What makes a post shine? Is it writing? Design? Creativity?
I think it’s all of the above, and I’ll share some tips with you here. I’m still learning about Steemit, finding new things every day, but I’ve been blogging for about a decade and writing forever, and have had a post or two curied, so I’ll share what I know.
I hope you find something of value here.
First, let’s discuss the point and definition of “quality posts.”
Quality is subjective. We all have different perspectives, and what one person likes, another may not. Also, I think we each need to define our own standards, instead of trying to hold ourselves to someone else’s idea of how things “should” be.
That said, I think we can generalize that posts should be written and designed well, looking as professional as possible given whatever you know. It’s okay to make mistakes along the way, just keep learning. Keep evolving and trying new things to create fantastic blogs!
Definition from Google search.
Writing Tips and Tricks
Topic:
This is everything. What do you want to say? How do you want to say it? The posts I enjoy the most are ones that are meaningful, or that inspire me. I like to smile and laugh. I like to learn, to go on virtual adventures through travel posts, and to get to know people through their writing. Whatever you chose to post about, be genuine, and remember your reader. When you let your authentic self shine through, people are more likely to relate and respond.
Length:
How long should a post be? That entirely depends on the post. With the exception of photocontests that specifically state there shouldn’t be writing, I tend to want at least a paragraph or three. Tell a story, share your thoughts. Contribute something to the library of Steemit. Some posts are long, and they take a lot of time, so when you see a long post, remember the person has put a piece of themselves into it. This post took me hours! But if your goal is to create a high-quality post, it will take time, and effort. And then you can feel super proud of yourself. ;)
Editing:
Proofread your post. At least once. Get rid of unnecessary words, revise awkward wording as you can. Proof it again before posting. Yes, you have to read your writing several times over, but most typos can be caught that way, and your audience will thank you. Readers can be very forgiving, but too many typos can also be a turn-off. Best to take the time to put your best post forward. (Don’t stress about being perfect, just do your best with what you know.)
Sources:
Always cite sources if you have quoted someone or used their idea in your writing. Let your posts show the highest integrity, and post responsibly. Make your work original, let it show who you are or the things that are important to you, and that is how you make it shine.
If English isn’t your first language:
One of the best things about Steemit is the diversity here. This is a worldwide community. Posts are going up in so many languages, it’s wonderful! However, if you want a broader audience, consider including an English version of your post, or an English translation in the same post. Do your best with this. People are generally pretty patient and understanding if they see you making an effort to communicate, even if the words aren’t textbook perfect.
Improve your craft:
As a writer, I’m always learning and my writing is always improving. The more you write, the more you read and learn what you like and don’t like from other writers, the better your skill becomes.
Perseverance:
Keep at it! Blog every day, if you can, and be sure to interact and build community. If you want to know how to make it on Steemit, maybe even to the Trending page, check out this article about perseverance by @arbitrarykitten.
Design Tips and Tricks
Spacing:
It’s important to break up the text of a post, so it’s easy to read. Long, never-ending paragraphs can be too much. Keep your thoughts together in organized groups of sentences along the page. Break up the text with a line, a photo, a page divider image, or by using text formatting.
Headers:
Do use headings and sub-heads, but be consistent and organized about it. Work on finding a style of your own that’s easy on the eyes and gives a similar feel to different posts on your blog. You can get creative, for sure, but when you find something that works, consistency is good. It helps a reader become familiar with you as a blogger and feel at home when reading your posts.
Photos:
Use photos. Make sure your top photo is eye catching! Breaking up text with photos is a wonderful way to keep someone reading, but you’ll want to keep headlines with text in most cases. Always state your photo source somewhere on the page, usually beneath the photo, or at the bottom of the post.
Emojis:
I copy and paste emojis from getemoji.com. I’m sure there are other ways to do this. I have no idea if these emojis show up on every device. Someone please comment and let me know if you don’t see seven fun emojis here: 🐸 🐢 🐠 🐬 🐳 🐙
Lists:
Bullet points and lists are fabulous.
- They deliver information in small doses.
- It keeps the reader’s eye moving.
- Lists break up the blog post in a different way.
- Isn’t all that white space refreshing?
Here's a curating tip and a design resource:
IMPORTANT: If you aren’t already aware, DO NOT vote on posts 7 days and older. They have already been paid out and the author won’t get any reward. Keep your voting power for “live” posts. 6 days old or newer. If you read a “dead” post and want to support the author, go to their profile and find a newer post to vote on. You can mention in a comment that you liked their other post, if you want. :)
Read this article for FORMATTING, MARKDOWN, AND PHOTO TIPS by @carrieallen. This is an older post, but super-helpful. I repeat, if you haven’t read Carrie’s “Pimp Your Post” article, and you have any questions about photos or how to format in markdown, go read it now.
Here are examples of posts with clean, interesting designs, and topics that caught my attention:
@appiepearl’s post about Breaking the Glass Ceiling
@abmakko’s post, It’s Okay to Ask for Help
@naquoya's fiction story about Guru Powers
@ameliabartlett's blog about her Slow Rolling Home
You can study these and other posts to find inspiration for your own blogging. These four are recent (as of this post), so feel free to upvote and comment if you liked them!
Put Your Heart Into It
The effort and care you put into your posts shows, and people are more likely to upvote posts when they know someone has put forth a sincere contribution to the quality of Steemit as a whole. Don’t be afraid to be creative, and let yourself have fun!
Did I miss anything?
Sure I did. There is so much out there, so much to learn. If you have a question, do your own looking around and see what you find. If you can’t figure it out, ask someone. :)
If you enjoyed this article, or have a question, or want to share another reference for how to write high-quality blog posts, feel free to leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!
Peace. @katrina-ariel
#teamgirlpowa #teamcanada #steemusa #thealliance #steemsugars
#thealliance and #steemusa banners by @bearone
Fantastic! You can tell how well thought out and documented this whole post was. This is a magnificent post and very well done. I can see the cute emojis by the ways. I have to admit I think one of the most important ones is the last one: Put your heart into it, it is so important and people sometimes forget it in search of just pleasing the population here on steemit. I love that you included it.
I am certainly sharing this and will also be pinning it in Alpha. Great, Great work.
Thank you! I'm really glad this post has been received so well. I spent all day on it in hopes it would be helpful for others in Alpha and beyond. lol! And you're right, putting your heart into it makes all the difference. I think Steemit encourages this more than other blogging, honestly. Yes, you want to write for your audience, but write for yourself first. That's when we connect with others the most, I think, when we let our truth shine!
A fine post. Clear, concise, and an excellent demonstration of the qualities you list for a quality post.
Querying several novels taught me about being concise and clear. Incredible learning process. And thank you for the compliment. :)
A prime example of why you are going to be a great Curator down the road, and already a great part of the SteemIt community. Great post and great tips.
Throwing this tag in here in hopes some will see it #newbieresteemday
Thanks for tossing that tag in, Gene! And for your incredible support. All my best to you and the entire @curie team! #gratitude
I could see only 6 emojis.
I love your post. Thank you so much for your advices.
lol! That wasn't supposed to be a trick question. That was me up too late and miscounting the emojis! Glad they worked, though. Extra points for reading so carefully. :)
So glad you liked the post, @karmadorje. My best to you!
Katrina! This is so good! It's so incredible well thought out and stylized.... I hope lots of people get to see it because I think it could really make a difference, especially to the newer peeps we find in the Fresh Five. Well done!
Thank you, @aussieninja! I'm really glad you think so. I hope it helps many people, as well. Keep up the good work helping newer peeps in the Fresh Five! :)
Thanks @katrina-ariel. This was helpful. I usually have issues with typos and that affects the quality of my posts. Also I tend to ramble on and on and so forget to divide my ideas into paragraphs. Thanks for this. I have been off your blog for a while. I was having bandwidth issues but it's better now, so you will be seeing me more often. Peace
I'm so glad the bandwidth issues are getting better for you. That's so frustrating. I also understand rambling on, and sometimes that's okay, but for the most part it's easier to read concise writing. Really happy you found this useful, and I look forward to seeing you more on Steemit. :)
See, told ya I was on my way over @katrina-ariel!
I expected excellence from you, this though my dear is a masterpiece.
I am so happy, I have popped by to be presented with this great guideline & information.
I tend do have a really hard time writing, do have to say though, like you mentioned above, writing on a regular basis helped me improve a little.
It seems to becoming easier to me.
My problem though is, I scramble up the german & english sentence structure, I guess that's where the proof writing comes in, hehehe, I need to gear down a bit, hyper-scatter-brain.
So again thank you so much my #steemit sibling, your article was of great pleasure & knowledge <3 Huggins <3 ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ)
Huge hugs back! It's okay if you scramble your words a little with German sentence structure. When we know you're writing in a second language, that is totally forgivable. (I couldn't hold my own in German, that's for sure.) Yes, the more you write, the easier it is, and proof reading is so helpful! lol! I'm glad you found this worthwhile. All my best, sister @d-vine!
Oh!! Thankyoub@katrina-ariel for sharing this post , I got to learn a lot from your post, and I will work on your tips and tricks😊😊😄
You're so welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful. :)
Reading this is going to help me write a better post post reading this ;)
So glad you found it helpful. Have fun blogging. :)
Thank you for summarizing it up.
You're most welcome. :)
well done, thumbs up!!
Thank you so much! :)
I love this @katrina-ariel, especially the "put your heart into it" line. I believe with these helpful tips, my posts will look better in the days ahead. Thanks so much for this.
Meanwhile, I counted only six fun emojis. I don't know if it's my eyes playing tricks but I saw six emojis. 🙈😀😁
I'm so glad you found it worthwhile, @emjoe. :) And I think it was my eyes playing tricks on me last night. I miscounted. lol! See, even after spending literally over an hour proofreading, I still missed something. Funny. :)
Lol, that means we shouldn't expect perfection from our works too.🙈😀
Exactly. Do your best, and don't stress too much if you miss something. (I'll count better next time.) ;)
Thanks once more for the post. I am equipped to be better now with my posts.
This is a great post! I can only view 6 emojis from my iPhone 7/ iOS 11.2.2. Thanks for writing this, great example of information in a clear and concise way.
Thank you, Lily! And, yep, there's only six there. I didn't mean for it to be a trick question, I think I just stayed up too late. lol! So glad you enjoyed the article. Thank you for taking the time to read and respond. :)
Very nicely written. I think my biggest irritants when reading is the lack of line spacing.
I agree. It's hard on the eyes if there isn't enough white space or organized paragraphs. And thank you! :)
I found your account through your comment in @wander-full's post.
Thank you for sharing this because I'm still struggling in writing as this is my first attempt to blog.
Found your tips really helpful, especially about perseverance and putting our hearts into the work. I believe that these are some of the most important keys in becoming a good blogger. 😄
Hi there! Fantastic to meet you, thanks for wandering over to my page. :) Yes, I think heartfelt writing and perseverance are absolutely vital. I'm so glad that resonated with you. Blogging can be hard to get at first, but the more you do it, the more you learn, and then it can become more fun than work. All my best to you! Steem on. :)
Great tips, I've been on Steemit for almost a year but there's always something new to learn and there's tons of space for improvement!
I do see the emoji's, hehe! :)
I'm glad you see the emojis. :) Apparently I miscounted them last night. lol! But you're right, there is always something more to learn and space to grow. That's been my experience as a writer and blogger (and human). Thank you so much for taking time to read and respond here. All my best!
awesome tips! wonderful post..
Thank you kindly. :)
Great post!! Many ideas and useful tips here. I think it's important to put some effort into the posts we make and here are really great guidelines.
I'm so glad you found it worthwhile. :)
Great tips and thanks for sharing gives me some ideas on how I can improve future posts of mine
I think your posts are great, Jay. :) But I'm so glad you found something useful here. Thanks for taking the time to stop by!
Thanks nice of you to say but it’s good s to be always striving to improve
Yes, there is always space for improvement. I've spent the last four years working very hard to improve my writing (for novels, mainly, but it comes out here, too). I like learning more each day. :)
your writing is fabulous
As an uncle said to me when I was young a day where you do not learn anything is a wasted day
This is the best and most comprehensive tips on "quality posts" I have read so far, thanks I have this resteemed.
Really? Thanks so much! I'm glad you think it's so useful and sincerely appreciate the resteem. :)
Amazing tips. . I had to pen them down.
Thanks alot.
I'm glad you found something worth writing down. :) Thank you for reading. Steem on!
wow , it really very helpful post for minnow even i am learned many things from this post... ;-)
@adityajainxds #thealliance
I'm so glad you learned a few things, @adityajainxds! That was the whole point of this post. Have fun blogging. All my best!
Thank you for sharing lots of benefits
Hello steemit, today is my first day.. please guidance and assistance. upvote n resteem.. i really appreciate that
thank you.
follow me @arifirwandi88 and i will do the same thanks.
Welcome to Steemit! I hope you have lots of fun here, and find many friends. A little tip: most people don't appreciate being asked to upvote and resteem or follow in comments, though it's okay to put this request at the end of your posts. Since you're new, do not worry about it being here, no big deal, but now you know. :)
I do like that you linked to your intro post, so I could go over and have a read. I love meeting new Steeminans. Best of luck to you!
link has been removed
seems like being a spam
thanks to ur advice :)
Really solid advice! Resteemed!
Thank you so much, my friend. :)
Wonderful post, Katrina! I had in mind writing something similar after reading some posts on Steemit which definitely needed some editing tips. I feel like you have been walking in my mind.😄 😄 😄 Great minds think alike. 😏
Great minds do think alike. Wait a week and then write it (if you still want to). lol! Then I'll have a fresh one to send people to. I'm sure you'll have a new take on things. :)
What I like the most about this post is that not only did I get tremendous value, but I also discovered some great Steemit people (Steemers? Steemiters?) to follow. I've gotten back into writing recently, and am constantly looking for ways to improve "the craft". Thanks for helping me do so in such a concise and clear way.
Thanks for reading and posting such a wonderful comment! You're right, sometimes the best thing is following the trails and finding new, fantastic Steemians (or whatever you want to call us, lol!) Yes, writing is a life-long evolution of craft. May the words be with you. And welcome (back) to Steemit! Have fun and keep at it. Steem on! :)
Stellar post, Katrina-Ariel! You laid out so many valuable tips in a beautiful format. I am inspired to try even more to create a clean, readable format because it really is a pleasure to read an article comfortably, like walking down a road you're familiar with.
You're an inspiration! And a well-deserved curie 👏😻
Aw, thank you so much! Sincerely. :) I find your posts to be well laid out, but I think we're always tweaking things and learning as we go. Glad to learn with you. You're an inspiration as well, my friend.
I was JUST wondering how to do links and blockquotes - and here it is. Now I have answers to questions I did not even know I had. Thank you for your post.
Yay! I love it when you're looking for something and you actually find it then and there. lol! You're most welcome. Happy blogging. :)
Brilliant post Katrina! Proud to serve alongside you in Alpha.
(avesa sings - "It's only just beguuunnnn")
Lol! Thank you for the song and the compliment! So sweet. :)
Anytime!
lol! OMG I just came back and saw this gif. The guitarist doing the kick is the best part of this gif. Funny. ;-)
hahahaha I TOTALLY agree. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia is one of the best shows ever made
Oh wow. I had no idea that old posts don’t get paid out! 🙊 I am obviously a noob lol. I learn something new every minute about steemit and it looks like I have a lot more reading to do! Thank you!
You're most welcome. And there is so much to learn! It's all good. The point is, you're learning. Good on ya. Steem on! :)
Thank you for writing such a wonderful well thought out post. Lots of awesome tips here, I am looking forward to reading the other articles you suggested for reading.
So glad you found it helpful. Steem on! :)
thank you ,,,,, your post is really awesome
This is a great help for me for Im trying to improve my blogging ability. Thank you so much @katrina-ariel
You're so welcome! :) Thanks for reading and taking time to respond.
You are welcome. Such kind of post is worth reading.
Another helpful post @katrina-ariel! Perfect timing as I am currently writing another entry. I am applying these tips on my next blog post about the beach! ❤❤❤
I'm so glad you found something useful here. Your beach post is so inviting! Gorgeous waters. :)
Thanks @katrina-ariel. It does look inviting especially if you are surrounded by snow. 😊 Happy to know someone like you who is very kind, helpful and supportive.
I had bookmarked many other articles to help me navigate through Steemit and now you've saved me from navigating through them.
Thank you!
Well, I'm sure there's more to learn, but I'm so glad you find this helpful. It's nice to collect everything in one place. Steem on! :)
Wow. Its really great that you shared this to others. I congratulate you on your success with this post also. Will save this for reference. Here are my emojis lol 👍👍👍👍
Great job with this one @katrina-ariel
Thank you so much! :)
I think I have had some "quality posts myself" but they don't get much attention, IDK. Haha I'm trying to socialize more on Steemit to make the most out of this platform and be noticed!
Hi! There are so many quality posts out there that aren't getting noticed. Have you joined any communities here? There are lots to choose from. It's nice to find your tribe. Also, the discord groups really help build friendships and get/give support. Good luck and thanks for saying hello. :)
This was a great read @katrina-ariel. I am learning a great deal here in the Steemit world, but I must say posts like this keep me motivated moving forward. I am currently a giant sponge soaking in all the information and advice I can! The information in this post may seem simple to some, but the way it is laid out is educational to most! Upvoted and Resteemed!
So glad you found this beneficial. You're right, there's so much to learn! I'm still learning new things every day. Your willingness to learn and keep growing is fabulous. :) My best to you!
Hola! Quería saber si me autorizabas a traducir este post al español, encuentro esta información muy útil. Saludos, espero tu respuesta :)
I just saw six emojis in the section, but the article is nice and helpful too. I'm wondering about how people make the neat little hyperlink for their photo references
lol! Yes, I counted wrong. There were only 6. ;)
You make the source link the same way you make other links. I make mine italics, as well. Check out the markdown tutorial by @carrieallen that I referenced to learn how to code links.
awesome post! its very helpfull! :D thanks a lot