14 MORE blog improvement ideas!
January 11, 2010 at 12:50 pm | Posted in social media | 8 CommentsTags: blog, blog post, blog success, blogger, blogging, blogs, bolding, capitalisation, cliche, client, colon, company name, copywriter, customer, date format, duck shooting, feedback, optimisation, optimization, rabbit, social media, subtitle, T-shirt, wabbit, wabbit season, YouTube
Pic by ME! 
By Jove, I just did another blog analysis! (Earlier analysis here.)
Once again, many of my ideas were client specific (and of course confidential).
The rest are yours.
- ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in the banner is harder to read than Title Case and looks like ‘SHOUTING’ to some readers.
- The pic of the tree is pretty, but it doesn’t suggest a benefit for clients or a link to you. How about a pic of your products in action, in situ?
- The headers for the articles have varying capitalisation (Title Case and Sentence case). While this is a minor point, highly educated clients may find it distracting.
- Australians may prefer a Day/Month/Year format to the current American one.
- ‘Comment’ is simpler and shorter than ‘Add Your Comments Here’. The fewer words we use, the more info we impart.
- A relevant image at the top of each article would showcase your gear and make the blog much more interesting to readers.
- I had trouble understanding your company’s structure due to the varying names. It’d be good to have one long version and one short version and to use them consistently. Failing that, spell out what’s what at the start, so readers like me don’t feel stupid or waste time trying to figure it out instead of reading your content.
- Body copy capitalisation is also highly irregular. Unless corrected, this will erode your brand in the minds of some readers.
- Clichés kill interest faster than a road train wipes wabbits. Therefore, use your ‘natural voice’ to replace phrases like ‘110% effort’, ‘our dynamic team’ and ‘all this and much much more’. Doing so will make you appear human (and therefore, by implication, reasonable and trustworthy). And if your competitors don’t follow suit, you’ll open up an important point of difference in a homogenous market.
- I can’t see any tags, categories or keywords. You said your main site SEO gives you Google Page 1. What about this blog?
- A Bolded Subtitle doesn’t need a colon too.
- ‘Single quotes’ do the same thing (in less space) as “double quotes”.
- The wind energy article is great. This is another point-of-difference opportunity. Especially these days.
- YouTube is now massive. Some embedded videos of your products in action would be great. Especially for Gen Y and younger audience members.
Hope you dig. Let me know!
Paul Hassing, Founder and Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire.
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This is some awesome high-end advice Paul. As an editor myself, I know that though these tips sound off the cuff, they represent considerable hard won knowledge. As usual, many thanks for the share.
Comment by adamnrave— January 11, 2010 #
Thank you, Adam. As you’re often MY editor, I greatly value your comment.
I’ve decided 2010 is The Year of Giving Dangerously.
I’ve spent decades acquiring expertise. Now I’m going to see just how far I can throw it.
FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!
Comment by paulhassing— January 11, 2010 #
Great tips Paul.
One question I have is about videos. Why the focus on Gen Y?
Comment by Susan Oakes— January 11, 2010 #
Thank you, Susan; good question! My reading to date suggests that Gen Y and younger audiences ‘demand’ video content if they’re to take an organisation seriously.
My reading is also far from finished. So if you (or anyone – especially Gen Ys) feel I’m generalising on this point, I’d LOVE you to set me straight.
Comment by paulhassing— January 11, 2010 #
I suspect also that it’s a question of learning styles. Having grown up with the technology, Gen Yers expect visual or multimedia data. Whether they actually absorb more or better data from visual sources is an open question. Gen Xers (like me) are happy enough with text-based communication. In some respects, text cuts to the chase without the branding histrionics of visual comms. These are sweeping statements, of course, but there’s plenty of scholarly literature out there in communications journals. Good luck!
Comment by adamnrave— January 12, 2010 #
I’m with Adam, though I realise I need more proof. But what he said is in sync with my experience and learning thus far. Adam has a real talent for summing up. Thanks, Mate!
Comment by paulhassing— January 12, 2010 #
Hi
Last week I didn’t even have a file on blogging tips, this week its on overflow, gathering momentum and moving forward. Now that was simple and easy.
Thanks for sharing
Comment by Ensha Reiya— January 11, 2010 #
That’s great to hear, Ensha. I’m frankly stunned at how fast this has come together.
When my job ad writing work declined during the GFC, I spent hundreds of hours learning and experimenting with social media to reskill myself for the recovery which has now begun.
Now this new knowledge is just pouring out every time I sit down to do a post. Better out than in, I reckon!
Last night, Bob Hawke (former Australian Prime Minister, for our overseas friends) said that one of his main pieces of advice to young people is to keep learning all through life. I think he’s right.
I’m glad you’re getting some benefit, Ensha and I’m very happy to see you in this forum. Best regards, P.
Comment by paulhassing— January 12, 2010 #