{"id":465,"date":"2017-08-04T03:21:14","date_gmt":"2017-08-04T07:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/writingforpublicrelations\/chapter\/quality-content-ingredients\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T15:41:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T20:41:06","slug":"quality-content-ingredients","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/writingforpublicrelations\/chapter\/quality-content-ingredients\/","title":{"raw":"4.5 Quality Content Ingredients","rendered":"4.5 Quality Content Ingredients"},"content":{"raw":"
<\/div>\r\nA captivating voice baits the hook, but a blog won\u2019t land a strong and returning readership if the content and mechanics behind the voice are subpar.\r\n\r\nWhat are some examples of strong versus subpar content?<\/strong><\/em>\r\n
Timely and Current Connections<\/a>\r\nOriginality<\/a>\r\nOrganization and Relevance<\/a>\r\nLinks<\/a>\r\nVisual Appeal<\/a>\r\nProper Mechanics<\/a>\r\nFormatting Fit for a Scan<\/a>\r\n<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\r\n<\/a>Timely and Current Connections\r\n<\/em><\/strong>Blogging requires planning, because new posts should appear regularly. An established blogger, Dekker posts two to three times a week. He uses Google calendar to keep content planned two to three weeks in advance, and he schedules sponsored posts and paid work often a month or two in advance. Creating a content calendar helps ensure a steady flow of content and also encourages strategic and timely topic choices.\r\n\r\nBeyond adding fresh content on a regular basis, the posts themselves should be timely. This might mean tying in to a current event or trending topic: in Dekker\u2019s case, visiting a newly opened restaurant or offering \u201c12 Ideas for Spring Brunch Season<\/a>.\u201d With a more timeless or evergreen topic, content can link to current other resources or websites.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_349\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"320\"]\"smoretado\"<\/a> Dekker highlights Kittie's Cafe in his blog, featuring unique offerings like the s'moretado.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/a>Originality<\/em>\r\n<\/strong>Whatever the blog topic \u2013 food, fashion, sports, cars, vintage Barbie dolls \u2013 be original in the thoughts shared and the voice and writing style used to share them. Dekker speaks in his own voice about his experiences, keeping content casual and in the first person. He seeks out new and interesting restaurants and experiences and talks about them with his own personal spin.\r\n\r\nUnique and fun visuals also add interest. Photos, other graphics and multimedia elements can bring the content to life and capture the attention of readers scanning the page. In a post about Kittie's Caf\u00e9 in Bexley, Dekker highlights key options at the WiFi and laptop-free caf\u00e9, including the s'moretado drink, one of the standout menu items to not only hear about but see.\r\n\r\n<\/a>Organization and Relevance<\/em>\r\n<\/strong>Good posts have a strong and relevant takeaway for readers. Maybe it\u2019s helpful cooking tips or purely to entertain, but writers should know what they intend for the reader to gain from reading each post.\r\n\r\nKeep an eye on word count and structure the content. It\u2019s not a meandering diary entry. A typical guideline is 300-500 words, but it depends on the style of the writer and the blog. Creating a rough outline before writing can help writers organize key messages and place links and images.\r\n\r\n<\/a>Links\r\n<\/em><\/strong>A blog post that starts a conversation and links to other great content mean readers never need to hit a dead-end. Links give readers a choose-your-own-adventure experience that lets them explore examples, dig deeper into the post\u2019s main points or check out other perspectives. Use links to connect your blog content to other expertise, unique perspectives, resources or examples.\r\n\r\nLinks also force readers to choose between continuing on or clicking, so limit links to key outside sources and clearly show readers where links will take them. Avoid \"click here\" and use the text in the link to indicate where the link leads.\r\n\r\n<\/a>Visual Appeal\r\n<\/em><\/strong>Images tell great stories and most blog posts fall flat without some type of photos, graphics or video. Dekker recommends using original artwork as much as possible, \u201cespecially considering the fact that we all carry small cameras with us.\u201d\r\n\r\nAn Explorer's Heart author Powers is also a photographer and includes multiple photos with each post to use both images and words to share information. In a 2016 post How to Plan a Trip to Aspen, Colorado this Fall<\/a>, she includes 24 photos that illustrate different aspects of her content from scenery to fall leaves to local hot spots.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_351\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"257\"]\"Aspen<\/a> Powers illustrates the fall foliage and weather in Aspen.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAssume all existing images are copyrighted unless you prove otherwise. Ask permission (via email to create a paper trail) and then link back to the original image and include photo credit within the post. Read about author and blogger Roni Loren's expensive and lawyer-filled experience<\/a>\r\n\r\nwhen she unknowingly posted a copyrighted photo, and her suggestions for avoiding this pitfall.\r\n\r\n<\/a>Proper Mechanics\r\n<\/em><\/strong>Blogs position their writers as subject-matter experts. And it\u2019s hard to build trust as an expert with spelling and grammatical mistakes, inconsistencies or other weak writing. Dekker says he uses the lessons he learned from journalism, skills like careful proofreading and fact checking.\r\n\r\nOther fundamental to keep in mind:\r\n