Before you post on your Blog, here's five principles that may help you get more views, readers and comments, and (no promises), featured on Active Rain!
First off, put some thought and effort into your posts. There are so many things you can write about IE: your business, events, personal experiences, travel, technology, other members, the Market etc.
If you invest a small amount of time "thinking" about your post and your readers, their perceptions and what you are trying to get across, the better your posts will be.
Don't knock yourself out, and remember, you'll never know what kind of response you'll get until you just "Go For It!" This is how you will learn, grow, and improve your Blogging Skills.
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 This is very important! Look at it like the HEADLINES of your newspaper, or like the subject line of your email, it will determine if your readers are going to open it and read it or not. Coming up with a good title, is often times over-looked and under-estimated. Put some time into creating a title that "GRABS" the readers attention, but is also on course with your subject! If readers like your title, they will at least breeze through your post.
 Make sure you DON'T create posts that are 1000 or more words, all clumped together on one page! Very few will read it! Your post needs to be pleasing to the eye, and easy to read! Follow this rule of thumb (in my humble opinion), never have more than 3-5 lines of text before you have a paragraph break. I know this isn't what we learned in our grammar school English class, but for Blogging, it 's acceptable.
 It's unlikely that you'll get any value from your posts that are only 25 words or less. You need to be able to engage your readers without teasing them in a short post, or boring them with a long one. You'll find your way, it does take time. Understand that other readers, viewers and members can tell a lot about you by your posts. Your intelligence, your intentions, and your personality. I would also use the spell-check on AR, we all make typos, but there's a tool here to help you minimize them in your posts.
 This is essential in creating a good post and more importantly, creating returning viewers. This is more important than points, comments, or any other compulsive things that may cause you to Blog on Active Rain. Content must look, feel, and flow smoothly, but also take your readers to a final ultimatum. They'll either just read it, or read it and comment. Ultimately, you want them to also subscribe to your Blog and add you as an associate!!
 These are items to help enhance the view and attract-ability to your post. Photos and graphics tend to set a mood and often times can engage a reader even more. BE CAREFUL, you don't want to over do it here. Also the size of your photos and graphics should be proportionate to your text and content. Use Links to other members, topic related materials, and any other useful articles or websites to increase your "Exchange In Value" on your post. Same with bolding, underlining and italicizing text, important, but use in moderation.
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TIP: Make your profile page your "BEST POST OF ALL!" When someone reads one of your post for the first time, often they will go to your profile page to read and learn a little more about you. I suggest making it like a website! Detailed information, links, testimonies, useful bookmarks, and photos or multimedia. You want to have "stickiness" on your profile, just as you would your web-page. Make it better than a webpage.
In closing, Blog safely, wisely, and often, but more importantly, BE REAL, follow your instincts and intuitions, and maximize your potential and possibilities here! :-))
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158 Comments on 5 Principles to Creating an Effective Blog Post
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I have had the make profile more like a web page on the to-do list for some time now. Good post Brad you hit all 5 points to make your point!