4 Steps to Crafting an Organized Blog Post.

As a writer, I have to be conscious about my thoughts before I begin to write. If you don’t have a clear idea of what you’re going to write, your post will sink without a ripple. Some writers I’ve talked to think you don’t need to, just write and it will be okay.

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For some bloggers, it’s difficult to categorize, or even tag. I know this is something that I’ve struggled with over the years. Maybe you’re saying with each post, I don’t know what tag or category to place this post in.

As I write my blog I must decide where and how I should categorize each post. If you looked at my category list over the past few years, you can see I had issues.

When I began to blog in 2009, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know the difference between a tag and a category. My thought was, Why do I need a tag, when I have a category? I had categories for categories. It was ridiculous. Once I began to understand the difference, which I won’t get into here, I began to have a better understanding.

I want to walk you through four steps I take to make sure I have placed my post in its proper home on the blog.

1. Make a mental note of your main message.

What am I writing about? It may seem like a funny question to ask. The reality is; if you don’t ask the question how do you know where you’re going in your post? Before I sit down to write I have to know what it is I’m trying to say. I want the reader to understand the message I’m delivering. This first critical step will help you craft the general idea of how to categorize your post. For this post I wanted to write about categories and how I use them in my blog.

2. Write down that one word message.

Once you know what it is you’re writing about, take that knowledge and write down one or two words that best describes your entire post. In the case of this post, Blogging Categories, is what I wrote. I love the power of single words.

When I was working on crafting a single process/vision statement for jbsisam.com, I knew I needed single words to describe the vision. It is powerful to use one word descriptions.

It will help you visualize your idea.
It will help you get a better understanding of where you’re headed in thought.
It will create an idea that can blossom into something beautiful, even if it is a blog post.

3. Write your post.

Don’t think, just write. For me, once I have the general idea down on paper, I begin to craft my simple outline. For this particular post, this is what it looked like:

Make a mental note.
What one word describes the message.
Write down your message.
Place in categories (give examples).

Every blog post should begin as an outline. This is the bone structure for your post. Even if you don’t have it fully developed yet, you at least know the bare bones of what you’re about to write. Knowing your structure can help you become a more effective and efficient blogger. Our goal as bloggers is to communicate a message. My message is to help you find your voice so you can succeed in life.

4. Find one or two categories:

These are the only categories I now write in.

Writing.
Productivity.
Personal Development.
Social Media.
Leadership.

If you know what you’re focusing on in your blog, you can become a more effective blogger. If all you do is flounder in a world of categories that act as tags that act as sub-categories, your message will be lost. This is why I have focused so much energy in crafting a blog that is easy to use and easy to find what you’re looking for.

That is the goal of a category. Making things easy for those who visit your site, to find what they need. I hope this has been helpful. As a pastor, I have to make things easy for the guest when they walk into the church doors. As a blogger, my goal should be the same.

If you want to become a better blogger, it takes dedication and a willingness to write weekly. A weekly blog will help the world hear your message, and if you can touch just one life, it’s worth every word written.