The basics on how to write blog posts, for those with no experience.

2. How to Blog

3. Blog Structure
 Title*
 Introduction
 Picture
 Body
 Conclusion
*On average, 8 out of 10 people will read a title, but only 2 out of 10
will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of your title, and
why it so important to your blog post.

4. Common Blog Post Types
 How-To
 Personal Experience
 Opinion
 Review
 Problem Solving
 List

5. How-To Posts

6. How-To Posts
1. Brainstorm the steps from start to finish
2. Introduce your topic
3. Instruct by filling in the steps
 Be descriptive, specific, and detailed
 Include examples
4. Consider visuals
5. Conclude

7. Personal Experience Posts

8. Personal Experience Posts
1. Use a hook - A ―hook‖ is your opener. It’s the
attention-getter, the question or quote that
immediately hooks your listener or reader. The more
off-the-wall or mysterious, the better.
2. Tell the story - A story has natural momentum to it. If
you simply state what happened in chronological
order (many people actually neglect doing this), you
will captivate your audience.

9. Personal Experience
3. Reflect - Many people seem to tell stories just to tell them. But when
you start asking whypeople share (and listen to) stories, often there is
an objective. A reason. It may be to encourage or inspire or cause you
to think differently. But still there is purpose to the telling.
 At the end of your story, take a moment to reflect on what you shared. Answer
any questions you’ve raised:
 Why is this relevant?
 What’s the moral or point?
 Who is this message for?
 Help us, the audience, understand what we’re supposed to get from the story.
 In the reflection, you must resolve any questions or conflicts that were raised.
This is, essentially, your conclusion. Your resolution.
 This can be a great opportunity to revisit your hook. Wrap up with a mention of
your attention-getter or a restatement of a quote, interesting fact, etc.

10. Opinion Posts

11. Opinion Posts
 Track the news and jump at opportunities. Timing is essential.
When an issue is dominating the news – whether it’s a war, a
typhoon or just the latest controversy on a reality television show
– that’s what readers want to read and op-ed editors want to
publish. Whenever possible, therefore, link your issue explicitly
to something happening in the news.
 Make a single point - well. You cannot solve all of the world's
problems in one blog post. Be satisfied with making a single
point clearly and persuasively. If you cannot explain your
message in a sentence or two, you're trying to cover too much.
 Put your main point on top. You have no more than 10
seconds to hook a busy reader, so you must get to the point and
convince the reader that it's worth his or her valuable time to
continue.

12. Opinion Posts
 Tell readers why they should care. Put yourself in the place of
the busy person looking at your article. At the end of every few
paragraphs, ask out loud: "So what? Who cares?" You need to
answer these questions. Will your suggestions help reduce
readers' taxes? Protect them from disease? Make their children
happier? Explain why. People want to know ―What’s in it for me?‖
 Offer specific recommendations. An opinion article is not a
news story that simply describes a situation; it is your opinion
about how to improve matters. Don't be satisfied, as you might in
a school paper, with mere description. In an opinion article you
need to offer recommendations. How exactly should the problem
be fixed? You'll need to do more than call for "more research!" or
suggest that opposing parties work out their differences.

13. Opinion Posts
 Showing is better than discussing. We remember colorful
details better than dry facts. When writing an opinion article, look
for great examples that will bring your argument to life.
 Avoid jargon. If a technical detail is not essential to your
argument, don't use it. When in doubt, leave it out. Simple
language doesn't mean simple thinking; it means you are being
considerate of readers who lack your expertise and are sitting
half-awake at their breakfast table or computer screen.
 Use the active voice. Don't write: "It is hoped that the
government will ..." Instead, say "I hope the government will …"
Active voice is nearly always better than passive voice. It's easier
to read, and it leaves no doubt about who is doing the hoping,
recommending or other action.

14. Review Post

15. Review Posts
 Review posts offer an informed opinion about a
particular product or service.
 Structure:
 Overview—what’s included, how much it costs, and so on
 The Good—mention the two or three aspects that were most
enjoyable or useful to you
 The Bad—write about what didn’t work so well – this adds credibility,
especially if you’re an affiliate for the product / service
 Verdict—should your readers buy the product / service?
 Variation:
 ―X vs Y‖ Often, readers will be struggling to choose between
two similar products or companies. A comparative review
helps them make up their mind.

16. Problem Solving Post

17. Problem Solving Introduction
Have you ever tried to ___________? If so, you'll know
that it's difficult because
___________________________. So what do you do?
Many people have found success by
___________________. But there are a few things you
should know before you ___________ to
____________. This post will tell you what you need to
know to make sure you ____________________ that
will let you successfully ________________.

18. Problem Solving Body
 If you're looking for a _____________, the best method to
ensure you end up with something that lets you
_________________ is by looking for these things:
 Make sure your ____________ lets you _______________. If it
doesn't, you'll have trouble ___________.
 Ensure your ___________ has a ____________ so you can
____________.
 Any good ______________ should let you _____________. This
is important because _________________.
 While not necessary, some great bonus features of a great
_____________ are __________, ____________, and
_______________.

19. Problem Solving Conclusion
Now that you know ________________, you're
ready to __________________ without worrying
_______________.

20. List Post

21. List Post
 What is a list post?
 A list post gives a number of reasons, secrets,
types, or ways something will work.
 Why is it effective?
 It makes a very specific promise of what’s in store
for the reader. (They know what they will get)

22. List Post Examples
 Do You Recognize the 7 Early Warning Signs
of High Blood Pressure?
 People love to get a ―heads up‖ on potential problems.
 10 Ways to Beat the High Cost of Living
 A great way to deliver suggestions.
 Five Familiar Skin Troubles
 Identify with your readers by discussing problems you know they are
having, and they just might determine that you are the right solution.
 Six Types of Worker — Which One Are You?
 Let your readers self-identify themselves by providing categories they
will likely fall into. People love it when they can focus on themselves.

23. List Post Examples
 How to Give Your Children Extra Iron — These
3 Delicious Ways
 This is a ―how to‖ post mixed in with a list.
 12 Secrets for Surviving High School
 People love learning things that they think most other people don’t
know.

24. Keep working at it!
Thank you!