21st Century Blogging Hack: Using Voice to Text for Blogging
Let’s face it: for many photographers, writing a blog post is excruciating. There are so many other business tasks that demand your creativity. From capturing beautiful images, to editing and delivering them to your clients, sometimes it is hard to find the time to sit down and write. Or, maybe writing isn’t your cup of tea. Your creativity is channeled into your beautiful images. At Fotoskribe, we are always searching for ways to make blogging as a photographer easier. So today, we wanted to share a 21st century blogging hack: using voice to text for blogging.
How to use Voice to Text for Blogging:
What if we told you that the fastest way to write a blog is to not write at all? Voice to Text apps are now readily available in Android, iPhone, and desktop versions. These time-saving apps can help you to capture your memories, your thoughts, and your ideas from your shoot while they are all still fresh in your mind.
Photographer Nicki Pardo, of Pardo Photo has been leveraging voice to text to blog for a while. She just uses the voice recognition software on her iPhone and records her thoughts into a new note.
“When I am on my game, I dictate the information right after the session when I am still energized from the actual shoot. It also helps me remember everybody’s names – including the pets!”
–Nicki Pardo, Pardo Photo
Voice recording is best done on your phone. First off, you don’t need any additional equipment or microphones. Secondly, it’s so easy to make a few quick notes about a session on such a small and portable device! Just open a new note, click the microphone button to begin recording and start speaking!
You can even include punctuation by saying, “comma,” “period,” “exclamation point,” or “question mark.” The voice command “new paragraph” also works as you are getting your notes together. Most voice capture software will record for about 30 seconds at a time. It gives you just enough time to get a few thoughts down for a paragraph. By using voice to text for your blogging, you can both save time in your blogging workflow and remember more details while they are fresh in your mind.
Programs and Integration
Depending on your mobile device of choice, there are different application options to use to leverage the power of voice to text. To get started, here are a few options to consider:
Google:
With its ease of use, integration across multiple platforms, and easy access, google docs is an easy way to get started. Using your phone, open a new Google Doc, click the microphone icon on your keyboard and get started. Since Google Docs allows you open the same document on multiple devices, it makes the editing process a breeze. Just dictate into your phone to get started, and then polish it up when you have the time to sit at a real computer.
Evernote:
Evernote is a program that allows you to sync notes across two devices. It is an amazing way to stay organized. With Evernote on your phone, you always capture ideas when inspiration strikes. Once saved to your account, those notes are available wherever you have Evernote. Create lists, sketches, photo, and audio notes from your home screen, using handy widgets.
Note to Self:
An easy way to get started is to use your phone’s on-board voice software to take notes right into an email. By sending yourself an email of your ideas and a brief outline to use in your blog post, you will be prepared to flesh out the post with more details when you have the luxury of more time. If your phone doesn’t have a voice to text app when you get it, there are many free ones to choose from depending on your device and preferences.
Edit, edit, edit…
Once you have more time, make sure to go back to your document to edit. Using voice to text for blogging is a great way to save time but it can make some mistakes. Go through your post carefully checking for spelling, grammar, and word choices. Sometimes, the way your dictation software hears what you say can be amusing. Less so, perhaps, if the embarrassing mistake is on your blog.
Here are some important things to check:
- Spelling on your clients’ names (There are so many ways to spell Brian….)
- Venue and vendor information
- Easy typos (there, their, and they’re)
- Missing punctuation
- Missing words
Finally, make sure your ideas were communicated as intended. Sometimes, when you’re talking to yourself it sounds great, but make sure it makes sense when written down. The punchline can sometimes get lost when things are written out instead of said out loud.
Once you’re happy, move it to the blog
After you have made your edits, you can load the post into your blog. Make sure to add your amazing images to tell the whole story of the event. Load up your post with links back to your vendors and well-researched keywords. This will transform your blog post from those notes in your phone into something your customers can read, share, and appreciate.
Keep in mind
This process can be used for more than just blogging. Having a trusted voice to text program can help you to stay organized. Consider incorporating it into your photography business workflow. Also, if you need help getting your blog doing its part as a part of an effective marketing strategy, make sure to contact us! Feel free to send us that voice to text file and we’ll make sure to edit it, add in some keywords, and make sure your stunning images are knitted together into a post worth sharing. We’re here to help you (and your blog) succeed.