Mentor Blogs: What Makes a Great Blog Post?

 For my first blog in "SUPA Writing 105", I have taken an in depth look at some blogs that really sparked my interest and laid a great groundwork for what a blog truly is and what one should look like.  The cool thing about these three selected blogs, is that they are different from each other, all offering a lot to learn from.  I am excited to open up a new chapter within my writing capabilities and explore one of the most modern forms of literature... blogging!

Blog 1:

This blog is awesome, and I actually plan on reading each one that is put out every couple of days!  It is mentor-worthy to me because of the content being discussed within.  There is a clear target audience here, but the headline is eye catching if you are in the business of sports broadcasting.  It is also a great example to model a blog after because of its format.  It lists clear subjects and questions in bold, then answers those questions below, with great insight.  It is also short and to the point.  To me, that is very appealing.  Sometimes longer articles can be unattractive or you won’t finish it the whole way through.  With this, that’s not the case, because it is short and sweet.  Lastly, the fact that there is a short video included that really summarizes everything written, is very nice as well.  I personally, am a video guy.  I make a better personal connection listening to you talk than I do reading your words.  The two combined are really the perfect blog in my opinion.

Blog 2:

This blog is mentor worthy in a couple of different ways.  To start off, I was actually a little bit confused upon this blurred line between an article and a blog… I could sense a difference, but I couldn’t understand how to specifically identify a blog.  So, that is why I took to this article… or blog… or article.  No, I am pretty sure this is a blog.  A more modern blog to be exact, as it is stated that blogs have evolved.  They have become much longer, more proper, etc.  Hence, why the line is so blurred.  One message is constant, that a blog seems to always be an opinion piece.  This blog is mentor worthy, again for the layout… and articles will do this too.  It gives a heading of what is going to be talked about, then you read that section.  Following that, it also offers a chart, a graphic organizer if you will,  to really lay out important information comparing a blog to an article.  This is just a great way to present this without stuffing it into a couple of sentences full of commas and confusion. This blog is also very advice driven, which is a characteristic of a good blog.  When I think of blogs, I think of food blogs, mom blogs, occupational blogs, college student blogs, teacher blogs, etc… all of which, share experiences and give advice based off of those experiences.  Essentially, that is exactly what Carol Tice does here. At this point, it is evident that she has built an audience or following as well.

Blog 3:

I specifically chose this blog because of its obvious importance.  If you are starting a vlog, you need to get it out there and you need to obtain an audience.  Simple as that.  The first piece that is mentor worthy, is the eye catching title.  It is a great title.  It starts with “Blogging 101”. This automatically just drew the attention of anyone online who is conducting research in aspirations of starting their own blog! Boom! Then, the second part is eyebrow raising as well with the analogy made.  Everybody I know, especially at the age that I am, enjoys comedy.  For many, it is a household staple.  EVeryone has seen stand-up comedy.  To make this analogy is also something that will draw people in.  Beyond that, Tim Beyers does a really nice job of setting up this blog.  He states right from the get go that he has 4 tips on how to build an audience like a comedian would, after explaining the importance of your audience.  He uses a list format, making it easier to read and less paragraph-ish and article-esque.  He bolds his main point, then goes on to explain said point.  Lastly, this blog is short, sweet, and to the point.  This is not an article.  This is a true blog post.

Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog post! Come on back for plenty more adventures in SUPA Writing 105!