Steemit Minnow Support: Should I design every blog post?
Being new to a platform can feel overwhelming and scary especially when you feel lost. You are probably asking yourself, exactly what should I do with this new platform? How often should I post on here? Is it even necessary to design every post before I publish them?
Questions are great to ask yourself but, what if the questions are making you more confused than necessary, then what should you do? Turn to your steemit community for help because we have all been there at one time or another. We have been lost, confused, overwhelmed with the platform and bogged down with what should happen next. I am certain that if you asked even a whale that has been on this platform since the beginning of time they will say the same thing, everyone starts at the same place, the bottom.
It is great to have other steemian who do post helpful blog posts for new minnows especially when we are growing at such a substantial rate. The platform has taken off like a wildfire now it is time to contain the fire and help new minnows succeed. That is why today I will answer the most searched question.... Do I really need to design every blog post before I hit publish? If you do not know how to design a blog post check out my post: Steemit: Design Your Blog Post Using Basic HTML Coding for Beginners.
Now that you know how to design a blog post let me answer the question at hand.
Do I Need to Design Every Blog Post Before I Hit Publish?
The answer is, YES! You should be designing every blog post. I know it takes time to learn code and it can seem time consuming but, your readers will thank you for it later. Every time you write a blog post, no matter the topic, there are parts you want to highlight for example, the more important phrases or words, detailed explanations, and what you want your readers to walk away from.
Styling Blog Posts Helps Your Readers
Taking the time to style a blog post helps your readers not only follow your story but, understand what you are saying. Think of when you write a letter or email to someone, you begin with a greetings, followed by your introduction paragraph, the body, conclusion, and closing. Styling the blog post is no different. Write down what is most important for your readers to know and make sure you bold, italic, or use a header font to emphasis that specific section of your post.
Breaking Down the Post into Shorter Paragraphs
It has been known that readers will lose interest if your blog is all jumbled up into one long paragraph. This is because you put no emphasis or time into preparing your blog post. Readers can tell you are less interested in how your blog reads and more interested in the number of upvotes and resteems. That can hurt your following significantly! Break down your post into shorter paragraphs making it easier for your reader to keep up with what you are telling them. It also, makes for a cleaner more thought out blog post. When in doubt, keep it simple!
Highlight Important Statements
Always highlight, underline, bold, or italic important statements you want your readers to walk away with. By doing this you are screaming to your readers, this is important and you want to remember important aspects of a blog post right? I do too! That is why, even with my blog posts I highlight the most important parts for YOU not for me. I know what I am saying and why but, you don't unless I point it out to you.
Posting Pictures You Have Taken
I am like the next person, I love looking at pictures. Your readers love seeing pictures you have taken but, do not just post the pictures post an explanation with the pictures. Your readers cannot read your mind, I know weird right? But, the readers cannot understand why you took the picture, what you were thinking or feeling in that moment as the camera lens snaps away. They only know whether or not the picture looks good. Tell your readers something important about the moment you took that photo. Help your readers understand that moment in time and to understand you. Never just post a picture without any explanation no one wants to just see pictures we want to connect with you!!!!
Conclusion....
Yes, it is important you take the time to style your blog posts. Styling your blog posts will help your readers understand what you are trying to say and what is most important for them to walk away with. Highlight the most important parts of your posts. Keep the paragraphs shorter to help your readers from getting distracted or bored. If you are posting pictures always post an explanation with the picture to help your readers connect with you!
It may seem like a job when it comes to blogging but, ask any blogger who makes money you take the time to design every post even if it takes forever. Well thought out and designed posts will gain more interaction and upvotes than a post you slap together in less than five minutes. Designed posts also lets your readers know you are serious about what you are doing. That you take blogging seriously and not just as a side line hobby. Take what you do seriously! Every person has a reason for blogging but, only those who take the time to blog will succeed.
Help a fellow minnow out and let them know this post is here for them!!!!
Hi @ashleyonline, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads and I included it in my Steemit Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here.
Thank you for stopping by @shadowspub and letting me know about your post. That is so cool! Love the cat photo too. Kind of looks like she's a little bored and up to no good.
She is often up to no good when she's not sleeping or demanding cuddling from me. She's a part Maine Coon ... she didn't get the size but she does have the personality.
They can be demanding that is for sure. I have a rescued cat from outside, her mother was ran over, my husband found her cold and wet. Tiny little thing. She was very sick when he first brought her to me. Vet visit she had a chest cold and they were unsure if she would make it. I nursed her day and night for 4 weeks. Finally her chest cold cleared, she began eating better and loved her milk replacement. Not to mention cuddling. That was about 4 or 5 years ago. Now, if I am working she'll jump up here and declare it Melody time by trying to climb onto my computer. But, it never falls whatever she does she knows she is my baby and who to run to when she isn't feeling good.
they do seem to bond with one person in the household. Dawn is very much my cat. When I was in hospital she appeared briefly once when the people came in to feed them and then hid. She would not reappear until I was home and even then it took her a while to relax that I was home and staying.
Colds in cats can be dangerous. Once they lose their sense of smell and stop eating they can go downhill fast. Kudos to you for nursing her back. No wonder she bonded with you. I had a cat that would get a cold on occasion, he got a small dose of Buckley's cough syrup, spit most of it out and got enough into him to break it fast.
I will admit it was touch and go for a while in the beginning. She was part wild since she had her eyes open already. But, I was taught from a young age how to deal with that situation. Melody came around quickly and is now known as my princess cuddle bug.
Trying to give a kitten medication to save their lives is difficult. She never wanted to cooperate but, now she might get the sniffles and believe it or not she will wait until I put eucalyptus in the infuser and sit right beside it. It is as if she knows breathing it will open her sinuses up and she will stop sneezing. Smart cookie this one.
Every time, I jump on the computer to work she'll lay down right beside me. Knowing at some point I will want cuddles. What can I say she's my baby.
Don't ever try giving them benadryl they foam at the mouth and its freaky. LOL. Crazy how it works so well for them but, it makes them foam and look extremely sick for a few moments until you get them some water down.
Thanks Ashley. I pretty much use all the suggestions you made in your post already. But looking at your post reminded me that I should use more headers in my longer articles. I wonder if SteemIt will ever support css?
I'm thinking they will probably stick more on the html side since it is easier for beginners. Remember a header image takes the part as the main preview image. That's why I had to get rid of my main header and add a footer instead. It is a bummer but, that is how steemit works. If steemit changed anything I'd love to see them give us the choice of which image is the preview image. That way we could literally use all we want in the post. Now that would be awesome.
This was very helpful and inspiring. You hit on the key problems I am having as a newbie. I'm pretty sure I am still a redfish but I am so excited about this platform and I can't wait to learn all I can from this great community. Go steem... @shadowpub, thanks again for sharing this.
Thank you @sophistryproof that is exactly what I was going for. Helping any new minnows that have questions or are confused about the platform. I don't want to see anyone struggling to succeed. If you haven't yet, check out the post I mentioned in the article, unless you know HTML code already. It will help save you a lot of time when you are posting.
Thanks, can't wait to check it out.
Good advice for Steemians of all levels, I'd say! I think presentation makes more of a difference than most people give it credit for... if something isn't easily readable, I tend to pass over it... especially those "miles of text" posts.
@denmarkguy thank you! Yes, presentation does make a huge difference. But, I'd have to say I would read even a 1000+ word post if it was well designed and thought out. Of course, it has to be something I might be interested in. I find it doesn't matter the length per say as much as the design.
Don't you just hate those posts that seem to keep going on in one huge paragraph? They drive me insane!
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STOPThis makes a lot of sense and goes along the lines of adding value, if you really want to add value which in it's self is a reward or earning here at steemit I agree you have to put work into it and I appreciate the time you put into the guide you have done on coding your post in html. cheers minnowsunite :)