10 Tips for Better Blog Writing Inspired By The Beatles

I am feeling especially silly today. I was listening to the backside of Abbey Road on the walk to work this morning. I listen to The Beatles often. They are my favorite band. On this particular day however, while humming along with Polythene Pam, I began to wonder if it were possible to weave Beatles’ lyrics into an outline for writing a blog. Afterall, The Beatles were exceptional storytellers, so why not?

In an attempt to challenge myself, as well as share my silliness with you, I have come up with 10 fabulous tips to consider when structuring your next blog article; a la the lyrical genius of the Fab Four.

Tip 1: “Is there anybody going to listen to my story?”

You have a story to tell. An opinion to share. It all begins with a good topic and solid content to capture your audience. Whatever the tale, be sure it is filled with enough substance and character so that it is something worth reading. Good content supplies demand.

Tip 2: “She’s a big teaser, she took me half the way there.”

If you are using a popular service, such as WordPress, you will likely have the option to preface your blog with a blurb or an excerpt. Make it a good one! This is your chance to tease the reader into scrolling for more information.

Tip 3: “Picture yourself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.”

John Lennon opened Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds using this dreamy and poetic first line. Be sure to channel your inner Lennon when crafting your headline. A good headline entices your reader, improving not only the chance that they will read on, but may also feel inclined share it.

Tip 4: “There is a barber showing photographs of every head he’s had the pleasure to have known.”

If you find yourself struggling to come up with a sparkling headline, finding a good image to supplement a decent headline makes for a worthwhile companion. “Images are steroids for your headline,” says Sonia Simone of Copyblogger Media. Sonia also makes it easy for lazy bloggers to search for great images.

Tip 5: “Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup.”

Do not fear writing at length, however avoid the urge to bloviate. Google prefers content rich blogs with 800 words or more. So feel free to let your words flow, but remember, a blog article is not a doctoral thesis. Your blog should sustain enough words to get your point across.

Tip 6: “Writing the words of a sermon that no one will hear.”

Simply writing good content is not enough. The web is saturated with bloggers. What you have to say has likely been said or will be said in the future. Aside from your own perspective and creativity, research and weave relevant keywords into your content. Engineer your blog to be SEO friendly to avoid the fate of Father McKenzie.

For additional information on keyword usage read Content Marketing Strategies 101 by Brolik’s Bryce Liggins.

Tip 7: “And your bird can sing.”

Google’s Hummingbird is the latest update to its search algorithm. Where keyword research and SEO best practices once sufficed, Hummingbird now weighs in on the human characteristic of content. In laymen’s terms, make an effort to create content that is cohesive. Your musings, from start to finish, should be thematically woven together and written well.

Tip 8: “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

If you are blogging about a story, link to the original story and be sure to let the author know. Doing so makes the author aware that your blog exists. This is an easy approach to building an online friendship using your blog. It can encourage the bloggers you are linking to, to link back to your blog as well. So be sure and spread the link love. Social sharing is equally as important. Do not deny the reader the chance to share, like, Tweet and so on. “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Tip 9: “I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved.”

Only The Beatles could have written such a misogynistic line, turning it into a song that felt effortlessly upbeat and optimistic. The Beatles were controversial with their writing from time to time. It is okay for you to consider doing the same. Raising the reader’s eyebrows can be a good thing. You can be controversial without being dicey and offensive. Controversy provokes thought, interaction and can open up a direct dialogue between you and your audience.

Tip 10: “If you want some fun take ob-la-di-bla-da.”

The Brolik Blog was created so that our team could write as thought leaders and be a resource to our industry and the community. We take our blog seriously but we also have a lot of fun doing it too! Whatever you choose to write about, make sure you will have fun writing about it before jumping on your soapbox; even if “fun” means being as blatantly silly as this blog. Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da!