how to blog: a guide for developers
TRANSCRIPT
Blogging skills OVER 9000
TL;DR Devloper version
Full disclosure
• It’s not just typing stuff.
• Takes time.
• Word choices.
• Language issues.
The draft
• What’s The PurposeTM?
• Write simple ideas (paper, Evernote, etc.)
• Write a draft.
The title• Write it for humans (or Martians), not for robots.
• Try to include keywords but don’t force them.
• Must attract users.
• How-to, when, why, what, lists… tend to work well.
• About 60 chars.
The writing (1/3)
• Always start with a story.
• Read more & snippets.
• Define concepts.
• Keywords count more here.
The writing (2/3)
• Simple sentences.
• Subsections.
• Quotes & references.
• Facts, not opinions.
The writing (3/3)
• About 1200 words.
• British English.
• Does it solve The Purpose?
• If you read it elsewhere, would you share it?
• Link to other companies so we can mention them on Twitter.
Wrap-up
• Summarize in just one sentence.
• Include a call to action.
• Example: invite to discussion.
Editing
• Title attribute in links + target=_blank
• First 2-3 links to other posts.
• Simpler sentences + shorter paragraphs.
• Have somebody else read it.
Images• At least one image per post.
• Add title + alt attributes.
• Image will be shared to social networks.
• Content with images gets 40% more interaction.
• Sentences with % in them gain more credibility.
It’s all connected
Utils
Tools you should use
• Grammarly: Spell-checking + style. • Titlecapitalization.com: Chicago style. • Dillinger.io: Online Markdown editor. • Unsplash: Free photos. • Death to Stock Photo: Same.
1. Go to Trello to read your assigned post.
2. Download MarsBased-web repo.
3. Copy content (!!!) from one existing post into a new file under _drafts folder.
4. Set variables.
5. Write away!
Workflow
Some tips
• Practice makes the master.
• If you read a good post, write the idea on Trello.
• Allocate some days for my revision.
• Send it to people who might be interested.
Reading list
• Signal vs. Noise (Basecamp)
• Buffer’s blog
• Thoughtbot’s blog
• Pablo Villalba’s blog (@micho on Twitter)