Blogs have always been a popular form of sharing information on the web, but with the rise of social media and websites like YouTube and Pinterest, it may seem as though blog writing has taken a back seat to this new form of web influencing. However, blogging was the second most popular form of media used within content strategy in 2021, so prioritizing a quality blog is more relevant now than ever. Read on to hear our tricks on how to keep your blog posts top notch.
#1 Draw in your Audience
Most forms of media have some sort of “hook” to draw viewers in, whether that’s a mysterious title, intriguing first chapter of a book, an inspiring movie trailer, or a catchy slogan. This concept still applies with blog writing, and the best way to do this is through your title and header image.
Your blog title should be catchy and informative. Your featured image is also important because it is likely the first thing a reader sees when they click to read the blog. It is also the image that is seen around your website and shared on social media, so the image should be of high quality and able to draw in your audience.
#2 Make your Blog Easily Scannable
Your blogs need to be in a format that a reader can easily scroll through and understand the most important points or key aspects of your post. Easy ways to do this include using:
- Headings and subheadings
- Paragraph breaks
- Bullet points / lists
- Bold / colored text
Organizing your content into sections that flow together well and are supported by informative headings is a great start to getting your main points across quickly. The headings should act as a roadmap that lead your reader from your first point to your conclusion. They let the reader know what is most important.
Breaking up the text into smaller paragraphs also makes it easier for your reader to scan the information without getting lost or turned off by having to read large chunks of text. You can also use bullet points or numbered lists to give your readers’ eyes a break. One final way to grab your reader’s attention, especially on something that isn’t worthy of its own entire section or heading, is to use bold, italics, or colored text to emphasize a sentence or word.
#3 Readability is also Important
Now, it is important that your blog post is easy to understand just by scanning it, but you also need to make sure that the rest of the content is also easily comprehensible. This can be achieved by focusing on two things: your voice and language.
While many of us may have gained experience in scholarly writing through our education, writing a blog has a completely different style, and it should be unique to you! This is where your voice comes in … your writing voice, that is. You want to write a blog post as if you were speaking to someone. Your word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure should have its own style and present itself as your own writing voice. Making this conscious effort to develop your voice helps readers feel a more genuine connection to your writing and ideas. When you create your own style, readers will want to keep reading and find it more engaging.
Remember also: you’re the expert. Don’t assume your audience has the same knowledge/skillset as you. Most likely, they’re hoping to learn something from your blog, so write it with the mindset that anyone could read it and understand it. Write for the world. This is best achieved by keeping your language unbiased and accessible. Developing your voice and focusing on language choice go hand in hand, and mastering them both will take your blog posts to the next level.
#4 Always Include Visuals
We already talked about the importance of a good header image, but how about other visuals throughout the post? This is absolutely a creative choice that can step up your blog. High quality images that help tell the story are not only visually appealing because they break up the text a bit, but they can also be helpful in supporting your ideas. If you’re worried about image royalties, Openverse or Unsplash can be good places to start looking for beautiful images.
Other forms of visual aid that can help a blog stand out are GIFs, videos, and infographics.
Bonus tip! Do you have a blog topic that would be better portrayed through data than creative wordsmithing? Consider replacing your normal blog post with an infographic, and use charts, images, and colors to display the information instead. Not only is this a nice change from the normal blog style, but it is easily shareable on social media.
#5 Post with Consistency
Consistent blog posts are important for multiple reasons. First, the more you write and post, the more developed your writing style will become. Regular posting also boosts your website’s organic traffic.
That being said, quality is still always preferred over quantity. So, if you’re going to be posting so often that you can’t reach that sweet spot of about 1,000 words per blog, or your blogs begin to lack the quality content necessary to engage audiences, you might want to reassess. Create a plan that allows you to make consistent blog posts that are both beneficial and top-notch quality, and stick to it.
#6 Write with Passion
The best way to make sure your blog is engaging and worthy of a reader’s attention is to write with passion. Choose blog topics that you’re interested in and knowledgeable of, or at least something that you want to learn more about. Not only will this make it easier to write, but it also comes across as more genuine when you’re writing about a topic that is truly important to you. Speaking of making writing easier on yourself, don’t write when you’re stuck in a creativity rut. You can’t produce your best work when your mind is blocked, so take a break if you need to and return when the creative juices are flowing again.
We hope these tips will help you have confidence in your blog posts. However, we know that blogs take time and that not everyone considers themselves a great writer, so if you need help with taking your blog to the next level, please do contact us! We’d be happy to help get your blog started and/or develop a strategy that suits your needs.