Using the Bizarre to make Things Plain

Did you know? The first step on the moon by astronaut Neil Armstrong was with his left foot, The Book of Bizarre Truths reveals.
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In corporate blogging training sessions, I often recommend including interesting tidbits of information on topics related to your business (or, if you’re a freelance blog content writer, tidbits related to the client’s business). The tidbit not only serves as an attention grabber, but can be used to explain the way a product or service works. The left-foot item, for example, might be used in a podiatrist’s blog.  Psychology Today reports that, while the majority of professional soccer players are right-footed, those able to play equally well with both feet earned a substantial salary premium. Speaking of salary, the word comes from the word salt, which ancient Roman soldiers received as part of their pay. Career coaches might use that detail in their blog posts (in fact, the Zip recruiter blog does just that).

Celery was once considered a trendy, high-fashion food, served in its own vase and placed in the center of the table, Bizarre Truths tells us, and EatingWell.com tells readers how to make a “centerpiece you can eat”. Restaurants might use that tidbit in their blog, as might cooking schools. The OpenTable restaurant delivery company helps readers “elevate the ambiance” in setting the dining table. Dieticians can use the tidbit to emphasize the antioxidants and fiber contained in celery, and the fact that celery contains apigenin, which is an anti-inflammatory.

The shoe has been a symbol of fertility, Bizarre Truths tells readers and, in some Eskimo cultures, women wore shoes around their necks in the hope of getting pregnant. This tidbit might be featured not only in a shoe company blog, but even on the website of a fertility clinic! “Fingernails grow faster on your dominant hand” is a natural for a manicure salon blog, but could easily be adapted for a preschool discussing the importance of hand dominance in developing fine motor skills in children.

Bamboo is the world’s tallest grass, growing as much as 34 inches in a day. Not only might this tidbit prove useful in a blog promoting a lawncare service, it might be used by a company installing flooring or one promoting the advantages of bamboo hand towels or offering tips for cooking with bamboo shoots.

In blogging for business, you can often use bizarre tidbits to capture interest and make things plain!