This post is an excerpt from the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook
Your task today is another writing oriented challenge and is all about expressing an opinion.
There are many factors that set great bloggers apart from the rest but one that I’ve seen continually cropping up over the last few years of interacting with successful bloggers is that they often have and are not afraid to express strong opinions.
While other bloggers in their niche ‘report’ news it is those who express opinions about the news and current events in their industry that tend to be the blogs that get linked to by others, that generate more comments and that people look to as thought leaders in a niche.
Your task today is to write a blog post that expresses an opinion.
This might seem easier for some niches/topics than others but I think it probably applies to most of us.
- If your blog is about politics – share your own personal thoughts on what a politician is saying
- If your blog is about cameras – don’t just report that a new camera has come out – tell your readers what you think of its features and who you think it’ll be useful for
- If your blog is about Britney Spears – don’t just show us her latest haircut and outfit – tell us what you think about it.
- If your blog is about food – don’t just share a recipe – tell your readers what you love about it and what occasion you’d eat it at.
Your post need not be a highly emotional one that rants and raves about your topic – to express your opinion all you need to do is add your own thoughts and feelings about the topic you’re covering.
Why Opinions Matter
You probably won’t find it suitable to share opinions on every post (although on some blogs this may be appropriate) – but when you regularly add your opinion on your blog you’ll find that it can have a significant impact.
- When you share an opinion it often draws out others to share theirs (in comments or on other blogs). Often opinion posts draw out interaction and productive conversations.
- When you share an opinion you help your readers to translate news and to understand information and how it applies to them. This makes your content more useful.
- When you share an opinion you show your readers that you’re going beyond just reporting news but are yourself engaging with and interested in the topic you’re writing about. This is infectious and will draw your readers in too.
Expressing opinions on your blog is like adding seasoning to food. Without it your blog could end up being quite bland and blend into the crowd. However when you add it you will find that it helps to give your blog unique flavor.
Your task today is to write a blog post that expresses an opinion about something related to your blog topic. Once you’ve written it come back, share a link to it and tell us about the experience.
Want More?This task is a sample of one of the tasks in the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Workbook – a downloadable resource designed to reinvigorate and revitalize blogs. Join over 14,000 other bloggers and Get your Copy Today. |
My opinion about people and travel during our economic malaise is on my travel blog today. I love these assignments! Thank you!
Thank you Darren! I typically write opinion/advice pieces on my blog but decided to not regurgitate one of my older pieces again! The point of these 31Days is to get better and do better… I have a new topic below.
I wrote about Malaria Day because it is a subject close to my heart and a disease I would not wish on an enemy. I’d love some feedback… anyone? Merci…
http://bit.ly/mmDwC
My very first post was an opinion. Having a strong opinion on a very popular topic at the time was what prompted me into blogging. lol
This is a great idea for a post Darren. Writing an opinion piece for me was very difficult because I don’t like to stir the pot. I enjoy doing the opposite. Still, there are times you have to speak out on things and so I chose the following topic. I would love to hear anyone’s thoughts on this one…
http://tookooldoggies.blogspot.com/2009/04/misunderstood-pit-bull.html
Thanks and have a great day.
While I feel that most of my posts include my opinion, I don’t often write posts that are obviously opinion posts. So this was enjoyable.
I decided to write an opinion post on Cold Calling, called Why I Think You Should Stop Cold Calling.
http://allbizanswers.com/2009/04/why-i-think-you-should-stop-cold-calling/
Been off the rails a bit on 31DBBB, but this challenge got me back on track.
I was a bit reluctant to write an ‘Opinion Post’ but I work through it. I even turned on ‘Comments’ just for it (I’d turned them off after reading some of the ‘expert bloggers’ on this subject re new blogs).
I’m happy with the post:
http://www.roadmappmarketing.com/internet-marketing/to-autopilot-or-not-to-autopilot
Most interesting to me is I’ve received more feedback (all positive) from this one post than I have from all my other posts combined. Twitter followers have tweeted. And, comments are coming in.
Maybe I’ll become more opinionated in my blog posts. Hmmm..
-Ben Mapp
I get a little nervous about alienating readers by writing opinionated posts, but sometimes this has generated some of the best discussions I have ever had in the comments section of my blog.
The articles I have written about the book Deceptively Delicious are a case in point. http://whatscookingblog.com/?s=deceptively+delicious
This post, about the Clean Plate Club, is a little bit opinionated, although not quite as steamy. http://whatscookingblog.com/2008/08/17/clean-plate-club/
I just wrote an opinion post about dandelions that got 7 comments so far:
http://karenzemek.blogspot.com/2009/04/leave-weeds-alone.html
Its a good idea. Opinions give a huge impact on your blog.
So I think this is an opinion piece that connects with my blog focussed on getting better value weddings for credit crunch Brides
http://www.thechiefbridesmaid.co.uk/blog_detail.php?news_id=119
I think any content that starts a debate and makes people think is a good one.
I’m quite new to wedding blogging so I hope you like!
Well most of my posts are opinionated since I blog about the best deals of the week at Walgreens, Pick N Save (grocery store) and Target. I decided to remodel my How I Save ( http://frugalgossip.com/how-i-save/) page instead. The page used to be a huge ramble that probably made no sense to anyone but me so I changed it into a more step by step approach teaching my readers how to save money (In my opinion).
Well, I’ve always got an opinion! :) I admit that I have kept them to myself when it comes to my blog topic – Virtual Assisting. While I’m not new to the industry, I am new to the training world and I have been a bit cautious about blasting my opinion until I establish a bit more credibility.
I did post my opinion on a topic that concerns VAs and indeed anyone posting personal/business information: http://www.provabydesign.com/your-information-your-responsibility/
Once more unto the breech, dear friends!
Ooops, sorry, left out the quotes – that should have been:
“Once more unto the breech, dear friends!”
Thank you Shakespeare!
I am really good at giving my opinion – but I like to put them to this test:
Will it invalidate…dominate…or enhance others.
Todays blog is opinion. “The Fear Pandemic”
http://www.newbielifeline.com/2009/04/29/the-fear-pandemic/#more-1245
Oh – I have opinions!
Here: http://operamouth.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/judges-want-you-to-do-well/
….and here: http://operamouth.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/monday-moment-…bout-audiences/
…and here: http://operamouth.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/its-all-relative/
Hi
that is so true all my opinionated has the most of my blog traffic
this my post for today task
http://www.speechstarter.com/working-online-what-do-you-think/
thanks
thanks for this idea. although i am often time doing it in my blog but I did not really realized it’s useful especially in making my blog unique.
So, i think, i need to do it always what ever kind of post I am writing.
I loved this task – here is my opinion post:
http://www.se7en.org.za/2009/04/22/se7en-reasons-why-children-dont-play-anymore
I got such a great response to this post more than double my usual amount of comments and I am planning to do lots more posts like these!
This was hard for me. While I always have an opinion about something, I don’t always share it if it could stir things up. I’ve gotten in trouble a few times so I’ve learned tough lessons.
But I did it! I’d love to hear what you think. I feel strongly about the topic so it came naturally.
http://changebecomeschange.typepad.com/change_becomes_changebe_t/2009/04/churchs-chicken-new-ad-campaign-you-know-its-not-good.html
I am a little behind in the challenge… here is my opinion post. I really put the best effort into giving a strong opinion, though I feel that all of my posts reflect my personal views on the topics I write about. Though, because of the inspirational nature of my site, it’s mostly about philosophical insights, rather than strong, opinionated statements. I had fun tonight, and this is something I had wanted to write about for a while now!
http://www.buddhatrance.com/unlock-the-secret-with-the-real-master-key
I’m also a bit behind the challenge (though I’m catching up!). I wrote this article on my blog a few days ago, and it was my opinion post:
http://www.tutwow.com/misc/the-problem-with-inline-comment-replies/
I am behind on the challenge but am doing my best to catch up. I hope my opinions come through on my posts. The post below I think is the most opinionated one and also the one that got the most comments.
http://www.theleantimes.com/?p=67
A more recent one is
http://www.theleantimes.com/?p=531
Any feedback would be most appreciated!
Instead of creating a new blog post, I just added my opinion to a “In the News…” piece about childhood obesity.
You can read my comments here:
http://fitforfaith.blogspot.com/2009/04/in-news_30.html
Hmmm…I think I am fairly opinionated when I write, but I try to have a bit of humility about it. Some opinionated people come off as know-it-all and not very gracious.
Any thoughts about how to be both humble, but opinionated?
I am soooo pumped!
Wrote this post — http://www.firmfamilytree.com/wealth-benefits and received my first comment from a non-family member.
My traffic has almost doubled since beginning this task
Great suggestion ! however opinion posts can be very controversial .
I wrote an opinion post about Italy’s Best Bridges, which I really enjoyed writing. There are thousands of bridges in Italy so this one required some good research before I was willing to stick my neck out and say these (apart from the 3 obvious ones) are the best ones.
I usually don’t open comments, but for this one I’ve opened them because I really want to know what people think, and whether they agree that the 7 I picked are the “best”. I purposely used the word “best” because anyone’s idea of best is so subjective, I hope it will get people thinking about whether they agree.
I also used another of the tips picked up this month – I titled it “part I” so hopefully people will be interested in staying tuned for part II.
Here’s the post: http://italyfaves.typepad.com/italy_beyond_the_obvious/2009/05/italys-best-bridges-part-i.html
There are plenty of music blogs and music news sites out there which is why I am “forced” to inject an opinion into every story to differentiate myself.
This task was a good one for me because as I told a friend a few days ago: I’m not writing about the music, I am writing about how the music makes me feel.
b.
http://www.cougarmicrobes.com
Guess I’m up and coming… My entire blog is mostly opinion (book reviews).
My opinion about the project management method cube: http://www.jahooda.org/?p=1534
I probably write too many opinions so this one was easy: http://www.veribatim.com/blog/2009/06/19/no-place-for-myspace/
About the downturn for MySpace.