The key ingredient to any nonprofit blog is quality content. So before considering design features, commenting, or social sharing, it’s important to begin with an audit of your content. If you’re new to blogging, take a look at our posts on content marketing and website personas to get an idea of what you want to communicate and who your audience will be. If you’ve already begun blogging, or if you’ve been at it for a while, take a look at your most recent posts and ask yourself the following questions.
First, is your message directed toward the appropriate audience? In a previous post on the ServanTek blog, we shared some ideas on how to think about your website personas and how to direct your message toward the appropriate readers. The fact of the matter is that your message is not going to resonate with all people, in all places, at all times. That would be impossible. But your content should be written in such a way that it resonates with the specific users who would be most likely to take an interest in your cause.
Next, put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Do you find the information in your nonprofit blog helpful? Are you providing your readers with something of value? If you’re new to blogging, take some time to consider what type of content your users would find most helpful. What type of information are they looking for? What do they need to know? If readers find value in the information you’re providing, they’ll come back for more. Or better yet, they’ll subscribe to receive your updates in their inbox. If your information is not valuable to them, they’ll keep surfing the web until they find information that will both capture their attention and provide value to them.
Once you’ve determined that your content has significant value to your readers, it’s important to consider whether or not your information is actionable. Perhaps your primary objective is to raise awareness about your cause or a social issue surrounding your cause. Is your nonprofit blog providing your readers with content that will not only raise awareness, but spur them on toward action? This is not to say that every post needs to conclude with a specific call to action, but the information you provide your readers should encourage them to put that information to good use. Whether you’re educating your readers on the dangers of texting while driving, or you’re sharing an inspirational story of volunteerism, be sure to consider what type of response you hope to generate from your readers, and ask yourself whether or not your content would draw such a response.
Finally, review the writing style of your posts. Is it conversational? Does it flow? Sometimes it helps to read a post aloud to yourself to better understand how it will come across to your readers. What about punctuation? Has someone edited your post to be sure it’s free of typos or grammatical errors? As the writer, you may not be able to catch all of your own mistakes. When possible, have a coworker look it over and fine tune it before publishing.