Today, I’d like to share with you a series of quick tips on how to become a better blogger. I will not focus on micro-optimizations like changing your call to action from blue to orange. Instead, I’ll concentrate on the major wins. Tip 1: Find out who your readers are Try to gain insight into […]
Understanding Blogging
This Is a Post About Itself
Pay attention. This is important. This first paragraph serves the purpose of grabbing your attention and explaining what the post is about. In this case, describing itself throughout. Think of it as a template of sorts. This header introduces the subject This header introduces the subject I’m going to discuss over the next few paragraphs. […]
Your Blog Is Not the Product
Occasionally, I receive emails from people asking me about blogging. Now that the second edition of my blogging book is out, the volume of emails has only increased. A common theme I see is people creating a blog, posting as often and as much as they can, only to run out of steam. Lots of […]
Share the Conversations with Yourself
I have an ongoing conversation with myself. It takes place inside my head. I’m not alone. We call it thinking. I think about a lot of things each day, though I capture very few of these thoughts on paper. Sometimes I’ll share them, summarized, wrapped in a blanket of humor, on Twitter. Even more seldom, […]
Short vs. Long Content Posts
Is it better to write ten 400 words posts, or one 4,000 word post? The answer to the short vs. long content post conundrum, as it’s often the case in life, is “ it depends”. A frustrating answer, I know. But let’s inch our way to a better assessment of what exactly it depends on. […]
But I’m not an expert
For the past several years I’ve been an advocate of leveraging blogging and social media to boost one’s career (among other reasons). The common objection A common objection I get, particularly from people just starting out in their careers, is: “But I’m not an expert”. Fellow programmers are especially partial to this thought pattern. Listen, […]
Should You Use Pop-Ups on Your Technical Blog?
Many blogs have a pop-up prompting people to sign up for their mailing lists. As such, you might be wondering if using a pop-up on a technical blog is a good idea or not. Before answering the question, “Should you use pop-ups?”, let’s start with two facts: Your mailing list can be your most important […]
Why
I’m a firm believer in the “why” of things. The why is often more important than the how. Find your why, and the how will become significantly easier to tackle and endure. People are also significantly more inclined to follow, believe, and buy your why. What you do – and how you do it – […]
Which Blogging Platform Should You Choose?
Every prospective blogger must make a series of decisions. The subject, domain name, publication frequency, logo, font, you name it. All these decisions shape your blog. Perhaps one of the most crucial decisions that you can make is picking a blogging platform. I like to classify blogging platforms into three different categories: Hosted blogs. These […]
How Often Should You Blog?
People who are new to blogging often wonder what the best posting pace to maximize the growth of their blog is. The ideal blog posting frequency will depend on several factors, including the type of audience and the subject at hand. Let’s narrow things down however to an acceptable range. I wouldn’t consider a blog […]