Five not-so-secrets, the follow up

Continued from here.

3. Aesthetics or Pictures

Pictures are a non-negotiable. Every article needs to have a picture, and sports bloggers know this better than anyone. I believe you can do a post consisting of just pictures, because, if done right, pictures can tell the story.

The prettier the girl in the picture, well, the better. Sports bloggers realize that their audience is largely made up of guys, and guys like to look at pictures of pretty girls. Therefore, it stands to reason, that they need to include pictures (and videos) of pretty girls.

What kind of picture would your audience want to see?

4. Community of Readers

Bloggers usually post on a blogging platform such as WordPress or Blogger, therefore, comments are a big part of creating a community. They encourage comments, debates even. It keeps people on the site. Sometimes, the headline (see above, magnetic) will “stir the pot” so to speak. Controversy brings people in. A group of people who are passionate about the subject, and feel they have a voice, will build a community. For a good example of this, see Fanblogs.com.

In the early days, it was all about message boards, and, indeed, some still use that forum.  Message boards get really hot at websites such as Rivals and Scout.  The dynamic of community is still the same.  Create some controversy, engage in debate, and enjoy.  Ironically, it builds a community.

5. Good Content

The content has to be good. A blogger can’t just blog about fluff. There has to be some substance to it. In fact, many sports bloggers set, at least, an informal schedule to keep the blog moving forward. Some sports bloggers talk about stats or break down games (see SmartFootball.com). Some are humorous while articulating there opinions well (see Jones Top Ten).

There you have it. Five lessons from the sports bloggers.

What have you learned while blogging?