Many beginning bloggers might wonder how to write a good blog post. While there is no perfect combination of elements that guarantees success, you can find very useful guidelines that point out the elements you must work on to write a post that will be very popular among your readers.
Yes, producing high-quality content every single week can be challenging, but once you get into things and find your niche, you will be able to release your creativity and deliver blog post after blog post. Some of these steps might not be useful to every single blogger because there are many types of readers out there. However, take as much as you can from this post because it will help you find the formula that will work for you as a writer. You will surely improve both your style and your productivity.
How to Write a Perfect Blog Post in 8 Easy Steps
No.1. Know your readers’ industries through 3 simple steps.
Think like your reader.
The first thing to do is put yourself in your readers’ shoes. You must get to know your readers, so pay close attention to the details. Start by analyzing the kinds of topics your blog covers; this will reveal your demographics. If you write articles for twenty-somethings who just finished college, think about the things you wanted to read when you were that age.
On the other hand, bloggers who write about tech or programming should create content that is interesting to people in that line of work. Consider writing texts which will help both beginners and intermediate programmers. This will create a bond between you and your readers, especially if they can sense that you are writing with passion and have useful advice for them.
Research your audience.
A little bit of research into your readers can go a long way, so don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to your audience. You can start by talking with the people in your circle of friends who read your blog. They can give you advice about the themes and subjects you should cover in the future. Then move on to the rest of your readership.
Having quick surveys and polls on your blog is very useful if you want to learn more about your readers. For instance, you can discover the average age of your audience, as well as their professions and interests. Expand the survey by adding more personalized questions about your blog. Ask your readers about their favorite posts or topics you wrote about in the past.
Once you know the background of your readership, you can more easily create quality content and gain followers who are interested in the same subjects. Your existing readers will continue reading your blog because you will probably have more posts that are targeted towards them.
Learn from others.
While copying other bloggers’ writing style and themes is a bad idea, you can always look for inspiration among people who write about the same niche. This can help you get more ideas for future posts and learn what made them successful. Spend some time reviewing similar blogs. You can learn a lot and improve your own blog. Find famous bloggers in your niche and visit their pages. Locate their most popular posts and try to determine what made them so interesting to their audience.
You can also contact some of these famous bloggers to partner with them. The blogging community is very friendly, so they will likely respond. If they agree to work with you, try guest posting, which is a great way to gain more readers for both of you. Always remember to stay original and have your own voice. Don’t copy successful bloggers; stay true to yourself.
No.2. Outline your blog post.
First things first – you must come up with an idea for your blog post. This will make outlining a lot easier because you will know the topic. It is useful to write down ideas as they pop into your head, so always carry a piece of paper or a notebook where you can jot down the topics you want to cover. An outline can give you a whole new perspective, so take some time to work on it.
Your texts must have a structure. This will make them more readable. You must be consistent and remain on topic. Do you remember the stories you wrote in your high school and college days? They consisted of an introduction, a middle, and a conclusion. Follow the same pattern with your blog posts. While your text might evolve as you write a post, add breaks to make the post easier to read.
Your introductions should give the reader a general idea of the post they are about to read. Interest them in what you have to say but keep it to the point. Just as the name says, the introduction should provide the right amount of information to make a reader continue with your text.
The main part should be the center of your article. The structure depends on the topic. You can write down the points and divide them into smaller sections. Then go through each point, write down more information, and see if the points are easy to follow. You want to convey your thoughts to the audience; keep them as readable as possible.
Finally, there is the conclusion. It shouldn’t be too long, so use just a couple of sentences. The conclusion should tie up the information from the article’s main part. Provide your readers with a brief overview of the topic you covered. Also think about writing a call to action, such as encouraging your audience to leave a comment or read another blog post on your page.
No.3. Your blog post must be useful and updated with new information.
Posts must be useful
Blogging has truly evolved throughout the years; nowadays, posts must be useful. This means you can’t publish just any text you write; you need some kind of strategy behind it. SEO revolutionized the world of blogging. It is only one aspect you must review if you want to write a post that will interest your existing readers and bring a new audience to your website.
Updating old blog posts
Updating old blog posts is a great way to ensure that your SEO is on point. For instance, check your blog history to see if you have any tutorials or how-to posts that might require your attention. Perhaps you discovered some new information that you want to add to your text. Don’t hesitate to rework this blog post, as how-to instructions are popular among readers.
Break down your paragraphs
Not every post requires brand-new information, but they could all use new formatting. Long blocks of text are difficult to read, so determine whether you can break down your paragraphs a bit better. Also check for syntax or grammar errors because these can be easily overlooked.
SEO is crucial for blogging
As previously mentioned, SEO is crucial for blogging. It helps your page rank better in search engines, so check your most popular articles. Do a bit of research and find the most useful keywords for your niche. Then edit a blog post and check the ranking again. If your post is visible, new visitors will arrive in the following months and years. Also, make sure the links in your old blog posts are working because they add to the SEO as well.
No.4. Writing a blog post.
Writing a blog post is not an easy task. You might spend days and weeks perfecting your text, no matter how quickly you type. Be prepared to sit down with yourself and your thoughts if you want to create a useful text that will interest your audience. While the planning process might seem a bit boring, it can help you create a quality post. Therefore, you shouldn’t skip it.
If you have already found your niche and know exactly what you want to write about, come up with a fresh topic for your post. Your topics should be the things you feel passionate about, as your readers will see when you lack enthusiasm or creativity. Then move on to the outline of your post. We have already mentioned that you must have a structure that will make your post readable.
Once you have that ready, sit down and do your research. Even if you are covering a topic that you are very familiar with, a bit of reading before you write can inspire you and teach you something new. Your facts should be true, so don’t trust just any source out there. Use credible websites.
With a personal blog, you have no set deadlines. Therefore, you can write an entire text in a day or a week. It’s all up to you. However, if you write continuously, your post will need less editing because the information will not be scattered. When you write regularly and get enough practice, the process will become easier, so you will work faster.
No.5. Edit/proofread your post.
Editing and proofreading are essential parts of every blogger’s life. While these tasks might seem boring and time-consuming, readers appreciate cohesive text without errors. Keep in mind that errors can happen to everyone. You might be in a hurry and typing fast, which can lead to misspellings. Therefore, reviewing your text as soon as you write it is a great idea.
Proofreading your posts
Proofreading is important because it gives you the ability to correct your grammar or syntax errors. You are sharing your thoughts and opinions with the world, and removing errors is a great way to make your blog professional and well-written. Go through your text at least twice to ensure it contains no mistakes.
Editing your posts
Editing is connected to the language of your blog. The language you use reflects your personality and background. If you are a professional, do not use bad words or slang. Your posts will be available to everyone, including your co-workers and bosses, so edit out unnecessary sentences. This will also help you connect with your readers, especially if you write texts for an adult audience.
Edit the structure
Your readers will not be into long blocks of text, so edit the structure as well. If your sentences might be confusing or incoherent, consider writing those parts from a new angle. This will improve the flow of your language and make the post readable for your audience. Your readers should understand what you are writing, so always keep them in mind.
No.6. Pick a catchy title.
Coming up with a catchy title is incredibly important. Headlines will grab your readers’ attention, so you must come up with something engaging and intriguing. Think about the last time you clicked on a link or an article; you will discover that you were probably intrigued by the title. While some people stick to plain headlines, others realize the potential that titles present. The right title can increase traffic to your blog and attract more readers.
How do you come up with a catchy title? First, don’t be afraid of adjectives. They will intensify the meaning of your title and interest the reader in what you are writing about. Second, describe what your readers will get from your text. If you are writing a post about skin care, include words like “tips” and “tricks.” Third, tell your readers that they will learn something new from your text. Give them a reason to click on the link and read your blog post.
Finally, title generators can help if you are not feeling inspired to brainstorm your own headline. Simply type a couple of words that describe your post and the generator will fill in the blanks, giving you a brand-new title.
Blog Title Generator Tool: https://seopressor.com/blog-title-generator/
No.7. Add visual media (image, video, infographic).
Visual content should be part of every post you publish because it adds a new dimension to your blog. Your texts might be exciting, but readers are always attracted to beautiful and professional images, videos, or infographics.
Images in your blog posts
Images are a great way to convey your message and make your posts more memorable. Plus, your readers will likely share a post with a gorgeous image at the top. Just scroll down your feed on Facebook and you will notice this pattern. Take your time to capture the perfect image that will complement the topic you are writing about.
Improve your blog posts with video
While videos might not be the first thing that comes to mind in terms of blogging, they are a great way to expand your visual identity. They can be shared on any platform, which is a huge advantage. You can make videos that will help your readers get to know you better or that explain a certain part of your post. This will give you more space to add information to parts of your text, and your readers will appreciate your effort.
Use infographics in your content
Infographics are perfect if you want to teach your readers a new skill or share interesting data. Most people are visual learners, and it’s easier for them to go through well-prepared infographics to learn more about a particular topic. Just make sure the infographics look professional and are easy to read. Don’t simply throw around facts without any order.
No.8. Optimize for on-page SEO.
Some new bloggers might feel overwhelmed by the possibilities that Search Engine Optimization presents, but the process is very simple. As soon as you write your blog post, go back and do the optimization. Prepare for this step before editing your text. Keywords should be your primary concern, so make sure you have a list. The keywords should fit into your text naturally, without disrupting the meaning of a sentence. You can’t scatter them randomly throughout the text because the search engine bots will pick this up and your SEO rating will go through the window.
Meta descriptions to boost your post SEO
In the past, meta descriptions were scanned by bots, but they don’t do this anymore. However, this doesn’t mean you should ignore them. A meta description gives your readers an overview of what to expect from a blog post. Meta descriptions should be brief – no longer than 160 characters. Capture the essence of your text and use verbs that issue a call to action.
Create a catchy page titles
Page titles are another way to introduce more keywords to your blog posts. The search engine bots will regard your blog title as a page title, and they will be scanned as well. While your blog titles should be catchy and descriptive, make sure they contain at least one keyword. Of course, keep it simple and place the keyword naturally into the title. This could lead to long titles, which is another mistake you might make. Your titles shouldn’t be longer than 65 characters; keep them short.
Use Properly Links and Anchor Texts
Links and anchor texts are also part of SEO. Search engines pay close attention to your choice of words, and they will analyze the keywords you used as your anchor text throughout your blog posts. It doesn’t matter whether a link leads to your own blog or to some outside source; everything will be cataloged. If you want a better ranking, link to reliable sources that will complement the anchor text you are using. If a website is credible, the rating will go up.
Good Length of Your Posts
The length of your posts can vary, but keep in mind that search engines prefer longer texts. Therefore, publishing anything under 300 words will not get you the ranking you want. On the other hand, your readers might not be into very long texts, so the best thing to do is find a middle ground. Keep your texts under 2000 words and limit the percentage of keywords. Don’t use them in every sentence, but make sure you use one or two keywords per every one hundred words.
Conclusion
Blogging might seem easy, but once you get into things, you will notice that it is real work that requires preparation. Of course, the main ingredient is your own creativity and drive to get your thoughts out there, but you must keep a close eye on other details that could lead to success.
While there is no single formula that can teach you how to make your blog successful, you can use these useful guidelines, which indicate the parts you must work on. For instance, your blog posts must be informative and have a structure. After all, your audience should enjoy reading your texts.
Also, blogging will become easier as time goes by and you establish a routine. Additionally, connecting with your readers can reveal new things to consider in the future. Don’t hesitate to start writing and share your texts with the world!
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