Print Screen is useful for this and Snipping Tool also makes it quick and easy to screenshot as you go, however I would highly recommend downloading apps like Greenshot or Gyazo (great for GIFs) which offer a number of additional functionalities and editing tools as well as being slightly more user friendly.
4. Clickable Images
There is a lot going on at any one time on a Football Manager screen let alone in the game itself. The FM skin neatly condenses a lot of data and info in front of us however when it comes to screenshots these can sometimes be difficult to view without zooming in - let’s not forget that a lot of people consume content on mobile devices rendering images with detail or text almost impossible to read without expanding (we will talk about mobile devices shortly). You would think that most blog sites would automatically allow the reader click to expand all your images, however this is often not the case so it is essential to hyperlink or ensure that all images link to their original media file to allow for zooming in. Some sites also have plugins or lightbox effects for this but again these either need to be installed or enabled so be sure all your images are clickable before you go live!
5. TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
It would be hypocritical for me to talk about blog posts being too long if you were to look at the length of some of my previous articles (@FridayNightFM likes this) - however the fact of the matter is - if your post goes on for ages or requires a big commitment from the reader in order to digest from start to finish, you’re probably in trouble. The reader doesn’t need every single bit of detail on your thought process, the buttons you’ve clicked, commentary on each game - we all play FM therefore you can be forgiven for skipping over the minor unimportant parts. Ideally a blog post should only really take about 5-10 minutes to read (note: FM blogs make for ideal bio-break reading 🚽), otherwise you run the risk of losing the reader or making it too time consuming for them to engage and absorb your content. Attention spans in the 21st century are thinner than ever, the easier it is for them to digest your story and navigate the narrative, the more likely they are to enjoy it and want to return for more. Less is more, quality not quantity, size doesn’t matter etc etc.
6. Continuity & Regularity
The nature of written content is that it can be difficult to maintain over the course of a long period both from the writer and the reader’s perspective. Ever picked up a book and had to go back a few pages to remember where you left off? Blogs are no different therefore it is important not to assume that the reader knows exactly where and when we are in the narrative. A quick recap at the start of each blog does no harm to remind readers where you last left off, and similarly a quick summary at the end sends the reader home with a more memorable experience of what it was they just read and enjoyed. A decent menu with links to each episode/chapter is also super helpful for readers to navigate through your story.
From a regularity perspective - similar to the above, it is very difficult to captivate your audience if you post very infrequently or if there is no indication of when your next post will follow. It’s not necessarily about how frequently or quickly you publish, but more that you should establish some form of consistency in terms of routine or schedule that suits your blog/life balance and gives readers an expectation of when they can expect future content which will help them to mentally commit to becoming immersed in your save narrative or adventure. Even if they know it will be only one post per month, that reliability and confidence goes a long way in terms of repeat readership and commitment. Blogs may be a one-way street but they are a two-way relationship 😄.
7. Structure, Narrative, Motive
It’s all about the #narrative. As with any content, if there is nothing unique about it, there is nothing special about it. It is very easy to simply narrate a season or save month by month talking about fixtures, results, transfers etc - however if you truly want to make your content stand out and appeal to a wider audience, having an interesting and engaging narrative in your save goes a long way towards how readers will engage with your story. Whether it’s bringing in rules, objectives, storylines, fiction, data, tips & tricks, nostalgia - if you enjoy writing it people will usually enjoy reading it. You are what you eat -> write what you would read.
If views, likes and follows are what you crave then perhaps blogging isn’t for you. Motivation is obviously essential when it comes to FM blogging (as it is in FM playing) however as stated above the nature of blogs is simply that they attract far less numbers and are much harder to get out there. You have to be patient, find your niche, write what you enjoy and enjoy what you write - if a writer can achieve this then it is very much tangible for the reader as they absorb and consume content; the rest will soon follow, so make sure you are in it for the right reasons.
Bonus tip: try not to play too far ahead either - it’s tough to write a season review if you are already halfway through the following one!
8. Something for everyone
It’s important to remember that just because you write a blog on a PC or Laptop doesn’t mean it will be read on one. After writing a masterpiece, you may review and be completely satisfied with the flow and layout in front of you however it is essential that your blog post is suitable for all devices - things such as galleries, columns or tables can look great on a computer but appear very differently on a mobile or tablet so when proof-reading be sure to check how it appears on a tablet or mobile device. You’d be amazed how many people consume content on the go, not to mention the bio-break theory already mentioned above 😄.
Thankfully Wordpress and most other blog platforms allow you to preview how your blog will appear across all versions - if you know you know.
