2017 A Time To Blog and Develop Content
by William Jackson @wmjackson

Digital content creation is prevalent on the web, an increase in blogging, microblogging, podcasting, and other forms of digital media is expanding across the Internet. Content creators are global, generational, and smart.

The evolution of technology has opened opportunities for students
from K to higher education to tell their stories, spread their
entrepreneurial wings, expand their networks from local to global.
Bill Gates, 1996 “Content Is King”
The evolution of Blogging can be seen in the increase of content that
has a wide range of subject matter and relevancy to life experiences
of the writer.

The importance of Blogging and use of Social Media can be seen in the
engagement, connectivity, and networking individuals are becoming forces that are rivaling traditional media. Because there is growing
content that easily crosses time zones and international borders the
effects of Blogging are seen in education, business, finance, commerce,
and development in political arenas.

There are no barriers that would delay the posting of content even by
age or gender. Students of all levels are creating content based on their
learning experiences and developing their Brands. This explosion of
digital content has created a challenge in determining what is important
to read and what to discard.

The “Elements of Blogging” and the “Significance of Content Creation” is an area that must be addressed. Workshops, seminars and conferences
are available now to help people and businesses create worthwhile content to market their services and products. No matter the purpose
of Blogging the ultimate goal is to have people “View or Hear” what is
written. Certain criteria must be thought of and used as a gauge to help
Bloggers in their quest to develop content that pleads to be read and
interacted upon. In education you have Objectives, in business you have
Agendas, other areas have their own design. Bloggers must ask certain
questions to help them align their content to standards.

Listed are a few guidelines to help develop content and keep on
track during creation of content.

1. Why Do You Blog – any blogger must have a reason to do what they
   do. There should be passion, excitement, and commitment when
   you put fingers to keyboard. Why is a very important question and should have a definite answer. During the blogging process, it may change just as the content changes, but every Blogger should have an answer as to why do you blog.
2. What Is Your Demographic – an important element to go along with Why is What is your audience? Is there an age group, gender, nationality, culture, or specific group you want to connect with? People enjoy having a connection with their Bloggers. Any successful Blogger knows what/who their audience is and tries to give them what they need and to keep coming back for more.3. What Type of Content Do You Share – sharing is very important.
   You want your audience to understand that you are sharing a part of yourself with them. You’re not thrusting things down their throat, but providing something that they need or as you grow in your writing giving your readers something they think they need. Create the atmosphere of sharing which helps in receiving feedback from the reader. Don’t make it a give/take
   relationship, but a sharing and beneficial one.

   4. How Do You Support Your Brand and Content
   Do you have a domain name, are you using a free site, is there a lot of advertising, is there adult content, video, audio, and multimedia? Supporting your content requires some research on your part to validate what you are stating. In the educational, political, and business environments you have to backup what you have stated with links, quotes, and data. When I Blog I try as much as possible to obtain valid and trustworthy resources to backup my comments/statements. In my Blogging, I’m at times competing with traditional media so I have to go that extra step to help my readers understand where I’m coming from, how it can help them and where else they can go for additional help.

   5. Do You Use Photos, Video, Graphics – The power of a picture, video or multimedia can never be underestimated. If there is a video that can be used or you create your own do it. This provides an extra element to attract and keep readers to your content. Search Engine Optimization does need help with text (words), but additional elements that provide audio (podcasting), video (YouTube) and multimedia to create an interactive platform. Never be scared to branch off into new areas to help engage and excite your readers.

   6. Do You Offer A Service – What can you provide your audience?
   Do you sell something, what type of service or services do you have? The popular Blogs of relationship building, natural hair, nails (hands and feet) provide a service that can be seen and engaging. There is a service that results can be seen. Think very hard on what service you can provide if this is your choice. Be sure that you can keep your customers happy.

   7. Do You Evolve – One of the important things about Blogging is keeping your audience, and that means evolving. No Blog stays the same, there is an evolution process that writers go through. Just as age and maturity happens so should Bloggers content evolve because their readers evolve and change. What you wrote about 3 years ago may not be of the same interest for your readers now. Their lives have evolved (changed) so as a
   Blogger your content must evolve also.

   8. Do You Have a Brand – Can you Brand yourself to the public?
   What are you known for, what does your title of your Blog site bring thoughts and feelings of? Branding is important because of the interest it generates in readership. Creating a Brand allows for Marketability especially if you are trying to make money with your Blogs. Branding makes you who you are so the public will make that connection.

   9. Can You Be Marketable – to make money is only one important aspect of Blogging. Eventually, a Blogger considers how can they make money so must be wise in how they Market their content. Who do they market to? Basically selling yourself to the world so they can pay for your content. This may take a team to get the word out about you and promote what you are doing. Using Social Media tools is another way, but this must be strategic and planned.

   These nine elements are worth considering and using as a
   guide to anyone Blogging. Your Blogging content, goals, designs and objectives will change the more you Blog so be ready to make adjustments and evolve to keep pace and stay important enough to be read.