How to Write a Scroll-Worthy Blog Post

Margaret Andrews

Transcript

1. SCROLL- WORTHY BLOG Margaret Andrews @stickyreaders
2. Do you want to know what happened next?
3. 2005… @stickyreaders
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10. BY THE END OF THIS SESSION, YOU WILL KNOW… • How to hook your audience by the end of your second sentence • How to reel them and keep them engaged • How to appeal to the senses • How to make your blog post feel shorter than it is • How to get a copy of this presentation @stickyreaders
11. It’s not WHAT you say… It’s HOW you say it. CAPTURE YOUR AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION @stickyreaders
12. • Use a hook • Be specific (examples & rich details) • Tell a story • Get personal (relatable) HOW to say it @stickyreaders
13. BTW @stickyreaders This is not an English Class. Especially if you write in a conversational style and may periodically begin your sentences with “But” or “And”.
14. BTW @stickyreaders This is not an English Class. Especially if you write in a conversational style and may periodically begin your sentences with “But” or “And”. Or “especially”.
15. Sink your claws into them BEFORE they have a chance to runaway How do you hook readers?
16. Sink your claws into them BEFORE they have a chance to runaway How do you hook readers? 8-15 seconds
17. Sink your claws into them BEFORE they have a chance to runaway How do you hook readers? 8-15 seconds (30 if it’s your Mom)
18. HOW DO YOU HOOK READERS? ASK A QUESTION Mayo vs. Miracle Whip: What Say You? TOP 10 LIST (or 7 or 5) 5 Things the IRS Doesn’t Want You to Know FUNNY OR INTRIGUING TITLE How To Keep Romance Alive through Your Grocery List Catchy Headline @stickyreaders
19. Say something specific in first 2 sentences. HOW DO YOU HOOK READERS? @stickyreaders
20. HOW TO KEEP READERS ENGAGED? Maintain specificity Tell a story @stickyreaders
21. THE HOOK The Butler Did It Someone left a comment the other day and asked me to talk about this, so I'm going to tell you a story about when I broke my arm when I was kid. OK, are you ready? Are you ready to hear a story about my childhood? I know some of you are already thinking, "Oh no, not another story from her childhood", but I promise you, you will love this one! BLOG: Breathing Deep Among Boars
22. BE SPECIFIC Details, details, details.
23. BE SPECIFIC Details, details, details. •Give examples. •Avoid frequent generalities. @stickyreaders
24. BE SPECIFIC Turn it into a scene. what does it look like? @stickyreaders
25. TURN IT INTO A SCENE FROM: …I have been known to actually be talking on my phone then tell the person I’ll call her back so I can get that photo!
26. TURN IT INTO A SCENE TO: I’m talking to my friend Trish on the phone about her son's crayon-eating habit, when a lush grouping of purple hoopnhoppers in the grass catch my eye. A small, green worm inches its way up a shimmering petal. “Trish? I’ll call you back."
27. BE SPECIFIC Appeal to the senses. @stickyreaders
28. APPEALING TO THE SENSES Touch Taste Smell Hear See
29. APPEALING TO THE SENSES See I went to the grocery store and bought some food.
30. APPEALING TO THE SENSES I went to the grocery store and bought some food. I barreled through the produce section grabbing oranges, bananas and a Halloween pumpkin before my son, Julian, could leave one of everything on the floor in our wake. See
31. APPEALING TO THE SENSES Sally mentioned she had a college degree. Hear
32. APPEALING TO THE SENSES Sally mentioned she had a college degree. “I went to the best beauty college this side of the Poconos,” said Sally, “so you might want to rethink that perm, Hon.” Hear
33. APPEALING TO THE SENSES Walking down the street, I smelled something delicious. Smell
34. APPEALING TO THE SENSES Walking down the street, I smelled something delicious. As we walked past the hot popcorn vendor the steaming, buttery odor filled my nostrils. Smell
35. APPEALING TO THE SENSES The hot dogs on Main Street USA don’t taste very good. Taste
36. APPEALING TO THE SENSES The hot dogs on Main Street USA don’t taste very good. The hot dogs on Main Street USA taste like shoe leather. Taste
37. APPEALING TO THE SENSES The hot dogs on Main Street USA don’t taste very good. The hot dogs on Main Street USA taste like shoe leather. The hot dogs on Main Street USA taste like rolled-up cardboard dipped in tile cleaner. Taste
38. APPEALING TO THE SENSES The couch was comfortable. Touch
39. APPEALING TO THE SENSES The couch was comfortable. I sunk into the couch and it felt like a hundred fluffy kittens. Touch
40. PICK UP THE PACE Shorter sentences Shorter paragraphs Whitespace
41. A BAD EXAMPLE Blog: Breathing Deep Among Boars My Day For the last two weeks I've been preparing for this thing. In anticipation of it, I went to the store and bought extra stuff because I was sure something would go wrong. I think I probably brought too much food, though, because I didn't eat it all. I'm not completely sure how I did or anything, but we'll be sure and find out sometime next week and I'll let you guys know. One interesting thing that happened while I was in there was this guy...
42. A BETTER EXAMPLE Blog: Paradigms and Nickels My Nose Squeaks. What of It? I'm taking the BAR exam with ten other wannabe lawyers when someone pokes me in the back and tells me to pipe down. I turn around and the first thing I see is his big black caterpillar of a moustache lounging above his lip. His breath smells like kitty litter. “Now see, here,” I say. “My nose is squeaking because I have a cold, so lay off.” He doesn’t appreciate my tone of voice, I guess. He won’t stop poking me. I whip around, my box of skittles spilling to the tile floor, and I scream, "Stop it!" Chairs scrape across the floor as everyone jumps from his chair. Including the Proctor.
43. CHECKLIST
    (BEFORE YOU HIT “PUBLISH”) Does intro have a hook? At least one appeal to the senses. Check paragraph length and whitespace. Read it aloud.
44. BY NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW… • How to hook your audience by the end of your second sentence • How to reel them and keep them engaged • How to appeal to the senses • How to make your blog post feel shorter than it is • How to get a copy of this presentation @stickyreaders
45. Margaret Andrews stickyreaders.com margaret@stickyreaders.com Twitter: @stickyreaders Facebook: facebook.com/StickyReaders get a copy of this presentation here: