Brenda's Top 5 Blogging Tips

My job requires a lot of writing and while I have no problem putting together a good email, when it comes to blogging I freeze up. Maybe it's the stress of having your writing out in public or maybe it's the intimidation of working alongside some of the sharpest writers/editors in the business. Whatever the case, these blogging tips and best practices give me the tools (aka confidence) to blog. I hope they'll help with your blogging hurdles. Better yet, I hope they'll make your post stand out so it's picked to be featured on Shine. :)

There are gazillion great blogging tips out there but these ones spoke to me. What blogging tips work for you?

1. Give your reader a gift. Try to offer a little gift with every post you write. It could be a personal tip, a lesson you learned, a link to a great website or product, or even a review. The key is making your reader feel like they walked away with something so they'll keep coming back.

2. Be clear and concise. There's a running debate that posts should be a certain length but I find it's more useful to keep in mind that your reader only has a finite amount of time to spend on your post. Be conscientious of that time by staying focused and doing your best not to ramble on.

3. Be yourself. You probably hear this advice all the time, but there's a reason why it bears repeating. Readers can instantly tell if you're not being genuine. The only way to come across truthfully is to blog in your own words. This applies to topic selection too. No one says you have to write about politics if fashion is really your passion.

4. Stay approachable. Use the comment area to answer questions and to thank users for coming to your post. Start up a conversation with your readers - friendliness goes a long way in establishing relationships and building a fan base. And if you made a mistake, own up to it. Whether it's a misspelled word or an incorrect statement your readers will appreciate the honesty.

5. Put your best foot forward. Your blog is an extension of yourself so make it presentable. Check for misspellings and punctuation errors. If you don't have a willing partner to look your post over then try putting it away for an hour and looking at it again with fresh eyes. The beauty about blogging on Shine is that you can always go back to fix your errors but isn't it better to get it right the first time?

Happy Blogging!