Last week I shared some tips on making your blog a success. Today we look at what NOT to do when blogging.
7 Blogging Mistakes Your Nonprofit Needs to Avoid
1. Ignoring your readers.
Who do you want reading and commenting on your blog? Your posts should be written for those people, not your staff, ED or board.
2. Having too many voices.
While you can have more than one person writing your blog, switching from a corporate sounding tone to a friendly personal one (and vice versa) will confuse your readers. Guest posts can add a fresh voice to the mix, but make sure they are a good fit with your organization’s personality.
3. Not including a call to action.
Like most communications, you need to tell your blog readers to do something. Ask them to post a comment, visit your web page, sign a petition, make a pledge, subscribe to your newsletter, RSVP for an event, etc. Give them a next step.
4. Using jargon.
Most of us have industry related jargon, but just because you and your team use those words on a daily basis doesn’t mean your readers will know what you’re talking about. Speak in plain English and go easy on the acronyms and abbreviations. Try to read your blog as an outsider. Here is more on avoiding jargon.
5. Getting too “cutesy” with your titles.
While email subject lines need to pique your readers’ curiosity, for the most part blog titles need to be descriptive so they will show up in web searches and get readers to click over. You can be creative but include keywords.
6. Using big walls of text.
Big blocks of text are hard to read. You can use the same content, just use more paragraphs to break up the text. Also, use lists or bullet points often.
7. Not using any images.
People are drawn to pictures so try to include at least one image in your post. You can find royalty free stock photos (check whether you need to credit the source though) pretty easily on the Internet. They are also likely to immediately read any caption under a photo so make the most of that space as well.
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