Written on January 30th, 2008 at 05:01 am by Darren Rowse
13 Questions to Ask Before Publishing a Post On Your Blog
1. What was the main point of this post? have I made it clearly?
2. What do I want readers of this post to do? have I led them to this action?
3. Have I written something useful?
4. Have I written something unique?
5. Has what I’ve written taken me closer or further away from my blog’s goals?
6. Have I used a title that draws people into my post?
7. Are my spelling and grammar correct?
8. Could I have said it more succinctly?
9. Have I credited sources of quotes and inspiration?
10. Have I written something previously that relates to this post that I could link to? has someone else?
11. Have I left room for my readers to add something to this post? have I invited them to?
12. What keywords will people search Google for on this topic? have I optimized this post for those words?
13. How could I follow this post up with another that extends it?
Image by Elín Elísabet
80 Responses to “13 Questions to Ask Before Publishing a Post On Your Blog”
Justin Dupre
January 30th, 2008 5:19 am
Excellent set of questions to ask yourself before blogging. I would also include: Have I created inspiration for this post, whether or not it was to start a comment war, an answer from readers, or for them to go do something on their own, etc. etc.
Thanks for the tips, Darren.
Justin Dupre
http://www.blogosis.com
Rachel Pulido
January 30th, 2008 5:19 am
Thank you so much for this post!!! I’m just getting started on blogging and your blog has been incredibly helpful in pointing me in the right direction.
Monica O'Brien at Twenty Set
January 30th, 2008 5:24 am
Great list. I’ve been thinking about this with regards to my own blog. I’m not sure I’m staying on topic with a lot of my posts. Any feedback from other readers is welcome.
I’ll probably use this list to write my next posts.
Tim
January 30th, 2008 5:25 am
Great post. I think I’ll print it up and tape it to my monitor.
I would also like to add something Seth Godin would say, “is it remarkable?”
Ryan Detzel
January 30th, 2008 5:27 am
Excellent…this is now permanent fixture in my Wordpress admin section. :)
Jesse Seymour
January 30th, 2008 5:31 am
Wow… there is so much I’ve been missing in my blogging. This is really a mind expanding list and I see now I could write much better posts rather than just the ramblings I write now.
@Ryan Detzel, you mention this list being a permanent fixture in your Wordpress admin section - can you point me to an article that explains how to do that?
Mark V. McDonnell
January 30th, 2008 5:39 am
Hard copied and on my bulletin board. Need to have something in my face for awhile until habit becomes ingrained. Thanks, Darren.
esvl
January 30th, 2008 5:47 am
This is a great list. One of those that you can read over and over.
david
January 30th, 2008 6:07 am
Good stuff — sort of a “pre-flight” checklist before launch! Thanks for the tip.
Dan Cole
January 30th, 2008 6:10 am
While a lot of blogger would like to do that, I don’t think enough of them find the time. When blogging is not the top thing on your list of things to do in a day, it’s easy for blogging time to get pinched. For someone in college; classes, homework, labs, a part time job, and sleep are going to take presidency over blogging, so they either have to hold off the post for another day or even week or just publish it without checking it much.
Stefan
January 30th, 2008 6:11 am
Answer to Question 11 is: NO. And NO, NOT REALLY. :-)
Michael Martine
January 30th, 2008 6:19 am
Nope. Why are spelling and grammar capitalized? LOL, great checklist, though. This is exactly the sort of thing that more bloggers should be doing if they want to rise to the top. I especially appreciate the questions about alignment with blog goals and desired reader actions.
Lani
January 30th, 2008 6:22 am
oops, fat fingers- I mean #14
Ryan Detzel
January 30th, 2008 6:27 am
For you Wordpress users I made a plugin for this, I think it’s worth it and I was bored. :P
http://www.thevacantcubicle.com/2008/01/29/wordpress-plugin-before-publishing-a-post-on-your-blog/
BW
January 30th, 2008 6:43 am
a great list and a good example of using this type of post to get readers deeper into your site (by the use of those strategically placed links)
Reid
January 30th, 2008 6:51 am
I think this post represents a useful thing for bloggers who’ve been writing for a while to do: occasionally sum up what’s been written before. But this is a particularly creative way to do it. Well done!
Yana
January 30th, 2008 6:59 am
I’ve just installed the plugin and I’m loving it! Great list, thanks!
David Lano
January 30th, 2008 7:03 am
Darren, thanks for the awesome checklist. I no longer have any excuses in writing sub-par posts.
Chris Marshall | Martial Development
January 30th, 2008 7:17 am
Great job. This is the best post I’ve read here in months.
Mrs. Micah
January 30th, 2008 7:20 am
Great checklist. Bookmarking this one to del.icio.us. I’ve started reading them aloud to my husband if he’s around. It helps me catch errors or things I’d like to phrase better just reading them aloud. And he gives me feedback on simple things like whether it makes sense, how I might make it more useful, etc.
Mike King
January 30th, 2008 7:23 am
Perfect criteria for writing posts for your own blog. Thanks for this list. Its also a great set of questions to ask when thinning out your reading list. If people ONLY subscribed to these types of posts, it would force people to deliver higher quality posts as well in order to get readers.
Ali from TheOfficeDiet
January 30th, 2008 7:26 am
A great checklist and one I think I, too, need to print off!
One I might add is:
- Could this post link to something I’ll write in the future?
If a post gives me an idea for a follow-up or a series, I often mention at the bottom that I’ll be doing a whole series on the topic.
For example, I’m posting an “excuse-busting” series on my blog at present, tackling common reasons that people use to avoid making the diet/exercise changes they know they should. The first post was a list of these excuses, subsequent ones deal with each in turn.
Anyway, great post, and one that I suspect lots of us need to take on board!
Ali
sarah
January 30th, 2008 8:18 am
great checklist!
Lisa
January 30th, 2008 8:51 am
Very useful checklist. I think it’s nearly impossible though to make every post stellar if you’re posting every day or more than once a day.
Stanislav
January 30th, 2008 9:47 am
Really good checklist. Even I am not sure if Q.4 is adjustable “on flow”, in every post, rather something to be considered in long term.
Hansson
January 30th, 2008 10:12 am
Darren, I noticed that you use a copyrighted photo from Flickr. I just mention it in case you thought it has a CC licence. Two weeks ago a girl from Germany just settled a case with a Norwegian political party that had used a picture of her sister on the cover of their magazine… stolen from Flickr. They paid her something like 6000 euros to avoid a lawsuit. So be careful in case you didn’t buy the rights :)
McClellanville Real Estate
January 30th, 2008 11:24 am
Forget printing it out, I just tattoo’d this list on the inside of my eyelids. Such a simple list, yet we all overlook at least one or two of these almost every time we post. Thank You
Thomas Zimmerman
January 30th, 2008 11:38 am
Thanks for the post. I am relatively new to blogging. I have seen your sight for quite some time and I dropped by before, but I am going have to do this some more.
The 13 questions are very thought provoking. I will have to remember those questions each time I submit a post.
supermom_in_ny
January 30th, 2008 12:21 pm
Great list.
Writing blog entries with your personality shining through is also important. It’s what gives a blog flair or it’s own style.
For example:
John Chow’s entries are not always grammatically correct, but they get their point across. His restaurant reviews are not always well received, but it makes his blog different.
On the other hand, your blog is always straightforward and very informational.
ShoeMoney tends to be passionate and emotional. He has no problem shooting off some steam or using a few “colorful” words.
Dooce is completley off the wall. That’s why people keep coming back. You just never know what sh’e s going to say.
Perez Hilton? The hair says it all!
BTW, thanks for the link love you sent me yesterday!
:)
CurlyBrace
January 30th, 2008 1:16 pm
Nice list, I would also add “is it fun re-reading the post? Is it too long/too short?” Sometimes it helps to read it with the eyes of a stranger and see if the length is good enough.
Thanks for the inspirational post! Loved rule # 6, actually thought about a title (and blogged about it):
[b]Google.com: is it really a PageRank 10 website?[/b]
Thibaut Barrère
January 30th, 2008 2:25 pm
Great list! I’ve created a sticky on my desktop with its content.
Harold
January 30th, 2008 2:32 pm
Great example of the post demonstrating the content. I Need to put this up where I can see it. The links that dive deeper makes for a rich post as well. With all these tutorials floating around there is no reason why we can’t all write effectively. Thanks again for the continued flow of insight.
Brian Zafron
January 30th, 2008 3:04 pm
A host of good points. No pun intended.
It’s very rare that people take the time and ask self-reflective comments, in writing and elsewhere. Imagine how much time could be saved if people always said “Hey, is this worthwhile” before they took action.
Darius Bashar
January 30th, 2008 4:17 pm
What about…
14) Is this post visually stimulating
15) Are there any interactive elements that will add to my post (i.e. You Tube videos)
I love the first 13! You my friend are my next Though Leader profile.
Cheers!
Alex
January 30th, 2008 7:17 pm
A good way to correct “Spelling and Grammar Mistakes” is to use ms-word application.
I always check my posts in word before it goes public.
Dr. Anthony
January 30th, 2008 7:35 pm
This is a great post and gives great insight into what I need to be doing for my new blog. Everyone come out and check it out. I appreciate you doing this for all of us trying to be like you and get our opinions out into the world.
Sportsayers.com
Gerard McGarry
January 30th, 2008 8:00 pm
Useful, but if I had to go through that checklist every time I write a post, I’d get nothing done.
Darren Rowse
January 30th, 2008 8:17 pm
thanks all for your suggestions and feedback. I might write a followup post with some of your questions.
Chetan
January 30th, 2008 9:36 pm
Great list there :)
Spelling and grammar are a point of concern which decides a part of quality of our blog and posts.
Mardé
January 31st, 2008 12:33 am
Great list, Danielle. Very sensible.
Everyone seems to agree. Lotsa comments here!
Copywriter RAY EDWARDS
January 31st, 2008 2:14 am
Wow! I’ve been missing some of those elements myself. Thanks for this great checklist.
Jacob Cass
January 31st, 2008 2:14 am
I liked it how you made a link for further reading, this article is something you should add in your top 10 links:)
It is also a very printable post :) I just printed it thanks…
Make sure you though.
Danielle, Celebrity Baby Blog
January 31st, 2008 2:35 am
Darren, it’s posts like this that make me love you! I read ProBlogger via the Feedburner email and every now and then I email posts to my staff as required reading. You make my life easier by putting into words my thoughts and direction for my writers! Today I told this to print out this post and tape up near their computers to review before they publish new posts.
Hugs from the suburbs of New Jersey!
Danielle
Iyabo
January 31st, 2008 3:19 am
I have been so guilty of not doing a follow-up to previous posts (even when I promised to…) but with this useful guidelines on what to do before you publish…I will be doing more thinking before I decide to hit on the “Publish” button next time.
Thank you
Jamie Lentzner
January 31st, 2008 3:21 am
Great post - just found your site and it is very helpful and insightful. I think I often forget to ask for feed back - though I desperatley want it. I need to leave some open ended questions. I only get that ‘feed back’ when I strike on a touchy subject that gets the troops all ralliede up. I think they should make bloggers read your blog before posting….mandatory!
jpd.typepad.com
Guardian Angel
January 31st, 2008 4:23 am
These questions are very interesting to ask. However, if I may add two more, not that 13 is an unlucky number but also I think they are relevant.
14.0 Did I make it readable? One good reason I like your posts is because you do not allow your readers suffer from bumping thier heads while they are reading. They have enough font size and has clear and white background.
15.0 Did I use common English words? The reality is not all readers are fluent in English and some of them has to get a dictionary just to understand what you want to say.
Actually, I made a post about How to post a Good Post not so long ago and most of your questions has been discussed there, including my added ones.
Thanks for reminding us though.
http://wherebloggersandhumansmeet.blogspot.com/2007/12/you-have-bright-idea-about-something.html
Ebony Jones
January 31st, 2008 12:59 pm
Excellent checklist.
The spelling and grammar are my weakness. I type way slower than I think..so my stuff is full of typos. I hit submit way too fast.
Have to remember that the reader is not going to know what I meant.
Wendy
January 31st, 2008 1:57 pm
Great checklist. It clearly argues for me to quit blogging. Thanks.
maheshexp
January 31st, 2008 1:59 pm
This is a kind of TO-DO I was expecting. I’m bookmarking this. Also, the point.4, do you think that it is always archived?
Also the interlinking I myself have experienced it in my blog. That is always a great TO-DO.
www.copywriting911.com
February 1st, 2008 3:16 am
Perhaps a newb in blogging has to consult this great list each time he/she writes a post, yet it comes naturally to experienced bloggers.
Ravi | रवि
February 1st, 2008 7:14 pm
Thanks for great tips.
I have adopted these tips on my satirical Hindi article at - http://raviratlami.blogspot.com/2008/02/13.html
hope, you do not mind.
jansegers
February 1st, 2008 9:47 pm
Very usefull rules.
I say rules, because these tips seem essential to all good postings.
I apply most of them, but I don’t do it systematically, though I might do this in the future.
Thanks
Pieter Jansegers
Sangesh
February 2nd, 2008 2:54 pm
Thank you for this post. I have gotten some valuable tips from this post which I would recall everytime I would write a post.
Cheers.
Shreemani
February 2nd, 2008 3:21 pm
Thanks for this gr8 list.
Richard
February 3rd, 2008 3:26 am
This is a very useful blog I must say…. However what is difficult to find is useful information in laymans terms for the best ways of getting your blog well listed. It is downright frustrating clicking on links and then getting taken to other links signing up for the programm and then getting taken to other links signing up for the program and then….. ad nauseum
Duane Lester
February 3rd, 2008 3:54 am
I have a select list of things I have written down in my Moleskine to think about when writing.
This list will be added as soon as possible.
This is a great tool. Thanks for writing it.
Zul
February 3rd, 2008 8:51 am
No. 7: Purposely make a few spelling errors so that people will comment on your blog saying “hey you spelled wrongly!”
Darren Alff
February 3rd, 2008 5:52 pm
Darren. This post is so simple, but so terribly genius! What I like most about your blog is that you write about things that I can actually see you doing on your site (like linking to your past articles, leaving room for your readers to respond, creatively using graphics, etc.) I think “Darren’s” must be a pretty smart group! Thank you.. and keep up the good work!!!
Daniel
February 4th, 2008 12:25 am
Very nice list Darren! I’ve been waiting for you to post something simple like this, but very straight to the point. This post is exactly to ask by bloggers all over the world. You make a great job! Thanks!
Free Traffic Tips
February 4th, 2008 8:23 am
Really great list of questions.
Mark
February 4th, 2008 5:00 pm
After reading this post, I started to feel the pressure of blogging. I mean the good one. This post actually intend bloggers to put attention more to their readers before posting. Great! Thanks Darren!
ChowMunga!
February 4th, 2008 5:03 pm
I think your point #3 is particularly important. Have I written something useful. Of course, if we really ask ourselves that, wouldnt that take away about half the blogs in the world? I mean, how would I know what someone ate for lunch in Topeka, KS?
Seriously, a well thought out list.
Maria Elena Duron
February 4th, 2008 5:04 pm
And, I would add, does it reflect my personal brand (what I’m already known for - or want to be known for).
Maria Elena Duron
Barb
February 4th, 2008 10:36 pm
Thanks for all the info.
patrick
February 5th, 2008 3:52 am
another general bullet point might be: does it inspire people to respond?
analogstuff
February 5th, 2008 6:01 am
Great post Darren, I have been blogging from quite some time and have many posts in blog, but never gave this much of thought before i post things. will try to implement atleast some things and will see what happens.
http://analogstuff.net
Mohit
February 5th, 2008 8:37 am
Good One!
This can actually help us keep the visitors coming back to our websites.
Katy
February 5th, 2008 10:10 am
Great useful list. Blogging sure takes a lot of thought. Each post is a work of art.
Online Business Blog
February 5th, 2008 2:36 pm
This list would make the writing process so easy, because it would generate many ideas to write on them.
webinfotain
February 5th, 2008 3:10 pm
Thanks a lot for this valuable post as this will help me a lot on my own post. I appreciate you a lot and I draw my inspiration from you.
Cheers!
Webinfotain
http://www.webinfotain.com/
Steve Mills
February 5th, 2008 3:18 pm
Good post. It would improve the blogosphere as a whole immensly if people considerd these points before posting
ITrush
February 6th, 2008 1:53 am
wow, very interesting lists.. thanks a lot for sharing your secrets on what to check before posting.
nhick
http://www.itrush.com
Fatos
February 6th, 2008 3:25 am
I have just started blogging and that’s smth i needed and I bet everyone does. Man you are something. Thanks for the great post Darren.
Daw Web Hosting Blog
February 6th, 2008 3:27 am
This one “Have I written something unique?” is easy to answer :) both when you post something totaly useless as well as when the content is unique. I keep to a simple rule. When I don;t have a good idea I don’t write!
Mario Lopez
March 12th, 2008 9:55 am
Darren,
Greetings. I recently started in the blogosphere by creating and maintaining a bilingual blog.
As a rookie, I started ignoring about “rules of engagement” like to the ones you’ve suggested us to consider before posting a message.
I wonder if I could contact you again if some doubt could exist after reading and studying the rules?
Thank you very much.
Janelle
July 8th, 2008 4:24 am
how about “Is my blog post too long?” I find that many blog posts are way too long and tend to ramble on after the point has been made…
Alex Griffin
July 12th, 2008 11:02 pm
Great checklist. It clearly argues for me to quit blogging. Thanks.
Best Room AC - Room Cooling
December 3rd, 2008 10:24 pm
Thanks you made this so easy! I’m new to blogging but I’ve picked up the courtesy rule I’m referring any of my readers to you for this useful help!
neon
April 28th, 2009 7:09 am
This is exactly the sort of thing that more bloggers should be doing if they want to rise to the top.
pornoizle
May 22nd, 2009 12:24 am
how about “Is my blog post too long?” I find that many blog posts are way too long and tend to ramble on after the point has been made…
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