As bloggers, we all know the importance of publishing a consistent flow of posts, delivered in a way that our audience will appreciate or find comfortably familiar. But occasionally our posts become too familiar and too comfortable. Despite delivering consistent content, your readers are now finding it too bland and are not even sure if it's worth reading.
Diversifying Your Content
Luckily there are a variety of ways to freshen your content and break the monotony of you normal posts. You might actually be surprised at just how many types of blog posts you can write. From basic (but effective) blog posts to really outside-the-box posts, there is always a way to diversify your content.
The Basic Pillars of Content
It's important to consider the basic types of blog posts because it's definitely possible that your blog might be lacking or missing one or more of them. These types of blog posts are standard for a reason. They're simple and effective and often provide content that readers really want. The basic types of blog posts include the following:
- Instructional – Obviously this post can be extremely popular and valuable. It is one of the most useful types of posts, can bring in new readers, and keep your audience loyal and wanting more of your blog.
- Informational – Another very straightforward but potentially valuable post, informational posts do as their name suggests. Depending on what topic your providing information for, these posts have huge potential to explode into popularity. Even if they aren't the most popular, loyal readers love solid informational posts.
- Lists – While this post has become extremely common, lists are very flexible and offer very precise information that doesn't waste the reader's time. Be it a "top ten" or "five favorite," lists are a great way to organize ideas and content.
- Reviews – Not every blog topic is appropriate for review posts, but if you can, reviews are great. They are highly valuable, bring in tons of search traffic, and are also fairly easy to write.
Unique Posts
Sometimes you have to go beyond the basics and spice things up with some of the less common and more creative posts. It is possible to write a blog with entirely unique types of posts; deciding how many basic and how many unique types of posts is right for your blog really comes down to what type of information you want to deliver and the preferences of your audience.
- Resource Posts – If you've done some great research, resource posts can be amazing to your blog and your readers. Essentially, these posts highlight a bunch of blog and other online resources that you consider valuable to the topic of your blog.
- Interviews – Interview posts (or Q&As, depending on how your format it) are simply not done enough in the blogging world. Bringing an authoritative point of view onto your blog is an excellent way to give your blog more credibility and versatility.
- Research Posts – Another underused type of post in the blogosphere are research posts. I'm talking about original research here, in which a blogger tests a hypothesis through a systematic approach that hasn't been attempted or published before. Research can consist of surveying bloggers or readers, monitoring blog statistics, or anything that you can manage to quantify accurately really.
- Stream of Consciousness Posts – These highly unique posts give you a way to clear your mind or "idea flush" while also creating content. Essentially you write continuously for a set period of time without editing. Just let your mind wander (and try to stay on the topic of your blog). You'd be surprised by the amount of creative ideas you can gather for you blog. It may even give your blog a new direction.
By-line:
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about
online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.
