Mom-prenuership is BOOMING. And I’m thrilled. Women are owning their careers while embracing their roles. The airs of having it all, rising to the top, and telling the big guys to shove it is giving way to a movement where each woman simply defines her own “happy”… and paves her path to it. The majority of these mommy businesses are web-based and the vast majority of those are tied to blogging.
Blogging is the crossroads of “the good life” and “the real life.” Moms blog about their happy cupcake-making as well as their brutally honest frustrations and doubts. We readers want to gain answers and know that the source is genuine. Who better than mom? We go to mom for advice. And every once in a while we see a humble tear on mom’s cheek and remember she’s human, too.
As a mommy blogger, I humbly submit to you a few insights I’ve gathered along my blogging journey.
What Works
Get personal. Despite what you might think, people want to read YOUR life. Instinct tells you to write about what people want to read about. And to be sure, that’s a helpful notion you’ve got to stay aware of, but by and large, we become fans of people… not what they say. We learn so much more by seeing through someone else’s eyes than through pin-able how-to’s. When it comes to principles and ideas that go beyond nailing studs into your DIY headboard (I have no idea what I just said there), we need to get sucked into your personal thought process. We are wired to empathize. And the most faithful blog readers are just those kind of folks.
Write with short sentences. Sorry to undersell the human race, but please, give us short sentences! Blog-reading is recreational. We want to follow your thought more than we want to follow your sentence structure. Blog-writing is different from novel-writing, which is different from brochure-writing, which is different from… See? I’ve already lost you.
Great photos. I know, everyone says this. It’s just so true that it must be said: visuals make us jump into your content. They set the tone for who you are and your writing style. Total turn-off: a pixelated picture from a Google search or the same clip art of raised hands we’ve seen 120 times. Make some great visuals.
Congruency over variety. Think about how someone would recommend your blog to a coworker in the break room. “I’m loving this girl’s blog!” says enthused New Reader. “What’s it about?” inquires her coworker. “Oh, she blogs about decorating, and mothering, and financial tips, and pet care, and…” Not a great sell. (See short sentences above.) I’m not saying that you can’t blog about all of those things that interest you. Just give us a theme, a crux, a flow. Your new follower could instead say something like, “her blog is all about living frugally by being creative.” What would people say your blog is about? Don’t gimme your tag line, what would others say? Or better yet, ask them! You may be surprised by what you hear. And even if it stings, it’s priceless (and free) market research.
Brainstorm titles. Blog titles are what people see when choosing whether to read or not. They may well be as equally important as the content! Think about it. How many times have you hit the Facebook share of a blog post solely because the title piqued your interest? Don’t just brainstorm content, brainstorm titles too.
What Doesn’t Work
“And the moral of the story is…” We’re becoming a society–and I love this–that sniffs out fakes like rotten cheese. If you’re trying to wrap your blog posts into pithy morals that are more theory than reality, we’ll notice. Authenticity is king. (Yes, even if your post ends on a flat note, lacking closure and making us wonder how “together” you really are.) Readers will stick it out for a bit to watch your growth as a person.
Blogging for profit. It’s a subtle thing, working from your passion and having it shift into something profitable: this quiet shift happens and suddenly your work becomes work-work. You were once blogging for the love of x, and now it’s become apparent to everyone else that the x has a dollar sign in front of it. You start dragging your feet through a post. Your blogging is losing its luster. And let’s face it, with all of the competition you’ve got here on the web, luster is vital. Who subscribes to boring–free or not? So when you feel the drudgery kicking in, do something! Write a post that you’re convinced no one will care about but excites you. And ask for help! Both you and your blog will benefit from the fresh air of another’s perspective.
[A note about sponsored posts: sponsored posts are cool, time to time. We readers don’t altogether hate them. We trust you. We want to hear what you like. But for pete’s sake, please actually love what you’re endorsing.]
Proofreading. What?! Simple proofreading doesn’t work. Read your blog post out-loud before you hit Publish. Your mind does this lovely thing of adding things together–visuals, ideas, etc–but that may not always translate so well to your readers. I’ve often caught myself proofreading a post and thinking it looked perfect, only to find glaring mistakes later. Why did I miss a “that” where a “that” was so obviously needed? Because when I skim, I’m already predicting what’s coming next. I know what the post is about, I understand my own thought process. My mind reads a “that” though my eyes never saw it. This superpower only applies to your own work or something you’re seriously jiving with. Reading out-loud forces your eyes and brain to work harder so you’ll actually read what you wrote. Make sense?
What I’ve Learned About Myself
Oh, sheesh. I’ve learned so much. I’d call blogging an outlet for me, not a profession. The second I lose this state of mind, my blog begins to reek. Much of what I’ve written above are lessons I’ve learned the hard way.
More than anything, I’ve found my voice. And people—well, some of them—actually like it! The more you write, the more you’ll find your voice—that unique perspective and tone that will win you readers and friends. What’s even more wonderful, is that your voice is yours alone. Yes, the blogosphere is very populated, but no one else has your voice. Keep writing (and reading outloud) and you’ll hear your creative voice develop.
Cheers to more moms expressing their true selves on the web and in their work[out] attire!
Best-
A
