Is Your Blog More Batter Than Bird?

Where better than a restaurant review for me to find one of those wonderful word tidbits that can so enrich a blog?  Indianapolis Business Journal reports that Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles at Ohio and East Streets has a decidedly down-home feel.  "And oh, those wings…..the breading was crispy and well-seasoned without overpowering the tender meat," (Psst!  Here comes the word tidbit:) Maxine’s wings are "..nothing like the fast-food varieties that are more batter than bird."

The visitor obviously liked Maxine’s for its natural, human, down-home feel. And, according to blog mavens Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos, one of the characteristics writers of business blogs need is "the ability to write in a natural, authentic, human voice."

Besides making for a tasty word tidbit, I think the IBJ reviewer’s remark about the batter/bird ratio is an important one for bloggers to remember.  As a professional ghost blogger, I’m always reading what other bloggers have to say and noting how the material is presented to the reader.

When we go to a restaurant, an important part of our enjoyment of the meal is the presentation – from the general atmosphere of the restaurant down to the way in which the food is arranged on the plate – it’s all important.  But when it comes right down to it, the food has to taste good.  There needs to be "meat", not just "batter".  

I think the "meat" for business blogs is information. After all, searchers arrive at your blog seeking information about what you do, what you sell, and what you know.  The "batter" might be the way the blog site is laid out, pictures, illustrations, and even cleverness in the writing. But, when it comes right down to it, the quality information needs to be there.  Part of providing that extra level of quality is researching sources where most people wouldn’t think to access, and linking to those in your blog post.

Remember me saying there’s a science and an art to business blogging? The fact is, search engines reward frequency and recency of posts (which is the science, and in a way, the "batter"), but what’s going to engage the reader is the quality of the "meat" – the information you provide in answer to their search or their query.