Working smarter rather than harder is always a good plan. Whether you are a beginner or pro, here are some blogging tips to make the process easier:
Easy Blogging Tip #1: Use Free Online Tools for Blog Topics
Any blogger knows that some days, coming up with blog topics is more difficult than others. Fortunately, there are online tools that can help.
The first tool recommendation is the “People also ask” section on a Google search result page. The section is located midway down on the results page. It lists a few related questions that trend for the subject or word searched.
For example, a search for the word “blogging” yields this as a question people also ask, “Do bloggers get paid?” A question like this sparks blog ideas quickly, such as listing ways bloggers make money. Or, a different direction is a post on blogging tips for making additional income this year.
Another online example of a site that spurs blogging ideas is Ubersuggest.com. The free version provides keywords and content suggestions for a word or topic.
Easy Blogging Tip #2: Put Your Smartphone to Use for Blogging
The first tip for using your smartphone for blogging is to record ideas. You never know when a great idea for a blog post will hit you. You probably don’t always have a pen and paper handy. It can help to make a habit of entering ideas into your phone.
Multiple apps make this a simple and quick task. The basic “Notes” app is a great example. You can also use a speech dictation app for entering ideas if that is your preference. Regardless, your smartphone is an easy way to capture ideas on the go. Accessing them the next time you sit down to create a post makes the writing process easier.
The second tip for your smartphone is to use it to actually enter blog text. You may or may not be comfortable with this suggestion. However, some very productive bloggers make this a practice. You might consider this the next time you are waiting for an oil change or sitting in the waiting room at the dentist’s office. It’s a way to increase productivity while decreasing the amount of time you are tied to a desk.
Easy Blogging Tip #3: Outline Your Post Format First
A quick way to write blog posts and stay focused is to create a format first. Start with a general headline and choose your keyword. Don’t get hung up on making the headline perfect. Use it as a placeholder to begin and refine later if necessary.
Next, create four subheadings that answer or further explain the headline topic. Four is a general suggestion for blog posts of 500-1000 words, but use more if necessary.
Formatting subheadings first helps break down a post into manageable sections. Another tip is to divide up your word count goal between the four subheadings, a brief intro, and a summary. If you write to meet the word count in each section, your goal is met by the end.
Easy Blogging Tip #4: Read a Post Aloud for the Final Edit
After doing a manual edit of a post, listen to it out loud for the final edit. Read it out loud to yourself or use a tool such as Google Translate. It’s a great way to find errors you missed in the first edit. In addition, hearing your text often reveals any tweaks needed to improve the flow of your writing.
Bonus Blogging Tip
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