You know this feeling: You write a blog post. You share it. Your friends say: "I'll check it out." But nobody gets back to you. Nobody comments. Nobody asks questions. And you wonder: What am I doing wrong?
The problem isn't your topic. The problem isn't your knowledge. The problem is: Your blog is too long, too complex, too much.
The average person is completely overwhelmed. Or they simply don't have time to really understand your topics.
For years, I've often heard: "I'll check it out." But I don't think anyone has ever gotten back to me and said: "I read it." Why? Because the reader isn't sitting in school waiting for my blog. They have 2-3 minutes of break time. On their phone. Fast-paced, crazy daily schedule.
And then comes my blog: 20 minutes reading time. 5 categories. 10 topics. Too much knowledge. Too much text. Too much everything.
The solution? I learned it from an unexpected source: a company that sells merino wool shirts.
They sent me an email. And I read it completely. Why? Because they had a simple principle: 1 Problem. 1 Solution. 1 Proof. 1 How-To. And all of that in 4 minutes reading time.
No hype. No marketing language. No exaggerated promises. Just a clear problem: "Your cotton shirt is fine for the first ten minutes of a workout - then it's a cold, sticky mess." And then the solution: "Merino wool pulls moisture into the fiber and releases it again. The difference is physics."
That was it. I was convinced. I read the email to the end. And I thought: That's exactly how I need to blog.
I changed my style guide. No longer: "Every blog post follows this structure." Instead: "1 Problem. 1 Solution. 1 Proof. 1 How-To. 4 minutes reading time."
And the result? This blog. That you're reading right now. And hopefully it's not too long.
Here's how you do it:
1 Problem per article (not 5 problems)
1 Solution per article (not 5 solutions)
1 Proof per article (your own experience as proof)
1 How-To per article (3 steps, not 10 steps)
4 minutes reading time (perfect for 2-3 minutes break + 1-2 minutes "I want to know more")
That's it. You don't need more.
Writing blogs isn't hard. Writing blogs that get read is hard. But it's not impossible.
You just need to understand: Your reader has 2-3 minutes of break time. On their phone. Fast-paced, crazy daily schedule. And then comes your blog.
Make it easy for them. 1 Problem. 1 Solution. 4 minutes reading time. That's it.
Photo by Road Trip with Raj on Unsplash