How to Write a Technology Blog

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Writing a technology blog can be an interesting pastime, a way to build your reputation, or both. Your best bet to build a following for your tech blog is to choose interesting topics and write content that’s accurate, timely, and entertaining. Write for a broad tech readership unless you have a specific audience in mind, format your blog so it’s easy to skim and follow, and use research and links to support your expertise on the topic. After that, get blogging!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Tailoring Your Style to Your Audience

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  1. By their nature, blogs are usually intended to reach the widest possible audience. To connect with a broad readership, tailor your writing toward someone who has at least a basic grasp on technology in general, but who doesn’t prefer jargon-heavy or overly-complex writing. Therefore, you might strive to write for an average 17-year old. [1]
    • If you’re not sure how to write to this audience, ask a few high schoolers—a nephew, a neighbor, etc.—to read over your drafts and give their impressions.
    • If you have a more specific audience in mind, such as seasoned IT professionals, it’s fine to tailor your writing to suit it.
  2. This pairs up with aiming for a broad audience but also involves bringing your personality to the forefront of your writing. While blogs are often now much more than online diaries shared with the public, readers still like the personal connection a blog entry seems to provide. [2]
    • In other words, writing a tech blog entry isn’t the same as writing an essay on the same tech topic for a class. You can use sentence fragments, parentheticals—for instance, adding a sarcastic “(yeah, right)”—and other stylistic choices that an English professor might frown upon.
    • Depending on the subject matter, it may make sense to write in the first person and use lots of “I” and “me” statements.
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  3. This advice isn’t useful just because your assumed “tech-savvy teenager” reader probably prefers shorter sentences. It’s also important because readers often skim through blog posts looking for specific or useful information, and short sentences are easier to skim. [3]
    • For instance, this is too wordy and complex: “The U-Phone 7, which, at last, was released on May 23, has, in my view, added several great features, including: …”
    • At the same time, don’t go overly simplistic: “The U-Phone 7 was released May 23. I think it has added several great features. It has a bigger and brighter screen…”
  4. Most tech blog readers are likely to be unimpressed by your use of “trendy” jargon or “insider” phrases. Instead, use a more natural vocabulary, and make it easy for readers to find info on terms they may not recognize. You might, for instance, use pop-up boxes to quickly define tech terms that may not be broadly known by your audience. [4]
    • When it comes to jargon, avoid sentences like, “TechCo is ideally situated to quickly monetize and synergistically implement several mission-critical shifts in strategy.” [5]
  5. You don’t want your technical blog to read like a technical manual, after all! Provide examples that should be familiar to the reader and that demonstrate your familiarity with the tech you’re writing about. Likewise, use creative but easy-to-grasp analogies to add personality and interest to the information. [6]
    • As an example, you might describe a time when you had trouble using a particular smartwatch during a rainstorm, or how even your tech-phobic uncle quickly figured out his new voice-activated remote.
    • You might use an analogy like: “Waiting for the next version of this product has been like waiting for the next season of Game of Thrones —but at least it hasn’t been like waiting for the next book in the series!”
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Formatting Posts for Easy Reading

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  1. There are many options when it comes to blog hosting sites, so take some time to research several of the major alternatives. Since you're writing a tech blog, prioritize platforms that other tech bloggers utilize, but also consider factors like the following: [7]
    • Is the platform better suited to beginners or more seasoned bloggers?
    • Is it a free site or do you have to pay to utilize it?
    • How much customization does it allow, and is this important to you?
    • Is support available, easy to contact, and helpful?
    • Is the platform suited to monetizing your blog, if that's your goal?
  2. Although it would be great if all visitors to your blog read every word closely, the fact of the matter is that many visitors will simply skim through your posts looking for the useful info. Make life easier for the skimmers by using clear titles and headings that introduce key content and guide the reader through the post in a logical order. This way, you’ll make it more likely that they’ll go back and actually read through the whole thing! [8]
    • Make your titles and headings descriptive but concise—instead of “Testing the Product,” try something like “Finding More Flaws than Features in Testing.” Subheadings might simply state things like, “It has poor battery life,” “The interface isn’t intuitive,” and so on.
  3. Even with many headings and subheadings, posts that are strictly in paragraph format are more difficult to skim and look more intimidating on the screen. Highlight key information with bullet points or numbered lists so that it stands out and breaks up the monotony of the paragraphs. [9]
    • You might, for instance, use a numbered list under a subheading like, “Four ways v2 is superior to v1.” If you wrote, “All the ways v2 is superior to v1,” though, bullet points would make more sense.
  4. Skimmers tend to scan over a printed page or a screen in the shape of a capital “F.” They skim the title and introductory info across the top, look down the side at any headings and subheadings and then scan across (ideally near the center) when something catches their eye. Format your blog accordingly so they catch the key details when skimming. [10]
    • In addition to a strong title, provide a concise but informative introduction at the top of the post. For instance, you might summarize your key claims, findings, or opinions in 1-2 italicized sentences.
    • Provide an eye-catching and informative element—like an image, chart, or highlighted quote—every 300-500 words. This represents the lower horizontal line in the “F.”
  5. According to those who study SEO (Search Engine Optimization) related to blog posts, the ideal post length is around 1,900 words. That doesn’t mean you should try to stretch out a 500-word post to reach the “magic number”—you’ll just end up with an overly-wordy, dull post. But, if you do go over around 2,000 words, you may want to break your post up into a series. [11]
    • Turning your post into a series can help draw in readers for return visits to your blog. This only works, though, if every post in the series is engaging and informative on its own. [12]
    • In other words, don’t write a first post that’s all filler and expect readers to come back for the next post with all the “good stuff” in it.
    • Like a good serialized TV show or film in a series, each post should make sense and be entertaining on its own, but get even better when combined with the other posts in the series.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Displaying Your Expertise

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  1. Unless you’re positioning yourself as someone who’s commenting on tech topics or reviewing products from a novice’s perspective, choose post topics that permit you to write with confidence. Tech blog readers, in particular, aren’t likely to waste their time with a blogger who isn’t clearly knowledgeable on the subject. [13]
    • For instance, don’t write blog posts on working with Linux if you don’t have expertise in it. The only exception might be if you’re clearly posting as a Linux novice describing your initial impressions.
  2. Even if you can write with authority based on your own knowledge, supporting your work with strong research will increase your post’s appeal and impact on readers. Search through well-regarded tech journals, websites, and blogs, and use links or citations to reference the sources that inform or support your writing. [14]
    • The tech world moves forward rapidly, meaning sources turn “old” pretty quickly. In general, it’s best not to rely on sources that are more than 3 years old.
    • Writing a blog does not give you a free pass to plagiarize. If you’re quoting, paraphrasing, or simply drawing inspiration from the work of others, let your readers know this through the use of citations or links.
  3. Linking to relevant posts by well-known tech bloggers can give your post a greater feeling of legitimacy. Make sure you’re making your own contributions on the topic, though, and not just rehashing what other bloggers have written. [15]
    • It’s also a good idea to sprinkle in links to other relevant posts that you’ve written. Go ahead and make it easy for readers to check out some of the other writing you’ve done!
    • Work the links into your posts logically and organically. They should be easy to find, but it shouldn’t feel like the post was built around the links.
  4. Blogging is a great way to both share what you know and express yourself—so embrace it! Offer your perspective and give your opinions clearly and confidently. If you’ve demonstrated that you know your stuff, readers will be more eager to come back for more. [16]
    • In most cases, don’t write things like “I think” or “I believe.” Readers know you’re giving your view in a blog post, so write with confidence: “The Y-box is the best gaming console to come along in at least a decade.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.horizonpeakconsulting.com/write-technical-complex-blogs/
      2. ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/seven-tips-for-a-breakout-it-blog
      3. ↑ https://blogging.com/technical-blogging/
      4. ↑ https://blogging.com/technical-blogging/
      5. ↑ https://online.rivier.edu/business-jargon-generator/
      6. ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/seven-tips-for-a-breakout-it-blog
      7. ↑ https://makeawebsitehub.com/choose-right-blogging-platform/
      8. ↑ https://www.horizonpeakconsulting.com/write-technical-complex-blogs/
      9. ↑ https://www.horizonpeakconsulting.com/write-technical-complex-blogs/
      1. ↑ https://blogging.com/technical-blogging/
      2. ↑ https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ideal-blog-post-length-for-seo/255633/#close
      3. ↑ https://blogging.com/technical-blogging/
      4. ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/seven-tips-for-a-breakout-it-blog
      5. ↑ https://blogging.com/technical-blogging/
      6. ↑ https://www.horizonpeakconsulting.com/write-technical-complex-blogs/
      7. ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/seven-tips-for-a-breakout-it-blog

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      • Jisha Karalatha

        Mar 8, 2016

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