Love this thread and the great advice coming through :D
My three are:
1 - Think about your audience. Are you writing for a complete beginner or someone more experienced? What prior knowledge do you expect your experienced reader to have? What problem are you trying to help them solve?
2 - Don't post it right away. Once you are happy with the final version of your post close your laptop and wait till tomorrow. With fresh eyes you often spot mistakes you wouldn't have seen initially.
3 - Don't worry about post views and other vanity metrics. Post views don't tell you if your reader has even read the post, they simply clicked a link. You should be aiming to create genuine conversations and helping others with your post, not chasing internet points.
I'm a friendly, non-dev, cisgender guy from NC who enjoys playing music/making noise, hiking, eating veggies, and hanging out with my best friend/wife + our 3 kitties + 1 greyhound.
3 - Don't worry about post views and other vanity metrics. Post views don't tell you if your reader has even read the post, they simply clicked a link. You should be aiming to create genuine conversations and helping others with your post, not chasing internet points.
So, so true! I think that this is excellent advice. 🙌
So much gets lost in metrics like post views. Like you said, a post view just tells you that someone clicked a link. Maybe you had a genuinely good title or maybe you just created enough shock/intrigue to get a click! 😅
Anyway, as you pointed out, when writing for views alone, the writing generally suffers because it isn't coming from a genuine place and it's so clearly self-serving. On the reverse, writing about what you are interested in and trying to make real connections with others who are interested in the same thing is so, so much more rewarding than a post view.
Side note, I love the phrase "chasing internet points" and now I got TLC in my head! 😀
Founder/Editor in Chief @ Tech Up Your Life and Cup of Moe. Bylines @ WhistleOut, MakeUseOf, TechBeacon, DZone, SmartHomeBeginner, DVD Netflix, Electromaker, and Electropages.
Location
Carrboro, NC
Education
English BA, Creative Writing Minor from UNC Chapel Hill
Love this thread and the great advice coming through :D
My three are:
1 - Think about your audience. Are you writing for a complete beginner or someone more experienced? What prior knowledge do you expect your experienced reader to have? What problem are you trying to help them solve?
2 - Don't post it right away. Once you are happy with the final version of your post close your laptop and wait till tomorrow. With fresh eyes you often spot mistakes you wouldn't have seen initially.
3 - Don't worry about post views and other vanity metrics. Post views don't tell you if your reader has even read the post, they simply clicked a link. You should be aiming to create genuine conversations and helping others with your post, not chasing internet points.
Things to consider when writing your next blog post
Helen Anderson ・ Apr 15 '20 ・ 5 min read
The trouble with blog post views and vanity metrics
Helen Anderson ・ Jun 20 '21 ・ 5 min read
So, so true! I think that this is excellent advice. 🙌
So much gets lost in metrics like post views. Like you said, a post view just tells you that someone clicked a link. Maybe you had a genuinely good title or maybe you just created enough shock/intrigue to get a click! 😅
Anyway, as you pointed out, when writing for views alone, the writing generally suffers because it isn't coming from a genuine place and it's so clearly self-serving. On the reverse, writing about what you are interested in and trying to make real connections with others who are interested in the same thing is so, so much more rewarding than a post view.
Side note, I love the phrase "chasing internet points" and now I got TLC in my head! 😀
🎶 ... don't go chasing internet points... 🎶
I first heard the term 'internet points' after reading this post from Edaqa and the discussion it prompted.
How do you feel about chasing internet points, badges and the gamification of everything?
edA‑qa mort‑ora‑y ・ Apr 3 '19 ・ 2 min read
THE PROBLEM WITH VANITY METRICS! PREACH! As a writer/editor, I'm constantly trying to help people understand this. Excellent write up!