How can you balance ethos, pathos, and logos in a blog post to build trust and engagement?

1 What is ethos, pathos, and logos?

Ethos, pathos, and logos are terms that come from the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who studied how people communicate and persuade others. Ethos refers to the credibility and character of the speaker or writer, pathos to the emotions and values of the audience, and logos to the logic and evidence of the argument. By using these three modes, you can establish your authority, connect with your readers, and support your claims.

3 How to use pathos in your blog post

Pathos is a powerful tool for engaging your audience's emotions and values. You can use storytelling and anecdotes to illustrate your points, as well as vivid and descriptive language and imagery to create a mood. Additionally, rhetorical questions and exclamations can provoke a reaction, while humor, irony, or sarcasm can make a point. Finally, emotional appeals and calls to action can motivate your readers.

5 Examples of ethos, pathos, and logos in blog posts

To understand how other bloggers have used ethos, pathos, and logos in their posts, here are some examples from different niches and topics. Notice how they combine the three modes to create a persuasive and engaging blog post. Adam Enfroy's post, "How to Start a Blog in 2021: Easy Guide to Create a Blog for Beginners," uses ethos by demonstrating the author's expertise and success in blogging, pathos by sharing his personal story and challenges, and logos by providing step-by-step instructions and screenshots. Ramit Sethi's post, "Why You Should Never Use a Debit Card to Pay for Anything," uses ethos by citing the author's credentials and best-selling book, pathos by using humor and sarcasm to mock debit card users, and logos by giving facts and examples of how debit cards are inferior to credit cards. Jerry Jenkins' post, "How to Write a Novel: A Simple Process for Beating Writer's Block," uses ethos by mentioning the author's experience and awards as a novelist, pathos by empathizing with the reader's struggles and fears, and logos by offering a practical and proven method for writing a novel.