Blogging Archives - Page 2 of 10

Write Better Headlines with This 6-Step Feedly Headline Experiment

April 16, 2018 by Jesse

What ‘s the one thing that will keep people from reading your blog post?

Boring content?

Lack of clarity?

Is it a bad website design?

Alright, times up.

Do you the know the answer?

If you guessed none of the above, then you’d be right.

Yea, the problems above can deter readers. But they will not keep people from reading what you write.

If you want to attract attention, then there’s one thing you must do: Write seductive headlines. Headlines that demand attention, compel people to action and drive massive amounts of clicks.

Your headline is the first thing people will read. It is the bait by which you lure in readers.

If your headline does not catch your reader’s eyes or whet their appetite for more, then they’ll move on.

What makes a headline irresistible? Ever wonder why some headlines are better than others? What makes some headlines irresistible and others fall flat?

More importantly, ever dream of actually writing headlines that clothesline people and then flings them into your article so they read every word of it?

Fortunately, there are some rules we can learn with a quick and dirty headline experiment that involves you, Feedly, and about 90 minutes of your time.

Are 90 minutes of your time worth learning how to write proven methods in writing headlines? If so, keep reading.

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Plan 90 Days of Blog Posts in Only 15 Minutes

November 22, 2017 by Kyle Young 5 Comments

Do you ever struggle to think of your next blog post idea? Do you ever arrive at your computer ready to write, only to spend the next 30 minutes staring at a blank screen, or straining to produce a few rambling paragraphs you’ll just delete later?

This article will help you to plan your next 90 days of blog posts faster than you probably think is even possible.

But for this system to work, you must first choose the transformation you want your readers to achieve in the next 90 days.

Think of your blog like a paid product. What promise can you make your readers if they do everything you tell them?

You don’t need to share this promise publicly, but having one is foundational to the system we’ll use to plan out your next 90 days of content.

Try to think of a promise that is easy to understand, measurable (readers will know if they succeeded or not), compelling, and doable in 90 days.

For example, “I want to help the moms who read my blog fully potty train their kids.”

Or, “I want to help the writers who read my blog finish a complete book outline.”

What will you help your readers accomplish in the next 90 days? Once you have that figured out, there are five types of blog posts you should start writing.

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The Newbie’s Guide to Becoming a Better Writer

May 4, 2017 by Jesse 2 Comments

Writing.

It’s an innate desire most people have.

In fact, previous research revealed that 81% of Americans believe they “have a book in them.”

Not only do most people desire to write a book. Many people write books every year. In fact, nearly 1.5 million books (new titles and non-traditional) were published in 2013.

Writing is like being hungry.

It is a desire you cannot satisfy until you fulfill its cravings.

“Writing is like a ‘lust,’ or like ‘scratching when you itch,’” remarked C.S. Lewis during his final interview. He went on to say, “Writing comes as a result of a very strong impulse, and when it does come, I for one must get it out.”

Do you have a compelling desire to write?

Is there a story begging to get out of you?

Do you have an idea that you cannot but help share?

If so, what’s holding you back?

There are many obstacles and excuses that can keep us from moving forward. But the main reason many of us don’t place our thoughts on paper is because of fear.

The fear of not being able to express ourselves well. The fear of not having something worth sharing. The fear of someone else’s opinion.

For many years, I wrestled with a tremendous fear of writing.

Today, I still fight this fear.

Every time I sit down to write, edit. or publish anything, I have to punch fear in the face.

My ability to overcome my fear wasn’t something I planned to do. It was something that accidentally happened over the years.

After reflecting upon my experience, there are two essential lessons I learned. Lessons you cannot afford to miss.

There are many writing tips you can use to help you develop your abilities. But the two lessons below must be embraced on your journey to becoming a better writer.

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8 Practical and Proven Ways You Can Get More Views on Your Medium Blog

May 1, 2017 by Kyle Young Leave a Comment

Every new blogger has the exact same problem.

No one. Reads. Our stuff.

Once you have a little attention, you have something to build on. People start talking, and the rest is history.

But those first thousand readers are tough.

If you’re smart, you’ll start with who you know; but for most of us, that well runs dry at around 100 folks.

So where do you go from there?

One great option is a website called Medium.

Medium is a massive community with thousands of bloggers and millions of readers.

I’ve attracted hundreds of new readers to my blog by posting on Medium. It’s easy and fun. So in this post, I’ll show you how to do it too.

First things first, I’ll teach you the basics — how to create an account and start posting.

If you already know that stuff, click here to jump to hyperspace (you’ll pop out for the advanced strategies further down this post).

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How I Overcame My Fear of Writing (and How You Can, Too)

April 20, 2017 by Jesse 1 Comment

“Ma’am, can you please pass me?”

I muttered these words sheepishly under my breath while my senior high English teacher looked at me with a contorted face.

After these words left my mouth with a lack of confidence, there was a long moment of silence fit for a memorial.

While looking down at her desk — apparently trying to avoid making eye contact — she began shuffling some papers around, placing them neatly on the right-hand corner of her desk.

My hands began to sweat and my heart race. “If I don’t pass, then I have to go to summer school. If I have to go to summer school, then I can’t play football in the summer at college,” was the line of reasoning racing through my head.

As each second passed by if felt like an hour. I was beginning to lose all hope.

But then, against all hope, I was pardoned as a free man, set free from my failing grade — though I was guilty of not applying myself.

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Blogging Course: 5 Days to Writing Blog Posts that Demand Attention

April 10, 2017 by Jesse Leave a Comment

Getting someone’s attention is no joke.

We battle a slew of distractions every day. Whether we’re at home or work, on our phone, tablet, or laptop, we swim in a sea of information.

We’re checking emails, fiddling with our phones, and surfing the web on a regular basis.

Now, if you think about the people you want to reach with your message. The same people who are checking their phones, listening to music, and doing whatever they do, how do you plan on getting their attention?

Will you pull a publicity stunt?

Write a prolific guest post?

Create a viral video?

These tactics may garner short-term interest. But what if I told you the way you win someone’s long-term attention is not by focusing on getting their attention? Would you think I’m trying to pull some sort of reverse psychology tactic on you?

Think again.

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How to Boldly Sell Your Own Products

April 4, 2017 by Kyle Young 4 Comments

Selling isn’t hard. You do it every day.

You’ve sold your friends on Stranger Things, that new Mexican restaurant, the shoes you’re wearing that are soooo comfortable, the video game with the amazing graphics.

Selling is not only easy, it’s natural. When we discover something awesome, we automatically want to share the good news. (This is one reason why funny videos go viral.)

But there is one exception. One tripwire that snares the confidence of people with something to share.

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How to Write a Brilliant Long Sentence

December 17, 2015 by DemianF 25 Comments

Our world is full of useful guidelines on how to write for the web. Sensible, everyday guidelines. But, over time, we morph those guidelines into laws. Unbreakable rules that spoil the fun. Sour the adventure.

Take writing short sentences, for instance.

It’s a useful guideline. Full of benefits. Meant to be inviting. Easy on the eyes. Breezy for the brain. Certainly the short sentence is a boon in this mean, cold world. Where a busy reader is likely to give your humdinger of a headline a once-over, your first line a second glance, then disappear.

Forever.

But the short sentence can become boring. Breathtakingly boring. It can become repetitive. Monotonous. Monotone. Routine. And dry. Which frustrates the reader.

See, there comes a moment in every article or sales letter where all that tension building up behind those cute, compact, and simple sentences (you know, those one-subject, one-verb constructions, with an occasional direct object thrown in if the writer is feeling frisky) must be released.

In fact, there is a secret tradition between you and the reader which says short sentences promise a surprise is on the way. Some goodie. A toy in the cereal box. But tease the reader too long and she checks out.

That’s where the long sentence enters. That sometimes complex and strange construction winding its way through your paragraphs.

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