Running a business, especially right now, is more than a full-time job but can you really afford to miss out on blogging and the benefits it will bring to your brand? If you know you need to be writing but not sure where to start, I have put together this handy guide. Follow these eight simple steps to create a blog post; you’ll get the hang of it in no time I promise.
Choose a compelling topic
First and foremost, let’s start with the topic; what does your audience want to know? Do you have any frequently asked questions you would like to address? Killer questions will always be evergreen content. Planning ahead will also give you an overall view and encourage you to write more often. Need some more inspo? Check out my blog post; 8 Things to Write About When You’re Stuck for Ideas.
Create an intriguing headline
Now that you’ve got a working topic, let’s create the title which should be no longer than 70 characters. Think of the subject you’ve chosen and simply say what you mean – alliteration and rhymes do a great job of catching the eye.
Do your research
For many blog posts research is key to support what you’re writing about. Start by googling your title idea to see what information it finds and your blog post will start to take shape. It’s absolutely essential, however, that you don’t plagiarise copy – Google will penalise both you and the original author. Simply research, learn and summarise in your own words with the aim being to write totally organic copy.
Plan a blog post outline
Before you start writing, it helps to consider the direction you want your post to go. By creating a clear outline you’ll also keep your article structured, there’s nothing worse than reading rambling chatter. One other great tip is to break down your post, I personally like to pin-point five main talking points. Sandwich these between an enticing start with a summary to end and you’ll build your blog post on strong foundations.
Craft an irresistible intro and start writing
It’s all very well capturing readers by writing a brilliant headline, you now need to keep them intrigued so they carry on reading and you have around 3 seconds to make a first impression. A fantastic introduction explains the goal of your post and what readers can expect to learn by taking it in. This is just a few words at the top of your post and is always worth thinking about. Once you have nailed your intro, you can start writing your post, keeping sentences short and any paragraphs sweet. Individual subheadings will also aid with scan-reading and will make your post easier to understand.
Bring it together with a firm conclusion
By writing a powerful ending, you’ll inspire your readers to take action with whatever you are blogging about. Take the time to summarise your main points, circling back through the post to remind readers how following your advice could benefit them. Not only will they gain better satisfaction from what they’ve just read, but it’ll also motivate them to interact with you on social media. You’ve come this far don’t leave them hanging now, craft a strong call to action and you’re on to a winner.
High-quality images will enhance your posts
As humans, we are visually-driven and can process pictures far quicker than words. Add in some high-quality images and you’ll break up the text with a dash of your brand’s personality included.
Edit and proofread before you share
Once your blog post is written, it’s time to edit, especially things like spelling and grammar. Does your article additionally flow or does it sound too stiff? Think of it like a chat with friends. Time is also scarce so avoid repetition and double-check any statistics if mentioned. Once you have edited and re-read you are ready to share before doing this all over again next week – woohoo!
No time to write? You need to speak to a freelance copywriter! As someone who routinely writes posts, I would love to help out – why not get in touch with me to discuss blog writing? Thanks for reading – H. x
How to Write a Killer Blog Post
