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As someone who loves writing blog posts and newsletters, I’m always trying to learn more and do better. It’s a craft and crafts need to be honed. I often read articles and guideposts about blogging better. One of the most popular phrases is “focus on better quality posts than the number of posts.” Since I have a lot of thoughts on the quality vs quantity topic, I wrote an entire discussion about it.

While writing that, I was forced to consider what exactly good quality content is. Many of us discuss it without explaining it or asking for elaboration. What does “good quality content” actually mean? How will a beginner know whether their content is of good quality or not? Does everyone have the same standards?

These questions prompted me to step back and think about it more. I had conversations with some blogger friends about it and found articles explaining it. Here’s the general consensus on what “good quality” means:

• Posts that are “successful”—they have good engagement, bring new followers, are shared on social media, or rank high on search engines.
• Posts that are “valuable”—that readers can learn or take something from.
• Posts that are “entertaining”—they’re interesting, engaging, and fun. They speak to the readers.

But above all else—above whatever I mentioned above—there is ONE common factor. It supersedes all rules and is the thing that makes something of “good quality.”

That factor is good writing. If a post is written well, no matter the topic or content, it is considered to be of “good quality.”

This leads to another question. What is a “well-written” post? Here is what comes to my mind:

• A post that clearly shows what you’re trying to say. There isn’t vagueness or confusion. The reader understands exactly what you want to put across.
• A post that is comprehensive—in your opinions, information, or advice. It doesn’t leave things up to interpretation or require readers to have prior knowledge of something to understand it.
• A post that is easy to read. It does not have an endless block of text which is hard to read on a screen. (I have a guide on writing easy-to-read posts)
• A post that is nice to read. This could be because the writing is funny or because it is beautiful. There are various styles of writing but some styles are distinctively nice to read.

But then, is good writing all that is required? If a blog technically has good writing, will people definitely love reading it?

I don't think so.

I took a quick look at the blogs that I follow and especially the ones whose posts I don't miss on and noticed some common factors. While they are all not the same—content, style, or look—they all have something that drew me in and keeps me returning. I wouldn't say that they are perfect blogs but they have a feature or a vibe that is unique to them.

Those bloggers have either a unique idea, a unique blogging voice, or a way of thinking. Some bloggers I follow always bring up great points in their book reviews, which is why I read them. Some bloggers never fail to make me smile or laugh. And some bloggers' content is always comforting, as if I'm listening to a friend when I read their posts.

All that they have in common is the basics of "good quality" rules. Above that, it is just what they have as a person—their ideas and their voice.