http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130429113637-15077789-how-to-write-more-successful-blog-posts

1) Write an amazing headline.

The value of a powerful headline simply cannot be overlooked. It’s the only thing a potential reader sees, it is the catalyst for social media sharing and it has power beyond any other part of your post to attract readers. Your headline should give readers an intriguing clue into what you will be saying. Lists, action verbs and questions are great ways to draw readers in. Remember, when readers tweet your article, or share it on Facebook, LinkedIn or another social platform, the only thing people may see is the headline.

 

2) Pictures are worth a thousand words.

There’s no escaping it: humans are visual creatures. We’re drawn to images and photographs. Graphs, infographics, sentimental imagery and stunning beauty are all excellent ways to draw an audience in, keep them there through the end of your post, and help drive more views through Pinterest and Facebook, where images reign supreme. If you can include a pic of a cute animal or child, even better.(Or both – say hi to my girls Charlotte & Kate and our cat Chiquita!)

3) Bullet points are extremely useful. Here’s why:

—–> They attract the reader’s attention. You were likely drawn straight to these bullet points when you read this article.

—–> They make data simple and easy to understand. When you see these bullets, with their key insights in bold, you know just what you need to read right away.

—–> They make it easier to reference key points. When heading back to an article at a later date, it is easy to find the most important information if it’s in bullet form.

4) Make your audience look good when they share your post.

Of course, great content with clear takeaway value in your blog post is most important. But remember, people are ego-driven. Ask yourself, before you hit the publish button, “When people share this post, how will they look smarter, or funnier, or more helpful, or more interesting to their networks?”

5) Call for engagement in your conclusion.

When you conclude your blog post, make sure you ask readers to share the post. Ask them thought-provoking questions, and invite them to share their answers and thoughts as comments on your post. The more engaged your readers are, the more they’ll want to share – and keep coming back.

Reposting from the Small Business Manila site… Does more time mean more profits for a small business owner? 

For me it sure does.

Small business owners are working more hours, even 7 days a week, leaving them less and less time for rest and relaxation. How much, in actual dollars, do owners value an extra hour of time per day?

To a small business owner, TIME is both the #1 commodity as well as the #1 asset. You cannot buy time, and despite many proclamations to the opposite, you can’t even save it. It passes, unrelentingly. So your most important use of your most important commodity / asset is simply how to SPEND your time.

Read more at Business2Community via http://bit.ly/Zubvkm.
Photo from garbled.com.

As a Small Business Owner and Entrepreneur… each hour is a measureable commodity that I have to use wisely.