Blogging lessons from {The Coalition}
A 3-day boot camp for creative professionals, the third edition of The Coalition at Talkatora Stadium turned out to be quite enlightening. I attended the panel discussions on the first day of the festival- my choice of stream being Content Creation. It was a good learning experience, I discovered some new things to keep in mind while creating online content, while also being reminded of the few practices that I already knew about. The great thing about panel discussions is that you get to choose from multiple perspectives and have the freedom to take home the one that resonates with you the most.
You can know more about the event and line up on the Coalition website as I am quickly going to jump to the point- what did I bring back? I am sharing it all with you because I am nice like that. The objective isn't to preach, it's simply to inform. <3
Here are the 5 things I took note of:
#1. You've got to be your own editor
It is important that you don't take your reader's time for granted and not give out unnecessary information, whether it is visual or textual. Prioritize the details.On that note, I'd also like to say to the food reviewers on Zomato posting 100 pictures in a single review- YOU'RE SO FUCKING LAME. :)
#2. How will your content be shared
How do you think your readers will react to your blogpost? Is it the reaction you want? What will they say while sharing the link on Facebook or while telling their friends about it on Whatsapp? This should help the set the tone of the blog post.
#3. Be honest about sponsored content
Trust that your readers are smart enough to tell when a post is paid for. The best and the simplest thing you can do to make sponsored content less intimidating, is be open about it. Another, a slightly trickier way to this is finding a connect between your regular content and the sponsor's message so that your audience is still getting what it comes to you for.#4. Find the right distribution platforms
You don't have to have a presence on every single social media platform that exists. Choose the ones that support the kind of content you're creating. Also, I personally believe that you've got to package your content differently for different platforms.
#5. Build a community, not a following
Rhea Gupte from FUSS had my attention with the above, very important statement. I don't want to keep shoving blog posts down my reader's throat for the sake of it- I always hope for a reaction. My end goal is not only achieving a certain number of readers, but also a certain quality of interactive audience who values what I post and has something to say about it- a community of people who not only talk to me but among each other as well.
One statement that was common throughout the panels was that it is important that you "do it for yourself". I agree with this completely- it is more satisfying and you are not putting yourself under unnecessary pressure. I blog for myself and while I constantly ask for feedback, I don't seek any validation. The whole point is to share and document my own experiences and that I will make sure, remains the primary objective.
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