The "Before You Publish" Checklist
There are times we write our posts and get in too big of a rush to hit that publish button. I know I am guilty. Here are some friendly reminders that are easy to forget:
1. Am I providing value to my readers?
2. Is my article written for a specific, targeted audience?
3. Do I have a great title that is clear and grammatically correct?
4. Does my headline cause my readers to be curious enough to read on?
5. Did I use the words, "you" and "I" to engage my reader and make them feel like I am talking directly to them, not at them?
6. Are my paragraphs short and not overwhelming?
7. Are my sentences and paragraphs correctly ordered?
8. Have I linked to any older relevant posts to keep my visitors on my site so that they can find even more helpful information?
9. Have I included visuals such as images, videos, charts, etc.? People online love visuals and you will keep their attention easier.
10. Did I back up any claims I made by using statistics or data to prove my information?
11. Have I invited my readers to interact with my blog? How about a call to action?
12. Did I check my links and be sure they are all are working?
13. Have I given credit to my sources? This increases your credibility and gives credit where credit is due.
14. Did I remember to proofread? You want to be professional and spelling and grammar errors can hurt you.
I'm sure there are many more, but these are some of the important ones. If you have others to add to the list, please feel free to leave them in the comments.
Have a great weekend! :)
Recent Comments
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#8 and #11 are two that I need to work on more than the others but the list is very helpful. Thank you Michelle.
Great points. Sometimes we are all to quick to push "publish" . I wish I had a dollar for every email I "sent" without good thinking.
Brilliant list Michelle! You made me go back to add a call to action for readers to leave a comment at the bottom of my last post.
Our sites should be a two-way thing, so encouraging visitor comments is very important I think :)
Kind regards,
Michelle
Hi Michelle. :) It is so easy to leave something out, I have done it many times. It can be an overwhelming process!
Hi this is a great list. Some other things I would add
15. Making sure links are opening in a new tab (where you want them to)
16. Making sure images are compressed
17. Checking that images aren't linked to their attachment page
18. Select a category
19. Add a featured image
I will be adding some of your things to my checklist now - thanks for posting!
Thanks Nathan! See, I told you there were many more. This was just the tip of the iceberg. :) Appreciate you adding your list!
If you use another author's material (say you quote someone), you need to cite your source and give the original author the credit. It not only saves you from plagiarizing issues, it gives your reader a helpful way to find out more information on the topic covered. :)
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Unusually good post in this venue. Thanks