5 Things You Need To Do To Create A Quality Blog Post
What’s better: quality or quantity?
I was originally going to title this piece something ridiculous like “Why You Should Write 300 Blog Posts This Year.”
From that sentence alone, you know where I stand on the quality vs. quantity debate.
“Quality” is hard to define. To me, quality means well crafted. Unique. Detail-oriented. Something you can’t get anywhere else.
That’s quality.
How do you arrive to this point as a creator, though?
When you just get started and don’t know how to form a sentence correctly? Or edit a video? Or adjust the exposure on your camera?
My friends, the answer to that is QUANTITY.
1. Focus On Quantity
Quantity gets you to quality.
When I started my YouTube channel three months ago, I originally wanted to do a daily “vlog.”
Spoiler Alert: I didn’t follow through on this.
But my original logic was sound.. By creating a sh*t ton of stuff, I’ll get better as a video creator. The same thing happened with me and my blogging. I must’ve written 100 posts before anybody really started paying attention.
To me quantity beats quality every time because after a while you’ll start accomplishing both at the same time.
Everybody always says quality takes a hit when you put out so much, but what they don’t account for is how we get more efficient with repetition. I am so much faster at video editing now compared to before.
Now instead of spending 4 hours making a video, I can spend 2. That gives me 2 more hours to focus on quality. Got it?
To create great sh*t, you need to put in some reps.
Efficiency is highly overrated, and you only arrive there with massive amounts of practice.
2. Focus On The Idea — Not Your Writing Ability
Why do you really read your favorite author?
Because of their style? Because of the subject matter? Because they can sling sentences like a badass?
None of the above.
You read your favorite authors because you like their ideas. How they present those ideas (via blogging to YOU) is icing on the cake.
That’s right, you don’t like your favorite writers because they’re great at writing.. You like them because of how their brains work.
After all, blog posts are just a writer’s way of showing you their souls.
The best authors write about ideas you’ve never/hardly pondered before. They give you a new perspective. They broaden your mind.
Before you write your next blog post ask yourself this one question..
Have I REALLY never seen this idea anywhere before?
We don’t need more of the same. We need YOUR story. Which brings me to my next point..
3. Capture Your Thoughts During The Day
My best piece of advice for writing quality content deals with going back to the source of it…
When that idea dances around in your mind for the first time.
Apparently humans have some 50,000 thoughts per day. FIFTY THOUSAND!
I get tired of it when people say they have no writing ideas. Like, bruh, you have 50,000 things cross your mind PER DAY. Get better at catching the fish in the pond.
It takes practice to realize you’re thinking of something profound and then write that idea down so you can write about it later.
It’s also the source of your best ideas.
When you’re standing in line at Starbucks. Or when you’re in traffic. Or when you’re brushing your teeth.
You’re far away from any B.S. ideas from other people and alone with your OWN thoughts. This is where you mine blogging gold.
4. Listen To Those Who Read You
My first ever viral video was created at the request of someone who cold-messaged me on Facebook.
He asked me to create a video about how Mindanao (the lower part of the Philippines) was safe, and how many people believe it’s some “war zone” because their President declared Martial Law there.
So I did.
And it took off on Facebook. Like, 1,500+ shares took off.
I received 1,000 FB likes in one week because of it, actually.
You have to listen closely to people. Listen to them in the comments. Pay attention when they tweet at you. Engage with them and get at the root of what they’re wondering about.
This is another place to find content gold.
5. Be Authentic To A Fault
A lot of people are afraid of writing their story because they think it has no value.
So they regurgitate other people’s ideas because they know that, for sure, will get clicks and is worthwhile to read. Which is more of the same.
Not good content.
It’s actually so counterintuitive because we’re not getting any of THEIR SOUL in these pieces. None of their unique-ness.
You can write a good piece this way. You could write a viral piece this way. But is it quality?
Quality means unique. And to be unique you need to write your truth, not anybody else’s.
I’m an angsty, stubborn, downright angry 25 year old guy sometimes.
I try not to let this aspect of me bleed into my writing because I’m afraid ya’ll won’t like it. But that would be such a big sin because then I’m acting like somebody else.
People will love you and hate you for being authentic. It’s just part of the game.
I think when you’re hated that’s a sign you’re headed in the right direction.
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