Blogging is the future of content creation!
If you are reading this blog, you have realized the challenges of blogging. This post will not talk about writing just another blog post, but we will tell you how to carve a perfect blog post.
Blogging is an incredible way to build your presence and generate traffic at your site. Blogging may look as simple as a grade five essay, but let me tell you, blogging is 80% research and 20% writing skills.
Whether it is technology, food, sports, or any other niche, every industry needs to generate awareness about its product. It is no secret that even small and medium enterprises are looking at blogs to grow their businesses. The good news for bloggers is that content writing clubbed with digital marketing is expected to grow in the coming years, and professionals have tremendous scope for growth.
Please sit back, relax and read it till the final word, for we are going to pull all curtains from blogging. We will go inch by inch till we are confident about writing a perfect blog post.
What Precisely is a Blog Post?
Blogging is not an alien term anymore, but what exactly is it? Is a blog just a web page with information in a tightly bound format? No doubt, information is the key; however, generating a platform for discussion and views are also essentials of a blog.
Do you know in 1994, the first blog was created, which was a compilation of links? Yes, it’s a clue! Another essential ingredient of a blog is an outbound link. A blog is a web page that contains these three rudiments:
- Information on a subject.
- Generating a platform for discussion.
- A link for further enhancement of communication.
How does a Blog Differ from an Article?
Blogs are tech-savvy, while Articles are old school!
Most blogs restrict their identity on a particular site, while articles can hop around in all content forms. The critical fact about blogs is that they are personal opinions or knowledge-based content on a subject. A blog may or may not contain facts or figures.
An article is argumentative writing with facts and figures to support the content. Articles are written with the primary objective to make a difference in society by compelling thoughts and creativity.
Purpose of a Blog Post
There could be various reasons to write a blog post – it could be to expand your business, DIY blogs, listicle blogs to rank brands or products, earn money, or personal reasons. All these reasons combine to form a similar purpose to connect an audience and boost traffic on your web page or website.
Blogging is one of the premier tools to engage people and for generating productive leads for your business. According to HubSpot research, companies that use blog posts can generate 67% more information than others.
Essentials of a Great Blog Post
A blog post is good if it contains these three ingredients:
- Relevance of the content.
- Interesting read.
- It makes your readers come back for more.
A good blog must succeed in keeping your audience hooked till the end. It should also create some curiosity so that your audience come back for more. A blog should help solve your audience’s problem – that’s why people are here! A blog should show your audience’s path and also the way out.
Step by Step Guide to Writing a Blog Post
Today blogs have become a part of our life. You can find analysis, information, instruction, how-to-do guides, and much more with just a click of a button. However, the content may or may not impress you.
Let’s start with the basics and graduate to write a perfect blog post.
Choose your Niche Carefully
The first step in writing a perfect blog is to select the right topic. Don’t choose any issue that you feel is making waves on the internet. Pick a topic that is in sync with your expertise or your skills. Unfamiliar topics will not add any content value. It will only increase woes on the internet already flooded with plagiarism and spun-up blogs.
Once you have settled with your niche, pick out keywords people are searching on the internet. Need help on that? Keywords are phrases and words that online search engines pick out to get you information. You can do effective keyword research on google analytics, www.Ubersuggest.com, and www.answerthepublic.com. These search engines will give you answers to what people need to know.
Five Pro Tips to Choose a Niche
- Tip # 1 – Choose a niche you are comfortable with
- Tip # 2 – Explore the competition value. Having a high competition niche will make things difficult. Having a low competition niche will yield inferior results. Choose a middle part to start.
- Tip # 3 – Analyze the monetary value of your niche. It will give you a fair idea of its worth.
- Tip # 4 – Consider your future intents and goals.
- Tip # 5 – Do a keyword search to know the trends.
Research your Topic
You know your niche, you know what people want to know, and you’ve found out the relevant keyword. Is writing a bog the next part? Not yet!
Have a clear understanding of what your target audience wants to know—research thoroughly about your chosen topic. Thorough research will narrow down your approach, and you can get into specifics of the subject.
Start with a pen and paper. Now make a list of ideas that you may think will work; it may be absurd but write it down. Now eliminate them one by one until there is a single idea – that’s your idea. Now write down all the subheads that you think must be covered from a reader’s perspective. Outline how you will deliver the concept.
Finally, look for similar top blogs and compare what’s new in your blog. Look for things that will be different and value addition. If you don’t find a single value addition, scrape off and start again from scratch.
A generic blog will not keep the audience hooked to your post, and they will run away. The audience is aware of the topic; give your audience the specifics.
To elaborate further, here is an example. A generic blog will be – ‘Top Ten Computer Courses.’ Do your research and get to the specifics that your audience wants to know; a specific topic will be – ‘Top Ten Computer Courses for Commerce Students with high-paying jobs.’
Five Pro Tips on how to Research a Topic
- Tip # 1 – Identify your target audience.
- Tip # 2 – Make a list of ideas and approach in a notebook.
- Tip # 3 – Be specific about your topic, get the facts
- Tip # 4 – Evaluate the importance of the content
- Tip # 5 – Look for facts and figures.
Customize your Blog
You have a domain; you have a host and a CMS. Not yet? Get one! If you intend to write a blog, you need a platform to publish your blogs. Creating your website is a good idea if you are serious about blogging.
Your blog page is the first thing people will look at before reading your post. Customize it with an appropriate theme that suits your intent. Have a logo designed, describe yourself on the about page, and leave contact information for people to reach out for your business and services.
Statistics show an excellent blog page created on templates is more successful. After all, the content matters, and so does the packaging!
Start with a Killer Title
A good headline matters! Look for some inspiration in popular magazines and learn how to carve beautiful yet relevant titles. The page title should have a reiteration of getting to the point; it must be specific and tell the readers where they are heading.
A title will give you a general idea about the blog, and it can divert into thousands of different directions. Headlines or the main heading will act as beacons to redirect traffic in a particular direction.
An example of a title is – ‘How to Write a Book Review.’ There can be hundreds of methods to write a book review, but it is not a fixed solution. How’s this –’A Standard Format to Write a Book Review.’
A good headline will comply with these three things:
- It will define what the blog is about.
- It will be SEO friendly.
- It will drive traffic to your site.
Five Pro Tips for Headlines:
- Tip # 1 – Breaking News Formula
E.g., Latest Hacks for Instagram Stories
- Tip # 2 – Listicle Title
E.g., 10 Computer Courses for High Paying Jobs
- Tip # 3 – Question Quotient Title
E.g., Are you in Pursuit of Money or Happiness? We will Get you Both!
- Tip # 4 – Oxymoron Header
E.g., How to Copy an Original Idea for your Story
- Tip # 5 – Evil Edge Title
E.g., Seven Sins that are Making you Fat.
Write a Captivating Introduction
Well begun means half done!
If you succeed in grabbing your reader’s attention in the introduction, you’ve hit the bull’s eye for sure. More than 50% of readers leave the page if they don’t like the intro. Catch hold of your readers with a joke, a story, or shocking statistics.
Keep your first sentence short, sweet, and crisp. Wriggle out some emotions to make people believe your story. You have a credit score; now kill it!
The intro must contain an outline of what is in the blog. Explain the 4 W’s; ‘Why this blog,’ ‘Where to start,’ ‘Which technique to follow,’ and ‘What works. These four facts will surely give your readers a reason to stay on your blog post.
Your intro needs to be persuasive to get your readers hooked. The opening must create a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) effect, which will intrigue your readers even when they want to rush through. An excellently crafted intro will give them a swaying instinct to return to the post for a second look.
Five Pro Tips for Opening
- Tip # 1 – Keep the first paragraph crisp and short.
- Tip # 2 – Use the emotional angle to woo readers.
- Tip # 3 – Create FOMO.
- Tip # 4 – Explain the 4W’s.
- Tip # 5 – Create an outline of your blog.
Shape up the Body
Like all traditional writing pieces, a blog also contains an intro, a body, and a conclusion. The body is the meat; it should be precise, crisp, and straightforward. Don’t write lengthy paragraphs. Keep it short and to the point.
Never use jargon, cliches, or any phrase that you have heard somewhere or read in print. Write in a simple language that all can understand. Using heavyweight words and complex sentences may fail to impress your readers.
Subheadings are equally important as your headline and intro. Creating subheads matters since more than 50% of readers scan through the subheads to gauge the content value. I do it myself! Lousy and misfit subheadings will lose your set killing ground.
Inserting images and statistics charts pays off well. Images add to the content credibility by 75%. Choose the right picture with a caption to support your words. Downloading images from the internet must not infringe copyright. Use your photos, and if you are downloading free images, mention the credits.
Infographics will also enhance the quality of your content. Data-driven content will strengthen your content authority. Use free online tools to improve the structure of your blog. These minor enhancements add value to your blog but never undermine the writing part.
Five Pro Tips to Shape the Blog Body
- Tip # 1 – Deliver the promise created in the intro.
- Tip # 2 – Include images and data-driven facts to prove your point.
- Tip # 3 – Create a conversational tone to make an impact.
- Tip # 4 – Explain with an example where ever possible.
- Tip # 5 – Creating negative stories to gain attention will create interest.
Wrap it up with a Conclusion
If you think the conclusion doesn’t matter, think again!
Most people will open the last page of the book and read that they decide to buy the book. The same people will scroll down, read the conclusion, and then choose to read the blog if they like the ending.
You can see the flag, but the final assault is waiting. Create a content list at the end, specifically for the plunging readers; let them know the content story.
Five Pro Tips to Conclude
- Tip # 1 – Label it – Conclusion
- Tip # 2 – Summarize your post
- Tip # 3 – End with a question for readers to leave a comment; it generates engagement and is more likely to pay off in sales.
- Tip # 4 – Don’t feel shy to ask for a social share
- Tip # 5 – If you can, why not promote a product.
Edit and Polish your Blog
The first draft will be a lousy first draft; you need to make it perfect by editing. All you need to do is blow away the dust and mud to make your document shine. Once your draft is ready, edit it once – maybe twice. Use force multipliers like Grammarly and Hemingway editor to check typos, spellcheck, and punctuation errors.
One of the tried and tested ways of sound editing is to let your draft rest overnight. Checking your draft after a gap of 10-12 hours will give you a good eye for detail and a fresh mind.
Even if you think you are all done, have a final look for any missed-out errors to create a stellar blog post. The Internet is a very unforgiving place for lousy writing full of mistakes. Do a plagiarism check; originality and creativity are your keys to deliver a successful blog.
Formatting is Essential
Your blog is ready, edited, and polished; now, make it web-friendly. It is one of the most critical steps before putting your writing on a digital platform.
Place your title and subtitles H1 – H4; beyond H4 is not recommended. Place your subheadings with care; never use H1 for any other subheading other than the blog’s title. Insert your keyword in the title.
Keywords have a significant place in the SEO ranking; place them with adequate care. Intelligently insert them without forceful insertion. Evaluate readability score, and it must be between 6.5 – 7.5. Don’t forget to add a meta description; it has its importance in SERP. Start your meta description with a verb (Discover, Learn, Let’s do, etc.)
Using tools and plugins will make your work easy. Fine-tune your blog with readable font, display features, and appearances.
Five Pro Tips to formatting
- Tip # 1 – Use your keyword at least once in H1, meta description, opening para, body, and conclusion.
- Tip # 2 – Use keyword density not less than 0.5% and not more than 0.7%
e.g., for a 1000-word blog, use the keywords at least five times but not more than seven times. - Tip # 3 – Use a single font and not more than two colors.
- Tip # 4 – Use tags but don’t have a mound of tags. Max 10 tags are sufficient.
- Tip # 5 – Insert a CTA at the end of the blog.
Promote Your Blog
Now that your work is complete and published don’t think the game’s over. Let people know that you are a serious blogger, it might look stupid, but self-promotion is oxygen for your work. People will read your blog if they know about it.
Try promulgating your blog on various platforms. Make some noise on Twitter, show it off on Facebook, and paste it on Instagram.
Tell your trusted friends and family to read it, share it, and comment. Try creating a chain; a well-researched and original blog will hit the mark.
Guest posting on various websites pays off well and makes it easy for people to find your blog. Good networking will help you connect with thousands of bloggers and readers.
Promotion is an ongoing process, be consistent and keep patience. Even if you fail immediately, keep patience and keep writing.
Five Pro Tips to promote your blog
- Tip # 1 – Share it on all social media platforms.
- Tip # 2 – Create a link on your website and other accounts.
- Tip # 3 – Take the help of friends and family.
- Tip # 4 – Create backlinks on discussion forums, PDF sharing sites, and Social book marketing sites.
- Tip # 5 – Link to established bloggers and seek their help and guidance.
Conclusion
Writing a blog post is just a minor part of the whole process. Remember, research and creating new ideas will take 80% of your time and effort.
The best way to do this is to come back to this page when starting a blog post. Do it from scratch step by step, as explained in this post. Ideas are fruits of creativity; nurture them! There will be moments when ideas don’t come at all; suddenly, there will be an explosion of ideas.
Final Pro Tip –
Always keep a pen and a notebook handy. Ideas don’t follow your life pattern; they often come at odd hours. Ideas can spring up at 2 am, in a gym while you are pulling weights, or under a cool shower. Don’t miss out on them or rely on your memory – note it down!
We hope these tips will help you deliver a killer blog post. Do you want to add some of the pro tips you follow while writing a blog post? We will be more than happy to know it from you, share it in the comments section.
