Ragan 101: Writing effective blogposts

The “blog” originated from the early-‘90s word for “weblog” and was used to describe a short, informal piece of writing like a public journal entry.

“In time,” explained Keisha Gaye-Anderson, former VP of communications at the JED Foundations, “businesses learned that these brief informal, conversational posts could be used in engaging their audiences.”

In a fresh Ragan explainer video, Gaye-Anderson delves into some quick tips for writing effective blog posts.

“In a world where every second counts, mastering the art of concise writing isn’t just a skill but a necessity,” she says. Here’s how she makes that skill work efficiently.

How blog posts support strategic communications goals

As audience attention spans are low, the benefits of shorter and snappier pieces are numerous. A blog post can:

Take an audience-first approach to your introduction

Gaye-Anderson believes that all effective blog posts begin and end with an effective headline or subject line (even if it’s drafted after the content). It should be attention-grabbing, descriptive and pique the reader’s interest. This means knowing your audience.