Get CYBERSMART with blogs

Blogging is a great way to develop your writing skills, showcase your knowledge and document your experiences. There are lots of free blogging sites available (such as WordPress or Blogger) that are easy to use, allowing you to quickly share your ideas with a global audience. Follow these tips to help you get started.

CHOOSE YOUR TOPICWhat are you going to talk about? Try to find an original topic or explore an existing theme from a different angle. Research similar blogs to help you find inspiration. If you aren’t genuinely interested in what you are writing about, your readers won’t stick around.

FIND YOUR BLOGGING VOICEWho will want to read your blog? Consciously selecting and keeping your audience in mind will help you to find your blogging voice. Use a conversational, chatty style and draw on personal experiences - let your personality shine through.

GET TO THE POINTDon’t keep your audience waiting to find out what your key message is. Use catchy headings that sum up the topic of each post and try not to waffle with the details. Readers should be clear about what you are saying and how you would like them to respond.

CHECK YOUR FACTSDon’t leave yourself open to criticism (or to being sued for libel) by making unsubstantiated claims. Avoid generalisations and support your arguments with appropriate statistics or recent research. Don’t forget to include links to any online sources you reference.

MAKE IT VISUALBlog posts that contain videos, infographics or images will be much more engaging so start thinking about how you can support your message in a visual way. Make sure you have permission to use any images or look for content that has a Creative Commons licence.

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You will find examples of blogs by Queen’s University Belfast staff and students at blogs.qub.ac.uk