One of the services offered by Connotations is blog writing. We can craft well-written blog posts on just about any topic and from any angle. Yet we are well aware that blog posting can be a double-edged sword if we’re not careful.
To illustrate this point, we offer one of the time-tested principles of successful blogging: taking on controversial topics. This strategy works well when you need your blog to generate new traffic and social media discussion. However, one must be careful about how controversial topics are approached. You can cover these topics without crossing the line of good taste.
When that line is crossed, you and your blog could be in hot water. For example, an American writer named Amy Glass recently wrote a post in which she skewered stay-at-home mums in no uncertain terms. She made it clear she believes that mothers who raise their children instead of working are not accomplishing anything special and are actually not doing anything at all. And while the blog post has already garnered some 10,000 comments, most of them are not favourable to Ms Glass or her opinion.
In her case, Glass is just a blogger making money off the adverts on her site. Whether she actually believes what she wrote or not is immaterial. What is important is that she is generating an impressive level of readership, which ultimately pays off in advertising revenue. Nevertheless, if Glass continues to write such volatile material it will not be long before her blog dies an untimely death. You can’t continue to anger so many people and still expect to grow.
Your Business, Your Life
Unless your entire business is blogging, you have to think about the words being written for your blog posts. You cannot afford to damage your reputation through inflammatory writing, euphemisms that cross way over the line, or even direct attacks on certain groups of people you don’t like or don’t agree with. Otherwise it can come back to bite you.
If you want to tackle controversial subjects in your business blog, there are ways to do it correctly and tactfully. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
- Stick with Facts – The best way to deal with controversial subjects is to root your position in the facts. Be prepared to cite those facts so that readers know it’s not just your opinion alone. As long as facts back up your position, you’ll have a leg to stand on.
- Tactfulness – It is possible to write a strong opinion while remaining tactful. It begins by choosing your words carefully. There’s no need to use offensive or potentially inflammatory language; there’s no need to use accusatory words; there’s no need to provoke unnecessarily. You can be firm while still being polite.
- Comments – Many bloggers fall into the trap of arguing with their readers in the subsequent comments. Not only is this a waste of time and energy, it can also damage your reputation and that of your business. Once you hit the button to submit the post, it’s done. Let your readers battle it out in the comment section.
Here at Connotations, we take great pride in the blog posts we produce for our customers. We are not afraid to tackle any subject, be it controversial or otherwise. However, we do make every effort to make sure everything we write does nothing but enhance your website and your business. Our goal is always to make sure your blog produces positive results for both your reputation and bottom line.
If you’re interested in learning more about how blog posting can benefit your website, please contact us at Connotations. We’d be more than happy to answer all of your questions relating to any of the services we provide.