10 points on How to write a attractive blog

 

Writing a blog post isn’t exactly rocket science. But, there are definitely strategies that can take a good blog post and make it great.

 I’ve learned a few strategies for making the writing process faster, easier and more effective.

This post will outline a 10-step process you can use every time you write. Not only will it streamline your writing process, it will ultimately leave you with better posts that get more likes, shares and links.

1. Know who you’re writing for

This is probably the most important point in this whole list.

These help you identify exactly who you’re writing for so you can address their needs, interests and wants. It will also give you an idea of the knowledge level of your audience, so you can write a post that’s not “dumbed down” or overly complicated.

What’s the #1 problem they’re facing that you want to address?

How much do they already know about the topic?

What’s the goal of your post? To educate, inspire, motivate…or maybe to simply remind them of some basics they already know?

2. Do some basic keyword research

Contrary to what you’ve probably always thought, keyword research isn’t just about finding high volume keywords.

I like to think of it as a tool for getting inside the minds of your prospective customers. What are they thinking about? What are they searching for online? What words do they use to describe what they’re looking for?

Do some basic keyword research (here are some of my favorite tools) before you even start writing. In fact, do it before you’ve even finalized your topic.

Plug in some possible topics, and see which words and phrases jump out at you. Compile a list of 5-7 of these phrases and use those to start creating an outline for your post. Which brings us to #3…

3. Create a basic outline for your post

You don’t need to get fancy here.

Using the phrases you’ve compiled above, choose a theme for your post, and draft a basic outline: one main topic and some subtopics that will really help your audience understand your main topic.

For instance, here’s a basic outline I might create under the broad theme, “renovations”:

Theme: Renovations

Main topic: Cheap kitchen renovation ideas

Once you’ve put together your outline, you’re ready to jump into writing your title and post.

4. Come up with a working title

Everyone has a different strategy for coming up with a title. Some bloggers like to finalize their title before they even start writing, while others like to identify a main theme at the outset, but only write the title once they’re done.

Often my working title is simply, “How to……” (e.g., for this post it’s currently “How to write a great blog post”). I usually try to make sure my main theme keyword(s) are in the title – not necessarily just for SEO purposes, but so it’s really clear to my audience what my post is about.

5. Hook your reader in the first two lines

Your first one to two lines should jump out at your readers, making them think, “Yes! That’s me!”, or “I totally agree!”. Basically, it’s your “hook” that will draw them in and get them to keep reading.

Statistics or interesting facts always make for good hooks

Your first line is even more important if you haven’t customized the meta description for your post. In that case, your first line will automatically become your post’s description in the search engine results, and will also be the description people see when the post is shared on social media.

6. Write the post

Some bloggers start and end with this one. However, as you can see, there’s a lot more you can do to really amp up your post.

You’ve already identified who you’re writing for…now keep them at the forefront of your mind as you write. Too often, we use personas to choose a topic, but then forget about them as we actually write the post.

Throughout the process ask yourself:

What questions or objections might my ideal reader have at this point?

What other info might they be looking for?

Is my tone appropriate for the audience I’m writing for?

7. Add images using the right ratio

Having a header image is great, but in many cases you’ll need more visual content than that.

Some research suggests that having one image per every 75-100 words is optimal, at least for getting social media shares.

This translates to around 10-13 images per 1,000 word post. 

8. Optimize for Search

Your goal here is to make sure the people who are looking for info on your topic find your post. Easier said than done, right?

Using your keywords is still important, particularly in your title tag (and as close to the beginning as possible). Of course, use them throughout your content as well, where relevant. 

Links are also super important – maybe more important than anything else. Link internally to other posts on your site, and make sure you link back to your new post on several older, high authority posts.

9. Add a compelling call to action

Finally, the body of your post is done.

What do you want to accomplish through your post? Are you just looking for pageviews? Or do you want readers to sign up for your list? Visit a product page or landing page? Buy a product?

Decide exactly which action (just one) you want your readers to take, and then make it really clear within your post.

10. Revisit your headline

Once your post is done, you’ll likely find you need to change up your headline.

One of my favorite strategies for choosing a headline is to spin a title from a popular blog post in another industry. Here’s how it works.

Look at the titles of the posts, and see if you can tweak any to use as the title for your own post. For example, I could use “Why You Should Have (at Least) Two Careers” as my template, and title my post, “Why You Should Have (at Least) Two Kids”, or “Why Everyone Should Have Two Kids” (assuming that’s the topic of my post, of course).

Final thoughts

You could always just sit down and write a blog post without using any kind of strategy. But how effective do you think that post is going to be?