By Sue Carrington
Business blogging. Everybody’s doing it. That’s because it can bring huge spikes in website traffic – as much as 55%.
Though more businesses are taking the plunge, fewer are making a splash. Why? Their blog-writing voice hasn’t “dressed for the occasion.”
Writing’s a lot like clothes. Varied venues call for varied styles. Think of the new-media dress code as crisp khakis and brightly colored polos – in short, business casual. Those who show up on the web in the old-media standard (think pinstriped suits and starched white shirts) are at the wrong event.
To find and keep readers, a business-casual blogging style is the right choice. Here are five tips:
- Choose an inviting headline. Most web readers have the staying power of butterflies. Your blog title may be your only chance to net their interest.
- Be relaxed. Keep a friendly tone. But remember: casual doesn’t mean careless. Stay true to the rules of grammar, spelling, and “sentence sense.” To stick with the clothes metaphor, no dirty jeans and tacky tees.
- Avoid worn-out buzz words. Steer clear of terms like “state of the art,” “out of bandwidth,” and “run it up the flagpole.” These “low-hanging fruits” were fresh at first, but all dried up now.
- Keep it brief. Readers typically scan first, read second – if at all. To hold their attention, the shorter the better – short words, sentences, paragraphs. “Chunk” your points with numbers or subheads for easy digestion.
- Make an emotional connection. Write honestly. Put your heart into it. Use humor and personal stories that help your reader know you.
Whatever you’re blogging about, a business-casual point of view will bring readers to your table – and keep them coming back for more.
