We all want more readers, right? What do readers want to see when they click on your posts, and how do you get that first click?
Use a Different Frontend
The main HIVE site works fine, but I much prefer the tools available at PeakD. It gives me better control over my content creation with an improved user interface and helps me make sure my posts go into the community I intend and get posted in my main blog feed, too. I can also easily save drafts and schedule posts.
Other options are available, too. I haven't tried Ecency, but it seems popular.
Use Markdown Code
HIVE posts incorporate Markdown formatting, so feel free to try out these tools to make your posts more effective. Just don't lean too heavily on the fancy stuff.
Bold
**Bold**
Italics
*Italics*
Bold Italics
***Bold Italics***
Bullet points
- Bullet points
Quote
> Quote
[Hyperlink text people read](website URL they can visit)
Strikethrough
~~Strikethrough~~
The PeakD interface includes a lot of word processor buttons which help automatically insert the proper Markdown code, but just remembering a few simple tricks like this can speed up your formatting on the fly regardless of how you post on the blockchain.
Use Images
People judge books and posts by their covers, no matter how many times they hear proverbs advising otherwise. A good picture can grab attention as people scroll their feeds. If you are sharing your own art or photography, this part is easy. If you are using someone else's image, there are pitfalls.
You thought this was a writing post? This is a fence post now. Don't have a cow! Image credit: UnSplash, pun blame: me.
Pixabay and Unsplash offer image use with highly permissive licenses allowing free use for both commercial and noncommercial applications. Attribution is not required, but always appreciated, I'm sure. Here on HIVE, though, I advise making attribution a habit and clearly identifying any content you did not create. The easiest way to credit an image like the one above is to link back to the site. Here's how I did it above:
[Image credit: UnSplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/hB9vo06o9z8)
You can also list your image credit info at the end of your post using the hyperlink code as mentioned above with something like this: Image 1 by Patrick Baum, used under the Unsplash license.
[Image 1 by Patrick Baum, used under the Unsplash license](https://unsplash.com/photos/hB9vo06o9z8)
Failure to cite sources and give credit as appropriate could be seen as plagiarism, especially in this environment with tokenized rewards. You might get followers, but the kind that downvotes your posts instead.
Use White Space
I use a dark theme for my browser, but the term "white space" still applies. A visually-appealing blog post needs to balance text, blank space, and images to be easier on the reader's eyes.
When posting for the web, double-space between paragraphs as you can see in this post. Indenting paragraphs does not work very well, and if you add too many spaces at the start of a line, Markdown defaults to the plaintext blocks I use to show how Markdown works. The length of your paragraphs depends on your content and your audience, so I would not presume to dictate that. If your content is longer, break it into sections with headings. This is how I did it here:
# Use White Space
If you use more of those hashtags pound signs, you reduce the size of the heading. This can be useful for subheadings, too, but most authors probably don't need that much structure for their blog content.
The proper number of images also depends on your purpose. A news report may only need one image, or a series of detailed charts. Your tourist blog may only need a sweeping panorama shot, or a series of snapshots along a hike.
No more wall of text, just a wall, but this one adds white space!
Explore Communities & Find Your Niche!
Write about what you like, support other authors who write what you like, and forge real connections. You'll figure out what you want to do here in due time, whether it's fiction challenges, photography contests, anecdotes about your day-to-day life, explanations of hobbies, stories from work life, new things you have learned, or whatever else floats your boat.
I haven't found my niche yet, and I've been here for years. I just write about whatever crosses my mind, so I guess that works, too. If you have questions about how HIVE works, I'm not the expert, but I can offer a few more tips if you have questions I haven't covered yet, so please comment below! I usually upvote quality replies, and occasionally distribute PIZZA and BEER tokens.
I agree that PeakD is the best general interface for the HIVE blockchain.
With the roll out of the tribal web sites, one's primary concern in choosing an interface is the canonical URL for the post.
For example, when I write a post for VYB, I will use vybrainium.com to set vybrainium.com as the canonical URL. When I tweet about my post, I always use the canonical URL.
Most of the interfaces use standard markdown. Waivio has some nice features. Waivio uses its own text editor. It also uses the term "object" instead of "tag" for some unknown reason.
iliketu.com has an interface that separates the images from the text. I think they are trying to build an image gallery. I am not really sure. Developers on HIVE are notorious about not informing the public about their goals.
Some of the tribes tweak their rewards depending on the platform. I am not completely sure about this (developers on HIVE are notorious about not educating people on their platforms). I think that LeoFinance.io gives higher rewards when people post with their platform. I am not completely sure about that claim. Other tribes might do the same.
Some of the tribal sites will not let you use community tags. Some tribes only display posts written with their site.
The decision of interface for HIVE is now quite complex. I use different interfaces depending on the community I am addressing.
Lots of good info! Full upvote and bonus !PIZZA
The interfaces are the most likely source for the new use cases that will support both HIVE and the alt-coins in the future.
Even though some of the interfaces are weak and there is a danger that the interfaces will fracture the community, I think we need to support them.
Thanks for the !pizza
I think it's beneficial to have different ways to interact with the HIVE chain. People can find what works for them while remaining connected to the same overarching community.
Upvoted because the puns hurt me XP
You're a literary masochist.
Had to learn to love it living in a house with three people who will merrily pun off each other forever.
So you have Stockholm syndrome now towards such PUNishment.
I almost forgot... !PIZZA
Great post! This is some good help. Thanks a lot!
Do you know how to do those "separators"? Have seen them every now and then, but so far no idea how to do them myself.
Keep up the great work!
Cheers,
@andy-plays
!gif thanks
@andy-plays Are you talking about these? I love them and use them religiously.
Yeah, some likes them.
Cheers,
@andy-plays
Do you mean the lines between sections, like this?
Or do you mean images people use? For that, just insert a very long, narrow image file between center tags, like this.
<center></center>Or whatever similar image you prefer, of course.
Thanks a lot. That is really helpful
That helps to improve my work! Thank you, @jacobtothe !
Cheers,
@andy-plays
Via Tenor
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thankyou jacob, that was helpful. I'd never use PeakD should i use it instead of the mainsite?
I suggest at least trying it out.
Hi, those are all great suggestions :)
But you forgot about the line code 😂
I also didn't cover
<div class=pull-left>or
<div class=pull-right>!PIZZA
Good point :) ... I wish we could have colored text!!!
!PIZZA
Maybe I should write a follow-up post with how to make left and right columns, how to insert those break lines, making tables, etc.
That's a good idea - many people don't even play with it, and to my knowledge none of the wyswyg editors here contain the linebreak.