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Thanks to everyone who is participating in our first Teacher Challenge!

It’s impressive to all those participating sharing their learning and helping each other in the comments and discussions.

For those who haven’t yet joined us — it’s never too late!

Here’s the first activities:

  1. Kick Start Activity 1 – Beginner – Setting Up Your Blog
  2. Kick Start Activity 1 – Advanced – Down Blog’s Memory Lane!

This post is part of the beginners series for 30 Days to Kick Start Your Blogging.  This time we’ll be getting you to write a post on your blog.

And in this case remember ‘don’t stress, have fun’.  The post we’ve written here is long because we need to ensure we cover sufficient information to give you the assistance you need.   Your post could be a few sentences or several paragraphs — what ever you’d like; it is your blog after all :)

In this second activity you will:

  1. Be introduced to blog posts.
  2. Learn how to write blog posts.
  3. Gain tips for writing better blog posts.
  4. Write a blog post.
  5. Complete the extension activity (if you have time).

Step 1: Introduction to Posts

Posts are where you normally publish the latest update or new article on a blog.  They are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order with the most recent post at the top of the page.

Most of the content published on a blog is normally written as Posts.   The information you want to share or reflect on are normally published as Posts and not on Pages.

Blogs are designed to have only one Post page which normally displays on the homepage of the blog.  If you look closely at the homepage of this Teacher Challenge blog you’ll see how the posts are displayed in reverse chronological order.

If you look closely at a post you will see it is normally made up of:

  1. Post Title – tells the reader what the post is about.  A great post title grabs readers attention and is more likely to encourage them to read your post.
  2. Date published – all post display the date a post was published.  You’ll normally see this displayed at the top of the post.
  3. Categories and tags - are used to help readers locate information in different ways.  We’ll explain how to use categories and tags in a later activity in this series.
  4. Your post content – this is the main information that you want to share or reflect on with your readers
  5. A link to comments - This is where your readers can click to write a comment in response to your post.  Comments give readers an opportunity to share their thoughts, connect with you and interact with other readers.

Step 2: How to Write blog posts

All you need to do to write a blog post is:

1.  Log into your blog dashboard

2.  Go to Posts > Add New in the Advanced Admin interface

  • This will take you to the Add New Post screen.  The area where you write your post is by default in Visual Editing mode which uses WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) option for formating.

Add your post title

4,  Add your content

  • The Write post area works similar to any Word processing software. Simply write your post, highlight any text you want to format and then click the appropriate icon in the toolbar to add formating such as bold, italics, number list.
  • If you hover over an icon it’ll tell you what each feature is used for.
  • Click on the Show/Hide sink icon to access the Advanced formatting toolbar for features like bold, italics, number lists, bullet points etc

Adding content to your Write post area

5.  Add your tags and categories

  • Leave this for now if you are new to tags and categories (we’ll cover this in a later activity).

6.  Click Save Draft then click Preview.

  • This will open up your post in a new browser tab so you can view what it looks like on your blog before it is published.
  • You do this to review what you have written so you can go back to your post to make any necessary changes.
  • It’s important to check visually how your post looks on your blog and make changes so that it is easier to read online.

Reviewing your draft

6.  When finished writing click Publish.

  • Your post will now display on your blog so others can read!

Video

 Watch the video below to learn about Managing comments


Step 3: Tips for writing better blog posts

Writing good blog posts is more than just the words.

So here’s some tips:

#1 Use attention grabbing titles

Titles on blog posts are like titles on books.  The better the title, the more it’ll grab the attention of readers and the less likely they’ll read what you’ve written.

Captivating and intriguing titles draw readers every time.  Back that with a well written post and you won’t look back.

For further tips on writing post titles refer to 15 Ways to rework your next blog post title.

#2 Use Short Paragraphs

Posts with really long paragraphs are really hard to read making it less likely for them to be read and more likely your readers will miss the point of your post.

It’s really simple:

  • Break your posts up with paragraphs
  • The more paragraphs the better
  • Short paragraphs are better than long
  • If you need to make some paragraphs one or two sentences long so they are visually easier to read online then do it!
  • Make the first sentence of each paragraph make your readers want to read the rest of the paragraph

#3 Use Headings

Use headings, and where appropriate bullet points and number lists, to break up the post into manageable bit size chunks.

Creating a heading is as simple as:

  1. Highlighting the text you want to change into a heading
  2. Selecting the Heading Style you want to apply from the Advanced formatting toolbar (for most themes your best option is heading 3)
  3. Previewing your post to make sure that headings you’ve used has broken your post into manageable chunks

Creating a heading
#4  Remember to hyperlink

If you write about an article or another blogger’s post link to it! Why? Because your readers often want to check it out in more details.

Linking is a really important part of being a blogger and linking isn’t hard but a common mistake of new bloggers is to forget to link!

It’s good blogging etiquette to link to:

  1. A person’s blog if you mention a blogger
  2. The post if you are talking about a particular post on a blog
  3. Articles and websites when you write about them

Here’s example of how you might hyperlink:

Sue Wyatt, one of the coordinators of the Teacher Challenge, has decided to lead by example and is participating in the Advanced series of 30 Days to Kick Start Your Blogging.   Check out Sue’s Interviewing my blog!

Creating a hyperlink is as simple as:

  1. Highlighting the text you want to link to a website, blog or post
  2. Clicking on the Insert/Edit Link icon in the standard formatting toolbar
  3. Paste the link URL
  4. Then click Insert

Adding a hyperlink

#5 And finally advice on what to blog about

For many edubloggers blogging is a bit about their readers and a lot about their own personal needs to reflect on what they are learning or what they want to share.

One of the commonest mistakes made by new blogggers is focusing on what they think their readers want to read.

Our advice is forget about your readers and focus on your own needs. You’ll be more passionate and it’ll come through in your posts.

And never assume that someone’s already written what you’re saying.

Here are some tips about blogging from students who took part in the 2010 student challenge: Jacqueline, Krithika, Jared and Ashley

Step 4: Write a post on your blog

Now it’s time to write a post on your blog.

It’s entirely up to you!

Here’s some ideas on what you could write about:

  • 7 things you don’t need to know about me – here is an example that was part of a meme in 2009
  • My passions – often a lot easier to write about something you are really passionate about whether it be reading, cycling, genealogy or crafts
  • Review or share a favorite learning or technology tool that you use

Step 5:  Discussion Question

Visit the DQ for activity #2 and share what you believe makes a quality post.

Step 6:  Extension activity – Optional

In a post, link to three other effective posts you have read from educators and justify their effectiveness.

Make sure to provide a link to this post as well in your comment below.

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