Keystrokes By KimberlyWelcome to one of the Blogathon Challenges for June 2014. For more information on the Blogathon visit BiannualBlogathonBash.com.
Your blog is the first introduction you have to most people and the level of quick uncomplicated must can make the difference in opportunities you are afforded. Seriously, this is so true. As a PR professional first and foremost I can stress enough the below key things your blog should have.
7. ARCHIVES – You need to have a method for people to easily search for past post. When someone wants to know if you have ever written a travel review before there should be some type of system in place where they can search this themselves if they choose too.
6. CATEGORIES – You need clear categories to make you site more user friendly during searches. Ex: Travel, Events, Giveaways etc…
5. CONSISTENCY – Are you getting an A+ in consistency? Does your blog flow extremely well? Are all links working?
4. SOCIAL MEDIA – Get social with everyone and invite everyone to get social with you. Your social media buttons should be in working order and easy to see. Right now the hot social media must haves are Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Google Plus.
3. CONTACT US – People, especially PR people, should easily know how to quickly contact you without completely a contact form. As convenient as it may be for you I have personally seen many bloggers miss out on opportunities because of a contact. People would much rather send you a direct email. It is just quicker and more personal.
2. ABOUT US – Yes, tell us about you. Let us know who we are interacting with and your multi-passion which drives you. What makes your day and what does your world consist of? We do not need to know your government name and kids social security numbers however a first name is great and how you like to spend time through your persona is grand!
1. THE TWO P’S ~ Purpose and personality are the foundation that readers enjoy. When you combine those two together you have a recipe for success simmering. What is your purpose for the blog? Are you allowing your personality to shine through your words? Engage your audience every time!
Mini Challenge:
1. What is your purpose for your blog?
2. What items do you have in place out of the seven listed?
3. Complete at least one that you do not have.
Thank you for posting this mini-challenge. I have updated the About Me page on my blog with a picture and more information about who I am and what I enjoy. I have a purpose statement there but it probably needs to be strengthened. I am just not sure what statements to use for that. I also checked the social media buttons and rearranged the sidebar widgets to make them more visually pleasing and to find things one might want more easily.
Great Lori! Would you like my assistance with your purpose statement?
The purpose of my blog is to share the ups and downs of parenthood. I have all of the above on my blog! 🙂 Great tips! I’m going to share this with some newer bloggers!
Thanks Lelia!
The purpose of my blog is to share information on easy recipes, including low carb for those living the low carb lifestyle. I also like to share crafts and other information for Mom’s. I have all of the 7 items mentioned above after my new theme. I do need to check links again to make sure I don’t have any dead links so I’ll finish that up!
Love it Alecia!
[…] Make a Blog Header, Present a user friendly blog layout, Get organizing with weekly task and the 7 key things your blog should have mini challenges. If I have the time there are several past challenges I wouldn’t mind […]
What a great mini challenge. The purpose of my blog is to share my passions and interests with my readers. I want a blend of sharing information and ministering to them.
What do I have in place? Archives, categories, social media buttons & links, about me, and the two p’s (I think). I’ll give half credit on consistency because I need to be more consistent when it comes to providing content regularly.
What I didn’t have is my contact page in place. I had taken it offline because my contact form became spammy. The page is now up and linked to again.
Thanks for this challenge! 🙂
Yay! Way to go Audra.
My blog’s purpose: to encourage and support other homeschooling moms
I had all 7 already in place, but I did go through and organize my categories a little better so that my posts could be found more easily.
Great Leah!
Consistency especially during the summer is very lacking for me. I may get out a post a week and really want to write ahead and have some posts to schedule. Thanks for the reminders and the challenge.
Hi Tanya! How are you? Have you considered guest post? Maybe dedicating a few hours (2 to 3) to writing and scheduling?
The purpose of my blog is to share my life after weight loss surgery including being a mother of a 3 year old and a 5 year old. I had all of them except the contact me. I used a contact form. I still kept my form but I also added my email on the contact page and added an email button to my sidebar.
Great! That was good to add your email address to. Not saying to rid of the contact form however adding your email is priceless! 🙂
I actually found my real purpose during this blogaton. My first purpose was to sell my products, hence the name of my blog. However since my products compliment getting organized and I love the idea of organization, my purpose is to help myself and others get organized. I had archives and categories but I added much needed social media buttons and an about me page and widget. Let’s hope I can now do consistency! Thank you so much for all you do for the blogahon bash.
Wonderful Barb! I love it. I had watched you BLOOM big time. You go girl…. 🙂
[…] Completed 7 Key Things Your Blog Should Have, I have everything except consistency! Which I am working on during the Blogathon to get some posts […]
I have not yet determined my purpose with either one of my blogs. For Simply, I want it to be a resource to help fellow families. Tidbits was suppose to be a support system for fellow abuse victims, but it turned into something totally different. Everything else I feel I have.
Crystal that is understood however I would look into finding their purpose soon so that you can develop that into something BEAUTIFUL. 🙂
Merging the 3 blogs has ‘messed’ up everything. Now I need to redo most.
I have finished:
Contact Me Page
Newsroom – Need to add About Me
Social Media and Sharing are in place.
Categories are done but I’ll probably make more changes here. First want to see how the current categories work.
I try for my personality to shine through on my website and blog.
The purpose is for readers to have a one-stop for Christian fiction, non-fiction and Bible study posts, books etc.
So Retha how is everything “messed” up? Sounds like you are making great progress…
It feels messed up because I have this idea and it’s not coming out that way.
I want to use my blog for a specific category of posts.
Then I want all the other categories on separate pages.
The idea is to click on the main groups on the home page and to find the rest on the categories to the right.
I’m also battling with the font color – the theme is this dark grey and I want it black to be easier to read – don’t know much about css but know there is place that I can add the right code if I knew what lol
Hi Retha – Okay, let me take a look and make some recommendations.
Thanks, that will be awesome
I found a article on changing the post font color – I that is now black and easier to read – the sidebar is still grey.
My blog’s purpose is to inspire busy moms to reach their goals, while sharing my journey to be a great mom, get fit, and see the world. I think I have all of the items you listed, more or less, but I’d love your thoughts! http://www.shapinguptobeamom.com
Love your blog!!!! It is so visual. I would like to see you move to a custom email address – [email protected]
So, I got my About Me / Contact Us page together! I am super excited. Here is my url: http://31daysearlyirise.com/about-me-2
Nice slick look!!!! I like. May I make some suggestions?
I have most of these elements in place on my blog, except I don’t believe my ‘contact us’ area is easily accessible to anyone who is looking for me. That is what I am finishing today.
Great! Would you like me to take a look?
This is an awesome list and I think I have all of these things addressed with my blog – obviously they are ever evolving and have to reviewed all regularly, but they are definitely very good food for thought and a way to keep on track at times when you feel you may be losing your place.
Personally, my purpose for Creative K Kids is to preserve memories and recipes for my kids and to push me to keep thinking and learning. I try to make it so that it will be useful to others who are like me–mommies and bloggers. The Ultimate Linky is to help bloggers get more followers, get to know other bloggers, and to give them a place to find blogging information and have a place to link up their printables, giveaways and blogging/social media posts.
Awesome! Love it…
The purpose of my blog is sharing family products and giveaways. I love to share cool products, local events, and family fun opportunities.
I just redid my theme but I need to put back the categories- can’t figure out out with the new theme but I will eventually figure it out.
I pretty much have the rest but thanks for the reminders that they are important to have/do!
~ Pam
Great Pam! Love your blog header. 😉
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