Many businesses start blogs without a real plan. After all, it’s easy to do – you just need to start writing. But actually, there’s some serious planning involved and one of the major decisions to make is your blog voice.
Just like you need consistent, clear messaging in the rest of your business, a good blog has a clear and consistent voice that is communicated on every page.
Consistency helps you create a brand and this is what builds trust with your audience. More importantly, you need a blog that is not a copy of anyone else but a true reflection of who you are and how you want to show up to your audience.
In this article…
The Elements of a Blog Voice
What does ‘blog voice’ mean? It sounds simple but it’s made up of a number of different elements including personality, beliefs, tone, style, and type of content. Some questions to ask include:
- Is your blog going to be strictly factual or opinionated? (are you going to be a technician/teacher or a thought-leader)
- What values will it speak to?
- Is the tone going to be casual and friendly or more professional?
- Are you going to focus on recent news items, write reviews or offer how-to information?
Personality is an especially important consideration because you don’t want your blog to be dull and formal. The human aspect has to come through. It needs to be engaging and speak to emotions as well as giving the reader useful and relevant information.
Your Ideal Reader
Just like any other time you are communicating your message, the best way to determine all the elements of your voice is to picture your perfect reader. Who do you want to become a fan of your blog? If you can imagine this person clearly, you can write posts to them that resonate perfectly.
It may take a bit of market research.
Find out which demographics are important parts of your niche. Find out what they like and dislike. Learn about how they feel, what they want out of life, and how they see themselves.
Some people even draw a physical picture of their ideal reader and look at it whenever they write! I even recommend going further and naming this person so you can really connect to them as if s/he was sitting next to you.
Your Blog’s Image
Now that you’ve got a clear image of your blog readers in mind, the next step is to create an image for your blog that appeals to them. Consider not only your readers but also your business’s unique selling proposition.
The key question to ask yourself here is – ‘How is my blog different than other similar blogs in my industry?’
The answer to this question lies in the specific niche you choose for your blog. One of the biggest mistakes bloggers (and business owners) make is trying to be everything to everyone.
You need to carve out a unique place for yourself in the blogosphere that will set your blog apart. What do YOU want to say to your audience of readers? Go ahead and Say that!
Finding Your Voice
Finding a voice for your writing is something all writers must do. If you’re going to blog, you’ve got to consider yourself a writer, even if you don’t have formal writing training, experience or writing chops.
Take some time to read different blogs to see how each person’s voice differs. Some write in a very personal style, some are humorous or slightly outrageous, some write posts that are short and to the point.
Find your own way of writing that you enjoy and that resonates with your readers.
I would love to hear what your voice is…. Share in the comments.
For more than 20 years, Sue has worked with leaders from solopreneurs to executives in Fortune 100 companies.