In the blogging business, it is often said that it’s important to develop a relationship with your readers. This is easier said than done, though. How do you go about this when the work you’re doing is entirely virtual? Well, that’s where your writer’s voice comes in.
What is a writing voice?
A writing “voice” can be a hard definition to pin down. It’s not necessarily a technique, style, or technical writing decision. Your writing voice is simply a representation of YOU within your words. No, that doesn’t mean you write out a description of yourself and click “publish”. It means every single word you put on the page is crucial in getting your personality across to your readers.
In general, people like personal relationships. If your personality can shine through your writing, your audience will feel closer to you, and therefore will be more inclined to keep reading your material. Your voice can draw readers in, helping them to feel like they really know you personally.
Finding yourself in your writing is the key way to gain followers and to maintain loyal ones. If you’re not being yourself, your writing will eventually burn out and you won’t be able to maintain your blog.
Great Ways to Start Developing Your Voice
Here are some really great ways to give your blog writing a personality, according to www.business2community.com and www.goinswriter.com:
Know your audience
Different types of blogs attract different types of readers. Decide what information you should and shouldn’t talk about on your blog. If you’re running a business-related blog, your audience most likely doesn’t care what you had for lunch that day—whereas if it’s a food blog, that’s exactly what readers will want to know. Choose the information you disclose based on your target audience.
A good way to really write to your audience is to start out by picturing your ideal reader, and writing only to that person. With a bit of practice and experience, it will become easy to write with your target audience in mind.
Figure out what makes you different
Everyone has a unique story to tell, so figure out what makes you unique and run with it! There are probably lots of other bloggers writing about the same stuff you’re writing about. This is true no matter what type of blog you’re running. Find out what sets you and your blog apart from the rest. That’s the only way to stand out from all the competition.
Tell stories
Using personal stories in your blog is a great way to develop your voice and incorporate your personality into your writing. It’s great to include anecdotes that relate to your blog topic. These stories provide your audience with a window into your life, automatically giving them a sense of your personality, making them feel closer to you, and (hopefully!) making them more inclined to revisit or subscribe to your blog.
Having trouble keeping up with your company blog? The Strong Estate team would be happy to help you out! Blogging sucks sometimes—that’s just the reality. We can make it better! Contact us today to get started.