post, and sometimes from a comment!

BTW... Super cute cat.

lol, thank you!

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". . . write with passion and write often." Yes yes yes. Excellent post!

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@arbitrarykitten
This was a useful and inspirational article. I think the main reason people don't really put the extra work into blog-posts here are that they are afraid no one will see their hard work. So instead of posting 1 "epic article", they stress the posting of 10 or 20 "not so epic posts" (like posts with a pic from google and rewritten encyclopedia article), and unfortunately the later method seem to be paying off... Maybe I am wrong but this is my conclusion?

"You are only as good as the last piece you published."

This is very true. Whenever you write for the web (and remember- it is there forever) you will be judged by the quality of your work. The ones who are truly succeeding here, the ones who have been here a while and have ten thousand followers, are the ones who write original content that is compelling, and they are also consistent- the audience sees if you are someone who consistently puts out a great read, someone who they can count on, and will reward you accordingly by becoming loyal supporters.

You must build a strong and honest foundation for your "house" to stand strong through it all, if you catch my meaning ;)

You have obviously been here longer then me, and I agree about the strong foundation, and yeah maybe by working your ass off in the comment section or investing in steem/steem power this foundation can be built. And I also want to belive in quality over quantity.

But there is a huge influx of newbies/minnows/planktons here now and good content gets buried really really quick, I have seen loads of really good fresh content with original photos and genuine and funny writing, but they don't have hardly any attention or upvotes, and I believe these authors might just give up after 10 articles or so... (Giving way for spammy content)...=(

This should be adressed, because it is going to be harder and harder and harder to "come up" here on steemit the more new members join. And people who actually tried to be serious are going to leave to other platforms and they are going to say that steemit is not worth the hassle.
Maybe I am missing something here? But this is what I noticed lately...
Thank you for being awesome!!! Bye bye!!! =)