How to Write a Great Blog Post
Have you been thinking about writing a blog post? Perhaps you feel a bit intimidated and not sure how to get started? Fortunately, we are here to help you!
Whether you are a newbie to the whole blogging thing or you have been dabbling in it for a while, there is no denying the benefits of this powerhouse, 21st-century business marketing tool. Simply put, a good blog post acts as a very important channel, directing both existing and potential clients to your website. FYI, Your website and blog work together like copy and paste – you cannot have one without the other, especially in this digital age that we are all living in.
By writing and sharing great blog post content you can:
- Generate new customer leads
- Build trust with current and potential customers
- Deliver value, plus engage and educate your audience
- Build brand awareness and establish yourself as a leader in your field of expertise
*All of the above-mentioned play an important role in the overall success of your business.
If you are still feeling a bit overwhelmed, don’t. Although blogging seems daunting at first, writing a great blog is totally doable and we are here to show you how. Our top tips below will have you blogging like a pro in no time!
Here are our tips for writing a great blog post:
1. Plan for blog writing success
“Failing to plan is planning to fail”. It is difficult to create good content when you haven’t got a mini plan of action to help get you started. Trust us, there is nothing worse than sitting down to write a blog post when you have no clue what your topic is going to be – this is a sure way to make your blogging practice more difficult than what it has to be.
Before you get started, sit down and plan the topics you would like to write about. It’s a good idea to get ahead and have at least 3 – 5 topics ready to go.
If you are struggling to find some topic inspiration then consider the following sources; audience/customer requests, feedback, frequent FAQs, problems/pain points in your industry and lastly, check out the topics your competitors are writing about.
As your readership grows, you will get more engagement from your audience, by monitoring and listening to their feedback you will soon have a whole library full of blog content waiting to be written!
2. A punchy headline is a must
Blog headlines are specifically devised to grab the reader’s attention immediately. This is the first crucial point in a blog post where you can either draw your audience in or turn them away. Always be headline smart, pick punchy titles which will entice your readers to click and read more. Check out CoSchedule for some extra headline assistance!
Some ideas to consider when creating a headline: Address a problem, ask a question, make it catchy, keep it to the point and demonstrate the value they will receive by reading your blog.
3. A good first impression sets the tone
The second crucial point in a blog post is the introduction. Think of your introduction as a first impression which sets the tone and ultimately determines whether your audience will keep on reading. While the headline acts as the showstopper – grabbing all the attention, the introduction is the hook that makes your audience want to read more.
Our top intro tips:
- Keep it short and effective, 3-4 sentences are all you need.
- Explain what the reader can expect from the blog post and what value they will receive from it.
- Always address the headline.
4. Avoid large chunks of text
When it comes to the body of your text, large chunks come across as boring for your readers and will most probably put them off reading further.
By incorporating easy to read headings and sub-headings into your blog posts your content will become that much more exciting to look at PLUS it will rank well for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – which is something you really want! Basically, this means that if someone is on Google, Yahoo or Bing searching for content, your blog post will turn up within the top search results – driving traffic to your website as a result.
Further, make sure you use ‘heading styles’ to tell the search engine what parts of your text are headings. This includes <H1> for your main title all the way down to <paragraph> text for your body content.
Lastly, there is also a lot of debate about how long a blog post should be. Most blog experts seem to agree on anywhere between 1500 – 2500 words. But in our opinion, we believe that your blog post only needs to be as long as it takes you to get your point across. It is as simple as that.
5. Have fun & get creative
This is the part that helps to makes your blog posts more digestible and most of all interesting to read. Unfortunately, even if you have brilliantly written content, if it looks boring you will most probably lose the reader’s attention.
If you want to make your blog stand out, have fun and find creative ways to satisfy your readers’ visual appetite. Play around with fonts, text styles, good quality imagery, videos, graphs, infographics or tables. The options are endless! Pick whichever option is most suitable for you.
Our bonus tips:
- Quality over quantity – Our number 1 rule, always focus on delivering quality content rather than lots of content.
- Edit, edit & edit again – Spelling and grammar mistakes are bound to come up, take our advice when we say that you can never double check or edit your work too much. Grammarly is a fantastic tool to help you in this department!
- Keep tabs open while you write – It’s beneficial to have a few tabs open on your web browser while you are writing to help give you some inspiration when you hit a block.
- Stay consistent – Whether you blog once a day, once a week or once a month – stay consistent and stick to your plan.
- Sharing is caring – Share your content on all your social media channels. The more your audience is exposed to your content and website, the better.
- Keep at it – Write as regularly as possible to help develop your writing skills.
- Always add a call-to-action – Whether it is within your blog content or at the end – consider asking your readers to subscribe, share, comment or engage.
- Publish at peak times – Through a bit of trial and error, you will begin to figure out at what times of day your audience is online. Instagram and Facebook have fantastic insight tools to help you do this at no cost.
- Consider paid boosts – Facebook and Instagram also offer affordable paid post boosts which can help your content reach more people – both existing or potential customers.
Writing great blog posts is merely a matter of practice. Listen to feedback from your readers and peers and adjust your writing style accordingly.
If you aren’t sure how to set up a blog, the HotHealth team is here to lend a helping hand.
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