Summary
Instructions for writing a blog post for nickfundytus.ca.
Philosophy
“Write drunk, edit sober.”
In other words, get everything you mean to say on the page, and then revise, revise, revise. This quote is commonly misattributed to Ernest Hemingway.
Reason for Blogging
Blogging is at the centre of the content marketing strategy. The blog on nickfundytus.ca forms the hub of the hub and spoke model of the marketing plan.
Organization
On nickfundytus.ca
Our blogs are written directly on our website and then saved as a draft until it is time to publish. A record of all of our past blogs arranged by topic can be found in Drive. This list should be regularly updated with keywords and metadata.
Parts of a Great Blog Article
Title
Obsess over the title. Be clear about who the article is for (Audience) and what they will get from reading it.
Audience
Be specific. Choosing a specific audience is much more likely to resonate with the reader, who can identify.
Purpose
The purpose for the audience should be to educate or entertain the reader.
The purpose for the business should be to acquire new audience or nurture existing audience.
Voice
Always ask:
Does this give something of value to the reader?
Is this something that Nick would say in person?
Think of the voice of the blog as an extension of my in-person brand, delivered at scale.
Length
2000 words seems to be the “sweet spot” of length that is meaty enough to be valuable but short enough to be digestible (source needed).
We can experiment with various lengths and measure engagement afterward.
Call(s) to Action
Every blog should have at least one call to action that suits the blog. For example, a blog entitled “what can $500,000 get you in these three neighbourhoods?” can be accompanied by a call to action that says, “Click here to see all of the homes under $500,000 in Ottawa”
Supporting Visual
Every blog post needs strong supporting visual, usually in the form of photography.
Use of Video
Video can be used to support blogs, or can be the main purpose (vlog) with the text as a script or transcript of the video.
Recurring Features
Show the length in minutes near the beginning of the post. For example, show that the post is a “four-minute read.”
Internal links to other blog posts, where appropriate.
Social proof in the form of testimonials, quotes from clients and sources.
Types of Posts
Educational. “How to” posts for example.
Entertaining. “2019’s most stunning homes.”
Social Proof. “How 123 Main sold in 2 days for above asking.” or “Mark and Hayley’s story”
Use of Tags and Hashtags
Tags should be used to support SEO.