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Effective Blog Posting
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1. First, tell the reader what you are going to discuss.  This accomplishes two things: one, it keeps you focused; and, two, it helps your reader gauge relevance right away. (hint: search engines like this too for indexing)
2. Next, explain why the post is relevant or important.  You don’t want to just ramble on without any purpose.  Helping your reader understand why something is important to them is a terrific gift.
3. Finally, close with a call to action.  Is there something specific you would like the reader to do with this information now?  Call you? Leave a comment? Share with others?  This will really depend on your post, but a call to action is critical if you intend on creating dialog or moving the discussion in a new direction.

And remember, blog posts don’t need to be long & professionally written.  The more you relax and let the ideas flow, the more comfortable you’ll get and the better your writing will become.

What others rules or guidelines do you apply to blogging?  What’s your approach?  Follow me on Twitter and let me know!

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1. How to Start an Effective Blog for Free (Video)
2. Seven Elements of an Effective Blog to Drive Traffic, Engage Customers and Stay Organized (Video)
3. Website Design Techniques for Effective Landing Pages