How to Write Different Types of Blogs
Did you know there are eight types of blog to write?
Eight types of blog I hear you cry, what is this insanity.
Blog comes from the word ‘Weblog’ and means to update regularly and in chronological order.
I didn’t know that, I also didn’t know how many different types of blog were available to write until I started writing.
I have written all of these types, some more successful than others.
Listicle or List Post
List posts need to be straightforward and informative.
They should be easy to read.
A listicle makes directions clear and is well organised.
Generally, list posts generate some very good stats. People may skip part of your list but if formatted correctly they will read to the end.
News Posts
News posts need to disperse information in a straightforward way.
Follow the journalist format of — Who, What, Where, When and How
If possible it is best to publish these daily, if not twice a day. News doesn’t stand still, nor should you if this is the genre you wish to write in.
Most of the news stories come from big publications such as CNN and BBC. Be patient this is a difficult area to break into.
Evergreen Posts
Evergreen posts last the test of time.
They are as relevant in a years time as they are now.
It is generally content with no exploration date.
This could be as simple as a review of a book. You may get an increase of traffic on the release date for the book. However, people will keep visiting as they read the book over the years.
These posts build traffic slowly to your website but consistently.
Have a mix of evergreen posts and other posts. This will keep traffic consistency visiting your site.
How to Posts
These posts head readers on a journey through a number of steps.
This is another area which is excellent for a beginner to write, especially if you have an unusual job or hobby.
Remember readers expect to follow these steps to get a desired result at the end. Make your instructions clear and concise.
Ensure that you use easy words with no jargon. The teaching industry is full of jargon and abbreviations. If you want a post that appeals to all, you need to remove the phrases those outside the industry will not understand.
Use pictures if appropriate throughout. Some readers will be visual learners and enjoy the addition of a picture as much as the text.
These posts draw specific traffic of readers looking for information. If you write well in this area then you will become a credible source and people will keep coming back.
Definition Posts
These are around one subject only.
These posts have a set target audience to impart the knowledge to.
Wikipedia posts are a great example of definition posts.
Fictional stories are another example of this. Readers find you when they are looking for a specific genre to read.
Parody Posts
These are humorous posts.
They offer a satirical view on current affairs in the form of exaggerated news.
This type of post is niche market for writing in and not an area I have been brave enough to try so far.
Parody posts are an excellent area for a clear author voice to come through. If someone likes your humour they will keep coming back for more. Humour, however, is subjective so you will never please everyone all the time.
Personal Spotlight
These put the spotlight on one person or a group of people.
These are in-depth and will relate to people both in that group or connected to that group.
These could be about a famous person or about an unrepresented group of people.
Personal spotlight posts should be fact-based. These could include in-depth research or a personal interview.
Entertaining Posts
Entertaining posts do not take themselves too seriously.
They have a humorous and entertaining theme.
It is a skill with these posts to present the facts and figures in an entertaining way which amuses the reader.
Within these posts, there should be a clear authors voice and commentary throughout.
There is a huge variety of posts on the internet but, most fit into one of these categories.
Experiment with a few and see which you enjoy writing the most. Which get the best response from readers.
Read posts of others in the category you want to write in.
What is your favourite type of post to write?