How to Write Blog Posts That Don't Backfire

Last week I pointed out the damage control I did on my blog, and bloggers who mislead their audiences with erroneous information. Today a fellow colleague pointed out an article that caught her eye - and not in a good way. This marketing blogger included the slang word 'sucks' in his headline and his topic was ''why your blog content sucks.'

By using the word 'sucks', it gives the post a negative connotation. His audience is savvy marketing professionals. Why would you use the word 'sucks' in a headline talking about how to write professional blog content? That's an oxymoron and as the reader, I didn't take his message seriously. I was disappointed with his word usage - not to mention the headline was insulting  to me as a professional marketer. His tone implies that all business professionals churn out bad content. 

It doesn't matter whether he included helpful tips or not in his blog, he set a negative tone from the very beginning with the word 'sucks' in his headline. I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about the social media blogger who used the word 'funnest' in her post. The same rule applies - pay attention to your language and think about your readers.

I know what you're thinking - why am I being so picky about language when blogs are supposed to be casual and informal? It's one thing to write in a casual way, but it's another to use inappropriate language that doesn't resonate with your audience. Words have energy and create a life of their own. There's enough negativity in this world without using words that speak down to and insult your readers (which equates to turning off your target markets and possible clients).

Take the time to re-read your blog posts - review the following questions before you hit the publish button: 

1. Could I offend or insult my audience with the words, language, jargon, etc. that I include in my post?

2. Is my tone preachy or condescending?

3. Does my headline grab people's attention in a positive way? 

4. Is my content relevant, timely and appropriate for my audience? 

5. Have I researched and checked my facts, sources, interviews, etc thoroughly? Do I have enough knowledge and past experience under my belt to write about this particular topic? 

It doesn't take much for your blog to backfire on you, so make sure to re-read and edit your posts before you publish them.