Did you know that there are four (4) things that EVERY great blog post has? Well, you’re about to find out! Before we get started though, if you are still wondering WHY you should be creating content for your business, you should check out my post from a couple weeks ago that will explain exactly why you must be creating content in the digital age we live in!
Do that now, then come back here!
Discover why you must be creating content in the digital age!
Click on the link above and the blog post will open in a new tab/window. See you back here in a couple minutes!
Ok, now that you are 100% certain about why you must be creating content, we can talk about how to write a great blog post!
Let’s jump in!
1. A Subject Line That Hooks the Reader
Much like in e-mail marketing, your blog will thrive or dive based on the subject lines you use. Not only is the subject line important to catch a reader’s attention, it’s also extremely important for Search Enging Optimization (SEO).
- Use numbers, similarly to the subject of this post.
- Use Google Keyword Tool to find commonly used search phrases relevant to your topic and use the phrase in your subject line.
- Make your target reader say: Wow, What, Who, Why, How, or Hmm.
- Keep it simple.
2. Visual Appeal: Image & Formatting
This is probably one of the most important and over-looked components of blogs. I can’t tell you how often I see a blog that is so visually unappealing that I can’t close the browser window fast enough. There are many factors to the visual component of any given blog.
- Use an image that’s relevant and adds value to the topic of your blog post.
- Use a style of formatting that makes the blog easy to consume.
- Use colors on your blog that make your content easy to read and make your site feel welcoming
3. Valuable Content
If you are writing blog posts and you’re with holding information because you are afraid of giving away too much, then you are wasting your time. In order for your blog to be effective and generate ANY revenue for you, you MUST add massive value to the reader.
We’ve all read a blog post that added no value to our lives and we thought to ourselves, “Man, I wish I got 2 minutes of my life back!” So, don’t leave any room for your readers to say that about you!
Again, if you still feel hesitant to publish your best content for free, you need to re-read my post on WHY you MUST be producing content in our digital world. Click here to view the post, “Why is Content King?” in a new tab/window.
- Write your own high-value content based on your growing knowledge and expertise.
- Build relationships with experts in your industry and ask them to write a post for your blog. (Aka: Guest Blogging)
- Synthesize or curate high-value content published by other people in your industry
4. Call To Action
If you are doing steps one through three and you aren’t implementing a call to action at the end of your posts, you are leaving money on the table. Many people are scared to ask people to buy their products or sign up for their program, but, in reality, you are doing your readers — AND you — a huge disservice by not making an offer to them.
Think about it. If you are reading a blog post that’s really resonating with you and you want more information on the topic, but the person who wrote the blog post doesn’t offer you the opportunity for more information, what do you do?
You leave that blog post and go find someone else that has more information on that topic.
By not making an offer to your readers you are LITERALLY sending business to your competitors and missing out on potential income! An effective and tasteful call to action at the end of your blog post is a win-win situation. Your reader gets access to more information and you make a sale.
- Make a smooth transition and explain how it’s relevant to the topic of the post.
- Keep it short and simple.
- Explicitly tell your reader what you want them to do!
- Tell them what the next step to take and what it looks like
Taking it one step further
One question to ask yourself when creating a blog post is: “How does this fit into my overall content marketing strategy?” The key to establishing an effective blog is developing a well-thought-out strategy that encompasses a series of posts.
Your blog posts should be optimized in a way that they work together to achieve your big-picture objectives.
Content is a very important component to your marketing efforts, however there’s a lot of work that needs to be done before you start writing blog posts.
For more information on what you need to do before you start writing a single word, check out my blog post on creating a strategic marketing plan: Introduction to the Strategic Marketing Compass
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