“Oh, so they have Internet on computers now”. Homer Simpson.

Sometimes blogging inspiration comes from the most unlikely places. While magazines and newspapers can teach you about creating captivating headlines, and books can teach you about proper sentence structure, tone and writing style, nothing can spark your creative energies like a quick trip into Springfield. What state? Which ever one the Simpsons are in, of course.

The following is a compilation of some of our favorite quips, catchphrases and odd-ball remarks uttered by Springfield’s finest with a brief description of how their words can help your blogging! While some of you may think that Homer, Bart, Ralph and Barney would be the worst people to take advice from, their inability to think inside the box will help you get outside it!

“Me fail English? That’s unpossible!” Ralph Wiggum.

The Hidden Beauty of Typos and Made Up Words

Since this line was first uttered many years ago, it has become one of Ralph’s signature displays of stupidity. That’s because ‘unpossible’ is instantly memorable, immediately grabbing people’s attention with its torturous mangling of proper spelling and grammar.

Made up words and deliberate typos are often a clever and playful way of grabbing the attention of your readers, creating a ‘mental hiccup’ in their minds that will either get them to laugh or push them to engage your content. Consider Nick Cernis’ “Made You Thunk” piece on CopyBlogger, where he discusses how purposeful typos, misquotes and made up words have worked to draw in readers and provoke responses from them. When used with caution and diligence, mangled writing mechanics can make for memorable posts. Also consider these other famous made up words from The Simpsons:

• Boo-urns
• Cromulent
• Embiggens

And the list goes on…

“Disco Stu likes Disco Music” Disco Stu.

Become a Leader in Your Niche

While niche blogging doesn’t cater to concerns of the majority, a well-focused blog that follows the concerns of a small but dedicated group can explode within that community. You can easily become an essential authority on the subject - a big fish in a small pond.

When the people of Springfield want to boogie down, are they going to ask Kent Brockman or Principal Skinner for musical recommendations? Or are they going to the guy wearing shades, bell-bottoms and platform shoes? Disco Stu has clearly established himself as the Disco authority of Springfield by choosing a name, style and groove that clearly speaks to his (limited) audience. If you want to be a leader in your niche, consider Disco Stu’s unwavering passion and energy for his music. Keep your blog specific to those interests and you’ll be Staying Alive (sorry, I just had to).

Here are some other niche leaders in Springfield:

• Bumblebee Man - leading Spanish variety show expert
• The Comic Book Guy - expert on all things nerdy and obsessive
• Herman – the military dude with one arm (expert on guns and military antiques)

“See ya in court, Simpson. Oh, and bring that evidence with ya, otherwise, I got no case and you’ll go scot-free” Police Chief Wiggum.

Support Your Posts with Examples to Maintain Your Authority

You can learn from Wiggum’s mistake and make your blogging persuasive, convincing and accessible by using examples in your writing. Images, diagrams, graphs and charts are all examples of visual aids that will support your writing and more understandable for your readers. Examples can also include personal anecdotes, links and hilarious Simpsons quotes. Simply ‘telling’ something isn’t enough for people to work with, you have to ‘show’ them as well.

“I think Smithers picked me because of my motivational skills. Everyone says they have to work a lot harder when I’m around.” Homer Simpson.

Be a Team Leader and Encourage Participation from Your Readers

Sometimes a blogger has to take a stand and motivate his or her readers to respond to their posts, like asking them to leave comments or bookmark their articles. Actively engaging your audience is a huge part of blogging and having Homer’s motivational skills could certainly come in handy. Look to our post on Getting More Comments on Your Blog for more suggestions on how you can encourage more participation from your readers.

“This is the greatest case of false advertising I’ve seen since I sued the movie `The Never Ending Story’.” Lionel Hutz.

Deliver on Promises and Know Readers’ Expectations

Once you’ve established a considerable readership, you want to keep them coming to your blog by keeping your promises to them. That means staying on task and focusing on the major themes and subject matter that your blog has set out to cover. Straying to far from the course and writing content that’s not applicable to your niche may alienate your readers and cause them to go elsewhere. Don’t let this happen to you! Try to understand your audience’s needs and desires. Look at your analytics and see what stories and features are getting the greatest response. Develop your blog in a way that shows consistent improvement and build upon your past successes.

“You should listen to your heart, and not the voices in your head” Marge Simpson.

Be Honest and Open to Write Content that People Can Relate To

When you’re writing blog posts, it’s often important to relay personal experiences about your subject matter to help illustrate your points and give your audience a little taste of who you are. Reflecting your personality in your writing will help make your blog unique and standout within your niche.

Often when we write, we get caught up thinking if other people will like it or not and we get stuck. That is why it’s great to also write for yourself, explore what’s important to you and your readership will be encouraged to contribute their two cents. You have to reach out to people on a human level, and that’s what makes Marge a voice of reason in the chaotic world of the Simpsons.

So there you have it, several key blogging tips from the world’s greatest show. While there are literally thousands of Simpsons quotes that can inspire your blogging, we could only include so much here. What are some of your favorite Simpsons moments? Can they help your blogging experiences? Let us know in the comments below!