Each blog style guide will differ dependent on any number of factors. It needs to suit your needs and match your content. Guides will grow and adapt over time so don’t worry if it’s not right the first time. Not convinced why you need a consistent blog style? read our blog on the reason its a must – then come back and find out how to create one.
Who are you writing for?
It’s the simplest question but one of the most often overlooked. Knowing who you’re writing for can frame why you are writing something. It gives you a reason why, which means you can help readers or gain attention by answering questions raised by your audience. Let’s take this blog as an example:
- It’s safe to assume you are expecting this site to give you information about websites.
- So our audience are either needing a website, or have got one.
- They will need help on how to improve it, if they didn’t they wouldn’t of Googled “Do I need a consistent style for my Blog?”
- Let’s help them improve.
You can go into much more detail by rating: demographics, education, gender, but the simplest thought is someone has googled for help – offer it!
Language and Tone of your Blog
Now you know why you’re writing, and you know who you’re writing too; how do you make your point eloquently? Choosing the correct language and tone of voice can make a huge difference depending on the nature or your audience. A person wanting a one page website is very different than writing content for an ecommerce giant.
Think of the following and decide on each to make your guide for language and tone;
- Swearing? Yes or no, more often than not you should go for no but it’s your audience so make it right for them.
- American or British English? Again, this is one for your company to decide. FreshStart write in British English as we are based in the UK, so it makes sense. But if you want broad appeal maybe land the other side of the pond?
- Tone; Very important this one. Make sure your tone is formal enough for your clients but not so serious they are put off.
Looks matter for your Blog Style
How your blog looks really matters. There are a few things to think about, and there’s a lot to juggle. You’ve got content ready to go, but you want to make it engaging but also you want to make it consistent. Consider the following:
- Images, should they be playful? A meme? Perhaps a gif? A metaphoric example? The real answer is based on your audience and is more than likely a bit of a mix. Choose images that are royalty free or you have the rights to use. But make sure they are relevant! Also captioning an image can really help add another dimension to the story.
- Headings – Keep them consistent. Make sure you keep the hierarchy of headings accurate and in order.
- Paragraphs and sentences – keep them small and concise.
- Styling, this is a big one. Make sure that your styling is consistent with your website. Keep your font choices on brand, keep colour usage the same.
Having these all consistent will make your blog look more professional, more planned. If you’ve done this though and your sites still not quite right maybe you need a brand refresh, give us a shout and see if we can help.
In Summary
When writing a blog it can be easy to overlook consistency. Having a consistent style for all your contributors can make your blog look like the fount of knowledge it is. A blog is a powerful tool, it shows your wealth of experience and gives your audience an insight into the type of personality they might expect to be working with.
If you’ve gone through the last two stories from FreshStart, but you’re still stuck – get in touch. It could be that your site needs a fresh lick of paint to get everything looking as it should.
Want some inspiration? check out some of our favourite blogs that rock their style:
