Using Blogging In Ministry Part 2

In part one of this two part topic we talked about the five different types of people who will read your blog. After blogging now for over one year I thought it would be useful to give four practical tips for those who want to start blogging.

• Know who you are going to write for and why. I would suggest write down what you want the purpose of your blog to be and then stay within that. I have made the mistake of writing about so many things. As you narrow down your focus it will help in the direction of your blogging.
• It is important that you begin to find your voice in blogging. It is much like communicating in general. Many first time communicators emulate a style of preacher or teacher whom they like. Blogging is very similar. Many people write in a style that is similar to someone they follow. Find your voice. Of those people who will read your blog who are you going to write to? And above all things…just be you.
• With the different types of people that will read a blog, my suggestion is stay short. Many people, especially from the outside of your church, probably subscribe to more than one blog. In doing so they can’t spend a lot of time reading a blog that is long. For me, those posts that are really long I just skim through and if they are consistently long I drop from my subscriptions. One good way to keep my attention throughout the blog is to give me your goods in your first sentence if you’re going to be long. That will drive me to read for the details or go on. Many time those that look long I will bail even before the first sentence.
• Use tools that will help your blogging. Google has many tools that a blogger can use that will help you be successful. Google analytics, a free resource will help you know the statistics of your blog. Blogger is a great and easy blogging platform for someone beginning. Another resource you need to use is feedburner. Church Communications Pro has a great series called Blogging For Pastors 101 which is great for pastors or anyone who is beginning blogging.