Producing blog posts is a sure-fire way to connect with consumers and provide them with much-needed information, like FAQs or product guides. But writing posts that cut through requires an understanding of what consumers are searching for and an awareness of what makes a good story. The Good Marketer’s senior content manager Tess Luke shares some tips for improving this process.
What is a blog post, and why are they important?
A blog is an online journal where a group, individual or corporation discusses thoughts, beliefs, activities or records. There is a range of different blog styles you can choose from, and each will fit the context of your story: interview, how-to, listicle, news article, review, image-based or a more personal blog. Blogging is more important than ever when establishing yourself or your company online. Blogging is a great way to grow your online presence and help build your site’s authority over some time.
Many businesses use their blog spaces to post on relevant topics, conversational pieces, inspirational content and more. Here is where you could build on your relationships with your audience and inform them about your business.
SEO opportunities with blog posts
Blogs are more than just hubs of information, though. Blogs are also a great tool to enhance your SEO. Any SEO agency in London will understand the core benefits of optimizing your content for your business in more depth. However, we can quickly see that an optimal solution to increasing the visibility of your website in organic search results is through blog posts. Ensuring your site is a trusted resource is vital in building credibility. It is super important to take the time to create content that search engines can find.
Seven tips to remember when writing your blog post
It’s time to start writing your blog posts. You’ve thought about everything from structure to the storyline and word count, and you’re ready to start typing away. Keep in mind the following tips when constructing your next blog post. It could be the post that takes your site to the next level and reach a new audience.
Grammar
First up, grammar. Before writing any blog post, you should understand your target audience well enough to know the correct tone of voice. We can all likely relate to the frustration of incorrect or lousy grammar when reading. Take the time to thoroughly read through each part and don’t rush the process; it is always quality over quantity.
Backlinks to your website
When writing blogs, you should always use every opportunity to link the readers to other parts of your website. For example, if you discuss pink tops and sell them, you would connect them to that page. You should be wary of how much you do this, as sometimes it can become overbearing for the readers if you constantly try to push them off the page. Lightly sprinkle these links where appropriate to get the best results.
CTAs
A call to action (CTA) is a term that asks your readers or customers to do something. For example, ‘shop now.’ CTAs use direct response copywriting principles and help push your customers in the direction you want them to take. In blogs, this would look like the following:
- Like what you see? Head over to this page…
- Want to learn more?
- Leave a comment
- Subscribe to our newsletter
Keep it conversational
Avoid your readers becoming bored, and keep your article conversational. Write in ways that make them ask questions along the way or take them into more profound thought surrounding the topic. If this tends to happen when they’re reading your articles, they will indeed become a frequent reader – which ultimately is the goal.
Researching trending keywords
Keywords play a vital role in positioning your page in a Google search. Beginning your blog journey with keyword research will help you achieve this goal. It is also a great way to determine whether your topic is relevant. You don’t necessarily want to create content that a small group of people is searching for, as this will not boost your ranking or reach a wider audience.
Remove all unnecessary filler
Going back to keeping it conversational, you want to avoid writing statements to create a longer blog. Your readers will soon disconnect with the piece if they feel they are being fed information that isn’t relevant, or perhaps it is taking too long to get to the overall point. Stick to the news that matters and remove any filler that isn’t needed.
Proofread
Last but not least, proofread. And then proofread it again. Rereading your work and proofreading it all is a must. Take a break, return to the content a little while later, or maybe even sleep on it. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference.
Conclusion
Everyone’s writing style varies; what works for you might not work for someone else. However, keeping the above tips in mind will positively improve your writing skills for the next blog post. Think SEO, credibility and building your online presence as the overall goal when creating your content.
Feature Image Credit: Bram Naus via Unsplash