Module 4
Blogging Part 2
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Activities/Assignments
Add a comment to Module 4’s blog post with your response to Clark’s article.
Go back to Module 3’s blog post and look in the comments to find a fellow student’s blog. Read her/his introductory blog post and leave a comment.
Send a tweet to @JessL and @erikasmith (with the course hashtag #ESMC) with a comment & link to a fellow student’s blog.
Practise what you read in Brian Clark’s article and craft an opening to a blog post (on your own blog). Leave a link to your blog post in the comments section for Week 4.
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You can add a link to your blog in the comments section of this blog post.
A lot of what Brain Clark wrote, seemed so obvious. It's a common sense approach, but do I apply it? Not really. It made me chuckle. Everything he said was right on and is what I appreciate in the articles I read. His perspective is to the point and I noticed that I do use some of these techniques, but not consistently or to the effectiveness I should be. I will keep these tips close and start implementing them consistently.
ReplyDeleteWhy 5 W's have not died with the explosion of #SMM. Brian Clark clearly speaks concisely of what every good marketer knows-make them feel. By requesting that the writer use 'imagery, similes and the 5 w's of good journalism in the opening, Clarke weaves a bridge between the norms of the past and writing in digital media. Mediums have gotten flashier and added pictures but, the writing rules still apply,
ReplyDeleteDo I use any of his tips - yes, I do. Truth be told though, I should use more.
#learning #esmc
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ReplyDeleteReading Brian Clark's post was one of those "Doh! #smh" moments. His tips are common sense tips that we all know, but do we all follow them? I would have to say, sometimes, but not always. I for one, have now taken the old school approach and printed out his tips and posted them next to my monitor as a constant reminded about how to write an attention getting lede. I hope I’ve captured that with my latest post on SunandSand65
ReplyDeleteClark's article reminded me of the basics of a good conversation. Bring someone in with a question to open, then share an experience that relates to the topic. Then get the reader or listener to buy in with a powerful visual image to make the experience more real. The analogy invites the other person to remember a similar experience or emotion that relates to the story, and then you close with a shocking statistic that really embeds the story in their mind.
ReplyDeleteIt's good writing technique, and definitely something to keep in mind. People are more invested in things they identify with so it is important to keep the language accessible, and I also feel, that using a stream of consciousness writing style makes the experience feel more like a conversation between friends, so the reader wants to spend time with the writer again and again.
Clark (2014) provides painfully obvious, yet often ignored, tips for creating effective blog entries.(1) Not only does he provide practical suggestions, he follows his own advice, for the most part, throughout his blog. I was nodding my head in agreement when I read this post, as it reminded me of the elements of an effective speech as well; in particular, the importance of crafting a solid introduction.
ReplyDeleteEyequant (2013) notes that content-creators of a blog or website only have seconds to capture visitors' attention and interest to keep them engaged for any meaningful length-of time.(2) "Attention is a limited resource, so use it wisely and avoid superfluous visual pathways and exits."(3)
All of Clark's excellent tips for opening a blog-entry can be boiled down to a salient truth about blogging: create an emotional response in the reader. Clark does not elaborate about continuing this flow throughout the entry, but it's important to carry the reader on a journey that goes some place. It's equally important to ensure the conversation ends in a way that wraps up the journey and links back to the opening.
There are many ways to incite interest that goes beyond the blog-entry title, and Clark has done a good job explaining these - succinctly and clearly; however, I disagree part of his explanation for his third example: "Invoke the mind's eye." While I concur with that statement, I would rather have the writer create the mental picture, rather than telling me he is about. I don't think an intro / description needs to be prefaced with terms such “picture this” or “do you remember when” etc. Rather, just simply create that imagery using descriptive vernacular.
You only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention. That statement rings true for blog optimization as much as it does at a cocktail party. We owe Clark gratitude for reminding us of that fact and giving us tools to grab our readers' attention.
As Stringfellow notes, "it’s crucial to meet quality expectations within the rest of the copy."(4)
ENDNOTES:
(1) Clark, B. (2014.). "5 simple ways to open your blog post with a bang." Copyblogger.com. Retrieved 18 April, 2014 from
(2) Eyequant (2014.). "How many seconds does your website/blog have to capture user attention?" Eyequant.com Retrieved 18 April, 2014 from
The HTML coding on these pages really does not work very well. I noticed above that my endnotes are not all showing up. Is it possible for the University to fix the coding option?
ReplyDeleteClark (2014) provides painfully obvious, yet often ignored, tips for creating effective blog entries.(1) Not only does he provide practical suggestions, he follows his own advice, for the most part, throughout his blog. I was nodding my head in agreement when I read this post, as it reminded me of the elements of an effective speech as well; in particular, the importance of crafting a solid introduction.
ReplyDeleteEyequant (2013) notes that content-creators of a blog or website only have seconds to capture visitors' attention and interest to keep them engaged for any meaningful length-of time.(2) "Attention is a limited resource, so use it wisely and avoid superfluous visual pathways and exits."(3)
All of Clark's excellent tips for opening a blog-entry can be boiled down to a salient truth about blogging: create an emotional response in the reader. Clark does not elaborate about continuing this flow throughout the entry, but it's important to carry the reader on a journey that goes some place. It's equally important to ensure the conversation ends in a way that clearly wraps up the journey and links back to the opening.
There are many ways to incite interest that goes beyond the blog-entry title, and Clark has done a masterful job explaining these - succinctly and clearly; however, I disagree with the last part of his explanation for his third example: "Invoke the mind's eye." While I concur with that concept, I want the writer to create a mental picture, rather than telling me he is about to create one in my mind. I don't think an intro / description needs to be prefaced with terms such “picture this” or “do you remember when” etc. Just simply create that imagery using descriptive, well-written vernacular.
You only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention. That statement rings true for blog optimization as much as it does at a cocktail party. We owe Clark gratitude for reminding us of that fact and giving us tools to grab our readers' attention.
As Stringfellow notes, "it’s crucial to meet quality expectations within the rest of the copy."(4)
ENDNOTES:
(1) Clark, B. (2014.). "5 simple ways to open your blog post with a bang." Copyblogger.com. Retrieved 18 April, 2014 from http://www.copyblogger.com/5-simple-ways-to-open-your-blog-post-with-a-bang
(2) Eyequant (2014.). "How many seconds does your website/blog have to capture user attention?" Eyequant.com Retrieved 18 April, 2014 from http://blog.eyequant.com/2013/04/08/how-many-seconds-does-your-website-have-to-capture-user-attention
(3) Ibid.
(4) Stringfellow, A. (2013). "How to write an attention-grabbing blog-post." Unbounce.com. Retrieved 18 April, 2014 from http://unbounce.com/content-marketing/how-to-write-an-attention-grabbing-blog-post-title/
I tried to implement a few tips from Brian Clark into my newest blog post:
ReplyDeletehttp://vickylikesmusic.blogspot.ca/2014/04/music-makes-me-wanna.html
Vicky Likes Music
Here is my attempt to implement Brian Clark's advice:
ReplyDeletehttp://gingeguide.blogspot.ca
I enjoyed Clark's article. It reminded me that the Social Media as a platform might be new Godd writing styles remain the same. Writing is someting you must continually work at to be any good at it. Here is my attempt at following the 5 rules. http://travellingkathryn.blogspot.ca/
ReplyDelete