Are you a brand new PR student who has never dabbled with writing a blog? Don’t worry, I was in the same place just a year ago. Though I still struggle with all the new things popping up in the world of Social Media and PR, I can still say….I’ve come a long way, baby! If I can do it, anyone can. Here’s a list of my top ten tips if you’re just getting started. Some of these are all my own, and some were tips that I read in similar blogs when I was just getting started.
1. Stay true to yourself. You aren’t writing for someone else. There’s a subject that you feel you have some experience in and you’ve got something to say. You can get ideas from others, but ultimately your blog has to reflect who you are and how you communicate with others.
2. Credit your source. This one is so important. It does matter where you got it from. If it is a truly original idea, or a new take on an old idea…give credit where credit is due. If you don’t, you might get blacklisted among other bloggers. Be credible and do what is right!
3. Decide what your focus will be and stick to it. It could be PR. It might even be sewing. Whatever it is, if you write about it, it should tie in with your primary subject. This is the only way people who are also interested can find you. Also, if you write about your Granny’s dog, and you can’t tie it into your quilting blog, then put it on your facebook and leave it off of the blog. However, a creative person can usually tie in the things that are important to them.
4. Use AP Style correctly. This means to check, check and then check again. My advice is that you buy the newest AP Style book (2010) and Use It!
5. Participate in other blogs with a similar focus. If you do, they may come and check your blog out. Also, you can link to other like-minded bloggers. It gives your readers other avenues of information, and you’ll develop a following of readers and bloggers alike.
6. Check out new social media. It can be filled with new ideas and hot topics.
7. Invite comments and make it easy to comment. Remember, interaction is the name of the game.
8. Add pictures–don’t be boring. Just remember to give credit for others pictures that you use.
9. If you’re not sure what someone is talking about, google it. It may seem strange to you out there who have been participating in every social media as it came on the scene. However, I am new to this and when I was assigned articles on Twitter and a podcast….I didn’t know what either one of them were. So, I googled them. I have fallen in love with the podcast, and I would have missed out on many things that I like if I hadn’t discovered it and its meaning.
10. Keep It Clean. This is probably the most important tip that I can give you. Even if something is deleted from a site, it can still float around the Internet for years. Be careful what you write, it probably will come back to haunt you!
These are just a few tips that have been helpful to me. For more about writing, look at Gena’s post. Another interesting article for new bloggers can be found on Jorn Barger’s site.
