Numerous tutorials are available to teach you the art of writing a blog post.
They can provide you with knowledge about blogging mechanics, including do’s and don’ts.
By going through them, you can acquire the knowledge on how to create a blog post that is functional and adequate. Who knows, you may even compose something that garners you a couple of adoring fans.
However, if you have grander aspirations and desire to learn how to craft an impactful blog post that stands out from the masses and attracts a dedicated following, a generic tutorial will not suffice.
An ultimate guide is necessary for you.
In this article, we will reveal the secrets employed by expert freelance writers to produce captivating posts that are greatly admired by a large audience. By following this comprehensive guide, you will acquire the skills needed to create irresistible headlines, engaging introductions, informative advice, and inspiring conclusions.
Once you have completed writing your posts, you will also gain insight into how professionals improve and perfect their work.
Many bloggers would be willing to pay actual money to learn these secrets, but it will not require any payment from you, just a few minutes of your time.
1. Write The Blog Post Title First
Writing the title before creating a blog post allows you to have a clear objective in mind. The title should accurately reflect the content of the blog post, ensuring that readers receive precisely what was promised. This approach helps you determine the specific information that needs to be included in the blog post.
To create an effective headline, adhere to these guidelines.
Headline Rule #1. Pick a Mouth-Watering Topic
Do you want your blog post to be opened?
Your headline should guarantee readers the precise solution to their nighttime troubles or worries.
To avoid deceiving readers, your headline should not promise an extravagant journey like a trip to the moon and back. Readers are too intelligent to fall for such tricks. Instead, focus on a specific and precise benefit. By doing so, readers will feel motivated to click on the headline, seeking the solution to their problem.
How can you determine the concerns of your readers? How can you determine which among your numerous blog post ideas (we understand, you have many) should be pursued?
Conducting investigations:
- Review comments on your posts and on posts of other sites in your niche.
- Send your subscribers surveys asking them what their greatest struggles are.
- Use tools like BuzzSumo to find out what the most popular posts in your niche are (which gives insight into your target readers’ needs).
- Read the reviews of books in your niche on Amazon (you’ll find a gold mine of feedback to explore).
Your sole obligation as a blogger is to cater to your audience. The more you understand them, the more effectively you can meet their needs.
In no time, you will develop such a deep understanding of them that they will appear as if you can anticipate their thoughts, resulting in headlines that capture this connection accurately.
Example:
Imagine that you are in the self-improvement field and you have come up with the following headline:
Tips for Achieving an Extraordinary Life
The scope of this headline is too wide to capture readers’ attention effectively. “Wanting to create an amazing life” is not a cause for losing sleep; it is the specific areas in their lives that have left them unfulfilled that keep them awake at night.
It would be more advantageous to focus on something specific that is bothering your readers, like:
How to fearlessly chase your dreams despite feeling scared and insecure
Readers feel like you possess the answers they are seeking when you focus on a specific aspect.
Headline Rule #2. Steal from the Pros
After conducting thorough research, you have a clear understanding of your readers’ requirements. The next step is to transform your chosen topic into an attention-grabbing headline.
What is the simplest approach to become proficient in the skill of crafting headlines?
Take something without permission.
In a manner that is smart and efficient, rather than unethical.
Why should we disregard years of copywriting and advertising research that has identified successful headline types? These headline types effectively grab readers’ attention, pulling them out of their information overload and motivating them to click.
If you desire your headlines to captivate readers, remain with successful strategies.
Your headlines do not have to resemble those from BuzzFeed; instead, they can convey your unique voice and style.
While your writing skills haven’t reached the level of Jon Morrow’s yet, you can rely on the proven templates as your guide (consider how he acquired such excellence in writing headlines).
If you already have templates readily available, why not use them since blogging is already challenging?
Which templates are the simplest to begin with? “How to” headlines and list post headlines. These are timeless and effective formats. In fact, 75% of Smart Blogger’s top-performing posts employ these structures.
Examples:
These are various Smart Blogger headlines that adhere to the formats of “how to” and list post templates.
Headlines for Learning “How to”:
- How to Start a Blog: Easy, Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
- How to Make Money Writing: 5 Ways to Get Paid to Write in 2023
- How to Make Money Blogging (Free Guide for 2023)
Headlines for List Posts:
- 21 Dumb Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your First E-book
- The 5 Best Free Blogging Platforms in 2023 (100% Unbiased)
- Writer’s Block: 27 Ways to Overcome It Forever
- 8 Best Free WordPress Themes of 2023 (Chosen by Experts)
- 12 Blogging Tips for Beginners (+ Lots of Free Resources)
- 4 Best Gifts for Writers: Ideas to Fit Any Budget (Even Yours)
2. Write All The Subtitles Next
After completing step 1, which involves writing the blog post title, there might be an inclination to immediately proceed to crafting the content. Nevertheless, rather than diving into the content directly, it is recommended to initially create subtitles for every section that will be addressed in the blog.
Once you have written the subtitles, you will have a clear structure for your blog post content and a guideline for the information to include. Review the completed subtitles to ensure they align with the promised content mentioned in the title.
For instance, in the case of the title “5 Marketing Tips for B2B Technology Startups,” potential subtitles might include:
- Develop a functional website
- Create a marketing plan
- Establish buyer personas
- Start a company blog
- Pick social media channels selectively
The purpose of subtitles is to provide a concise overview of each section. This ensures that readers who only glance at the title and subtitles can still grasp the main content of your blog post. Additionally, subtitles enable readers to quickly scan the post and identify sections that pique their interest, particularly when they have limited time or attention. Without clear subtitles, readers are uncertain of what to expect and may opt to skip the entire section altogether.
3. Fill in the Content for Each Subtitle
Once you have the blog post title and subtitles established, the writing process for the blog becomes effortless. Begin each section or subtitle by providing an introduction to clarify its purpose or significance before delving into further details. Additionally, incorporate relevant information or ideas within the content whenever feasible.
- Images, diagrams or screenshots
- References to stats or facts and the source
- Internal links to other blog posts
- External links to relevant resources
In order to maintain readability of the blog, limit the content under each subtitle to 1 to 4 paragraphs with 3 to 6 sentences per paragraph. When adding content for each subtitle, make sure it aligns with the promised details of the subtitle.
4. Write an Introduction
The completion of this step marks the end of the main content of the blog post. Before moving on to the first section, we still need to compose an introduction that effectively communicates the importance of the topic to encourage readers to continue reading. A simple approach to crafting the introduction is by providing a summary of the significance, benefits, or consequences of the subject matter.
In the introduction of our blog post titled “5 Marketing Tips for B2B Technology Startups”, we can highlight various aspects. These may encompass the significance of marketing, particularly for B2B tech startups, as well as the typical marketing obstacles that our tips aim to conquer.
Several websites provide excellent stock photos for free.
5. Include a Call-to-Action
By the time the reader reaches the end of your blog post, they have interacted with all the content and are likely willing to explore more of your content and connect with you.
One can effectively capture leads by including suitable calls to action at the bottom of a blog post.
- Banner ad to a white paper that’s related to your blog post
- Link to a monthly newsletter sign-up
- Social media follow or like
6. Add A Blog Post Image
Including images in blog posts can enhance the appeal and improve the chances of readers continuing to engage with your article; the image does not necessarily have to be a direct representation of the blog post, but should be reasonably correlated.
An alternative picture for a blog post titled “8 Steps to Building a Successful Marketing Strategy” does not necessarily have to be a document; it can be an office, a trophy, or even a pen and journal.
