We all have to start somewhere, and I feel that writing about blogging is the best crash-course available. So, I’ll churn out my first blog entry as a how-to for those seeking ideas for blog articles. I’m not an expert here, but recent thoughts of starting my blog have me analyzing , for the first time, some of the mechanisms commonly used by other blogs.
These are the basic article concepts I have thought about.
1. How-to Articles…
For every person that knows how, there are probably five or ten who don’t. How-to articles can range in scope from the mundane like “How to Use an Apostrophe“ to the exotic like how to Turn a Flashlight Into a Hand-held Burning Laser. Write about anything you know how to do. A typical example is “how to create a Facebook profile” — or — “how to attract more Twitter followers.”
2. Reviews…
Everything you see, rent, eat, read, hear, or buy can be a review. A night out for dinner and drinks can be a review. New cell phones and tech gadgets are commonly reviewed items. Virtually everything around you can be a source of inspiration for a review article. How about rating your favorite beer — or — wine, and why it appeals to you? I say it doesn’t get any better than that.
3. Lists…
You see them everywhere. Lists of all sizes have been with us since the dawn of the blog. Why? Because they are simple and effective. You can practically pull them out of thin air. Like… Ten Reasons Why You Should Eat Sardines. Here are a few examples:
- 55 Essential Articles Every Serious Blogger Should Read
- 10 Words You Need to Stop Mispelling
- Ten Worst and Best Foods
- Ten Best Ghost Photographs
4. The Best Of…
Similar to the list, the “best of” are simply things that you think are the best. They can be the best people to follow on Twitter or the best whatever. A “Best Of” post is useful for special occasions like Valentines Day or Halloween. How about The Best Halloween Costumes or The Best Gifts for your Valentine? Best of’s are even coupled with dates to celebrate a change in the calendar, like The Best Blog Posts of 2009.
5. Mega Resource Lists…
If placing three, seven, or ten items in a list is good, then creating a gigantic resource list with some large odd number of items is much better. The catch here is the amount of time it requires to compile such a list. On the surface, it would seem easier to complete a small list of “12 Cute Twitter Icons” than it is to try to list “600+ Free Twitter and Social Media Icons.” Actually you might be surprised. That list of 600+ Icons is just a compilation of different large groups of icons from other sources. Find four sites that list 100 items, and you’re on your way to creating a “400+” mega resource list of your very own. In terms of headline attention, would you rather visit a site that offers ten of something or four hundred of something?
6. Really Cool People — or — Really Stupid People…
People that do really cool things or really stupid things can be an easy topic. Entire sites are devoted to both. There’s no shortage on stupid (and there’s usually some type of video or photographic proof to go along), so there’s always something to blog about. Want to do a blog post on Stupid 911 Calls? No problem. Every week there is another call to 911(with recorded proof) by some fool that can’t get chicken nuggets at their local fast food drive-thru. The near unlimited amounts of stupidity can offer plenty of fodder for your hungry blog.
7. Be Yourself, Blog Yourself…
What are you good at? Maybe it’s your skill in the kitchen, or your meticulous budgeting. If you are naturally good with something, there’s a chance you can help others who are lacking in that area of life. For example, if you are productive, that is of great value to people who are less productive. Sharing the skills you posses may give your blog with the best content of all.
