How to start a blog for your journal

Tips for editors

If you start a blog for your journal, you will gain the opportunity to:

  • Reach a wider audience
    Engage a wider community, and achieve greater impact. 

  • Engage your editorial board members  
    Invite them to write guest posts and let them be ambassadors for the journal. 

  • Test ideas and keep your audience updated
    Use the blog to discuss the latest news in your field and test new thoughts and ideas. 

  • Create a sense of community 
    Share your blog posts on social media and encourage discussions to help create a vibrant and interconnected community around your journal. 

Jump to section

A journal is more than a collection of articles, it’s a community. There are many ways to engage and grow your journal’s community, and knowing where to start can be a challenge. If you think a blog could be right for your journal, read on for our top tips on making sure it’s a success. 

  1. Define your approach
    Creating a blog requires careful planning to make sure it effectively communicates your purpose and ideas. Whether you plan on sharing the articles published in your journals, discussing academic topics, or writing opinion pieces and personal experiences, your first step is to define your approach and goals. Set a clear structure and share your guidelines with your contributors. 

  2. Balance depth and accessibility  
    Strive for a balance between comprehensive analysis and accessibility. Your readers could come from different backgrounds and disciplines, so make sure that your language and explanations accommodate a wider audience, while retaining your academic insights.  

  3. Create blog posts around new topics  
    New topics help you avoid stagnation and keep your audience engaged. Readers are always looking for novel information and perspectives, and covering new topics can provide them with that. Pay attention to the topics that resonate most with your colleagues. Adapt your content strategy based on feedback and engagement metrics to provide valuable insights tailored to the organization’s interests and needs.  

  4. Weave in narratives  
    Humanize your content by incorporating anecdotes, personal experiences, or real-world applications. Storytelling makes your insights relatable and engaging, bridging the gap between your research and the practical concerns of the organization.  

  5. Maintain intellectual rigor  
    While the blog format offers a more approachable tone, maintain your scholarly rigor.  

  6. Craft compelling headlines  
    Your blog titles are the initial impression. Craft them to be enticing and clear, conveying the essence of the content. Create curiosity while communicating the value the article offers to your colleagues and the organization.  

  7. Improve readability with structure  
    Use subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to improve the readability of your content. Online readers often skim, so a clear structure helps with navigating and comprehending your ideas effectively.  

  8. Review and edit 
    Prior to publishing, thoroughly proofread your content. Typos and grammatical errors can compromise your credibility. Consider having a peer or colleague review your posts for clarity and accuracy.  

In today’s digital landscape, where information is abundant, effective promotion is key to reaching a wider audience. Here are some of our top ideas to help you start promoting your blog.

Leverage internal and external networks

Share your blog posts on internal communication channels and social media channels to reach a broader audience.

Engage with audiences who might find your content relevant to their roles, projects, and careers. 

Collaborate internally

Consider inviting fellow internal experts to contribute guest posts. Collaborative content broadens perspectives and enriches your blog’s content. 

Incorporate visuals

Visual content (including, images, graphs, and videos) are an asset for promoting your blog and improving the reader experience. Visuals help with:

  • Enhanced engagement: Visuals instantly capture reader’s attention, keeping them engaged with your content.

  • Improved comprehension: Visuals simplify complex ideas, making it easier for readers to understand and remember your message. 

  • Social media sharing: Appealing visuals encourage readers to share your content, expanding your blog’s reach and attracting new followers. 

Fostering interactive discussions

End your posts with thought-provoking questions, encouraging your colleagues to comment and share their perspectives. Engage in these discussions to cultivate meaningful exchanges of ideas.  

Final thoughts

Building a successful blog can greatly increase your journal’s reach and impact but requires a lot of time and effort. Before getting started, set your goals, and make sure you have all the necessary resources to drive readers to your journal and to foster a greater sense of community.