5 Tools You Need When Writing a Blog Post
One aspect of digital marketing that has stayed consistent over the last several years is blogging, which can be a valuable marketing tactic for any business. A blog is your company’s way of providing free advice and information to your current and future customers. This builds trust with your audience and positions your employees as thought leaders in the industry. Whether you’re an eCommerce shop or a law firm, a company blog should be a piece of your digital marketing strategy.
A question we receive often is, “what tools do we need when writing a blog post for our business?” Not every person is a skilled writer trained in the ways of blog writing. Thank goodness we’re here to help! Here are 5 tools you’ll need when writing a blog post:
1. Grammarly
We cannot stress enough how vital grammar is in blog writing (or any writing for that matter). As a business, you need to be professional in your writing to build trust with your audience. If someone reads through your company’s blog and notices several misspellings and grammatical errors, they’re going to lose trust in your team pretty quickly.
Thankfully, Grammarly exists. Grammarly is an extension for your web browser that, when installed, can detect potential grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, tone, and style mistakes in writing. Needless to say, Grammarly can be a real lifesaver when you’re short on time to edit a piece of content. In fact, the team here at Set Fire Creative uses Grammarly religiously when writing emails, blog posts, ad copy, and website content.
That being said, Grammarly is not meant to take the place of an editor. As incredible as it is, it’s not perfect. Use it to catch mistakes that you might otherwise overlook, and then be sure to have another person review your content before posting.
2. Thesaurus
When writing content, do you ever feel like you’re using the same word over and over….and over again? One of the most common mistakes in writing is repeatedly using the same word until it becomes irritating to read.
We recommend using a thesaurus whenever you sit down to write. This will help keep your content fresh and enjoyable to read. Not to mention, it will help you personally expand your vocabulary. Be sure to use words that make sense and are easily understood by your readers. Don’t use the thesaurus to incorporate sophisticated terms that fly right over the heads of your readers. You may sound smart, but your audience will have no clue what they just read.
3. Dictionary
Have you ever felt so proud of yourself for using a new word, only to discover later that you misused it? Don’t worry; it happens to the best of us. The easiest way to make sure this doesn’t happen when writing is by using a dictionary.
I have a confession to make. I used garnish for the longest time when I meant to use garner. It took a coworker to catch my mistake before I finally stopped. Heaven knows how many emails I sent telling clients that their advertising campaigns garnished several conversions. How embarrassing. You don’t have to go through the same traumatic experience. Use a dictionary.
4. Google
This may seem like a no-brainer, but hear us out. For most blog posts, you’ll want to include at least a few resources. By using credible resources, readers will be more likely to trust what you have to say. And where is the best place to find resources for your blog post? Google.
As excellent as Google is, just be sure that the resources you find really are credible. You don’t want to pull quotes from sites like The Onion accidentally. Be sure to do your research on the site you’re linking to and verify the information before including it in your blog post.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the power behind linking to external sites in your blog content. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool to help your website rank higher on search engines. One of the many strategies you can use when improving your site’s ranking is writing blog posts and including external links to other credible sites. Make sure to include at least a couple of external links in each blog post your write.
5. Freedom
This one may seem a bit extreme, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We all know how easy it is to get distracted in the current digital age. Text messages, social media, online games, and YouTube videos are constantly calling our attention. Who hasn’t sat down to write a 500-word blog post only to get distracted several times by emails, text messages, and social media? This is where Freedom comes in.
Freedom is an extension that will block distracting sites and apps on your phone and laptop for a set time. By blocking distracting websites and apps, you’ll be more focused and productive. In fact, users have reported gaining an average of 2.5 hours of productive time each day. By cutting out all distractions, you will be able to write a blog post in little to no time!
Similarly, if you would like to cut out distractions but don’t care to pay for a monthly subscription, you can lock up your smartphone in a drawer and turn off the internet on your laptop as you write. However it’s done, the important thing is that you eliminate all distractions as you write.
Go Forth and Write Brilliantly
Now that you have the tools you need when writing a blog post, it’s time for you to use them to create your very own magnificent blog! Do you need help getting started? Contact Set Fire Creative and receive a free consultation today!
McCain is the founder and VP of Client Services at Set Fire Creative. When he isn’t busy helping his clients grow their business through digital marketing, you will most likely find him with his nose in a Stephen King book, eating spicy buffalo wings, hanging out with his wife and Blue Heeler Ozzy, or listening to Guns N’ Roses—sometimes all at the same time.
