If your blog isn’t getting the results you want, it may be because your blog writing has fallen into a rut. As a reader of many blogs, I find they can get dull when the writer sticks to one type of blog rather than providing some variety.If you need ideas on how to vary your blog posts, here’s a handy list of 20 different types of blogs:
- How-to. One of the most popular blog types around. Teach people how to do something, and they will love you for it.
- News tie-in. Does something in the news tie into your blog theme? If an item such as Russian bears digging up corpses, the winner of Project Runway, or the election results could in some way reflect on what you blog about, use it as an intro. You’ll give readers an easily accessible entry point for your blog.
- Pop-culture tie-in. Is something going on in your industry in some way like, oh, say, Lady Gaga? Bring her into it, and you’ve got an easy, fun image idea that’ll draw readers’ eyes. For instance, see this post I did recently for Entrepreneur magazine’s Daily Dose blog on What You Can Learn About Entrepreneurship from SpongeBob Squarepants.
- Roundup. Have you noticed several interrelated developments in your niche? Wrap them together into a roundup and tell readers what it all means.
- Humorous post. I am a sucker for blog posts that make me laugh. If you can write funny, don’t hide it under a bushel.
- List of tips. The longer your list, the better. This is sort of a variant on how-to, but delivered in a more SEO-friendly package.
- Have a contest. Ideally, with a nice prize attached.
- Take a poll. Readers love to weigh in when they know you actually care about their opinion.
- Q&A interviews. If there’s a thought leader you’d like to learn from, invite them for a quick interview on your blog. You won’t know if they’d be willing unless you ask.
- Review a product, service or book. I know bloggers who are making great money writing reviews of products they use and love and then offering an affiliate link. Something I’m just starting to explore myself. Never hurts to include some blog posts of this type, especially if something new or much-talked-about has just come out.
- Create a controversy. Do you have an opinion that’s at odds with the view voiced by a popular blogger in your niche? Invite them to debate it on your blog, or just riff about it and link to their opposing opinion.
- Ask a question. Don’t know what to write about this week? Perplexed by something going on in your niche? Ask readers what they think about it.
- Future forecast. Go out on a limb and make a prediction about what you think will happen next in your niche. Everybody wants to know what’s coming.
- Past in review. Have you hit an interesting industry milestone? Maybe it’s time to look back on the first decade of something, or the pioneers and where they are now.
- Conference writeup. Any time you attend an event that was worthwhile, share some learnings.
- Multi-part series. If you have an idea that would do better as a longer piece, break it up and create a series. Keeps readers coming back for more.
- Resource list. If you know the 10 or 20 best places for people in your industry to find or do something — or maybe the 10 best ways to use a particular resource — please share.
- Mailbag. Blog readers love it when you answer their questions.
- Best-of collections. What were the 10 most popular posts you had on your blog in the past year? Or the best posts you saw online this week? Please provide, as we’re all lazy and appreciate the convenience of your compiling things for us.
- Rant. Are you mad about something? Then don’t be shy. This type doesn’t work for every blog or every writer, but some do quite well by blowing a fuse about what really pisses them off.
Have I forgotten any great types of blog posts? If so, please add them to the comments below.
Coming up later this week on the blog: Part II of How to Get the Most Lucrative Writing Clients. If you subscribe, you won’t miss it.
Photo via Flickr user koadmonkee
