Before you get all excited and start writing thousands of articles for The Final Cut Pro (you know you want to), this is the post you should read. There are a few tried and true techniques that make the articles on The Final Cut Pro more enjoyable and easier for our audience to access and understand. Most of these tips apply to blogging in general, not just The Final Cut Pro, so pay attention:
1. Have a Catchy Title
Do not underestimate the power of a good title. It should be descriptive as well as intriguing. Often times a user will continue reading an article based on the title alone. For example, if you have an article about using keyboard shortcuts to become a more effective editor, you might have a title like “Keyboard Shortcuts Make You A Better Editor”.
That title is lame. A more effective title would be something like “The Secret To Editing 10x Faster”. People will want to read what you have to say. Check out this post for more tips and tricks.
2. Make Your Information Easy To Find
If a person likes your title and goes to read your article, they should be able to find the information they need within 30 seconds. Some easy ways to do this are using numbered/bulleted lists, making important terms bold, and keeping your paragraphs short. The last thing you want is for someone to look at your article and not read it because they cant find what they need.
3. Make Your Article Informative and Useful
This might sound like a no-brainer, but it deserves mention. Your article should solve a problem or clearly answer a question. It’s that simple. Don’t try to fit too many topics in one post, just answer a single question and people will be satisfied. If you do find yourself drifting off topic, just split your post into two and the problem should be solved.
4. Keep It Short And Sexy
No one wants to read a 20 page article no matter how good you think it is. If you are writing about a topic that could span more than a couple pages, split it up into a few smaller articles. This not only means that you will have written more articles, but it will help people navigate the information easier. For example, instead of an article titled “Everything You Need To Know About Effects”, you could have a few articles: “Effects for Beginners/Intermediate/Advanced Users”.
5. Type Like You Talk
When people read your articles, they should know that you wrote it. Use your own tone and type as if you were talking to a friend of yours. This not only helps you to establish an identity, but it also makes reading your articles more enjoyable and less dry. If people wanted to read the user manual, they would.
6. Include Some Media
Whether it’s an image, video, or audio, media always makes an article more interesting. This can be anything from screen shots of what you are talking about to a video example of the technique you are explaining. Moderation is key here though as no one wants an article cluttered with media. Use the media to complement your article and not just to take up space.
For more great tips, check out Copyblogger. If you have any other pointers, be sure and include them in the comments.
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