ConverStations Workshop  

When I was coaching baseball, our hitters memorized this mantra for a great swing:

"Front Foot Closed, Back Foot Pivot, Back Shoulder Turns, Head At Contact."

Here's the checklist (mantra?) I offer for a great posting practice

1. Write Post First - Sometimes we humans can get on a rabbit trail. By writing the post first, you don't handcuff yourself to a certain title.
2. Then Title Post - By writing your headline after the post, you'll have a better headline and it will match the content of the post.  With experience, you'll find headline writing easier.
3. Pick a Category - You may decide to add a new category after the first two steps.
4. At Least One Link Out - This practice extends the conversation. If you can't find a blog, find something relevant. I also suggest to link within your sites, but don't be a dead-end.
5. Image Above the Fold - Understand that many are reading from feed aggregators. If an image helps tell the story, make sure the reader doesn't have to scroll to see it - they may not scroll.
6. Tag Your Post - Make sure you use tags. Think find-ability and link-ability.The easier you are to find, the better your chances of people linking back.
7. And Ping 'Em - Most blogware has this built in, as does FeedBurner. Use Pingoat or Pingomatic to let blog search engines know you've updated your site.

You can also view a SlideShare Presentation of A Blog Posting Mantra