The Studio 4 have been writing blog posts for over 10 years. Back in 2016 we wrote ‘The Importance of Blogging’. Which covered topics such as:
- Repurposing content
- Establishing expertise
- Google rankings
- Blog context
Over the last 8 years and with the emergence of Ai, blog posting has changed a lot but many of the core principles remain the same.
In the world of blogging, and more specifically marketing, learning how to write a blog post is a fine line between educating and entertaining your audience while also providing Google the keywords it needs in order to reach your target audience by ranking on search engine results pages.
On-top of this you’re also competing with other blogs online that are covering the same topics as you, which leads into our first point:
1.Research your competitors
Before diving into your topic, spend some time searching on google for blogs titles that either have the same title as you or search for phrases you’d expect your blog to show up on.
In this example I searched for ‘how to write a blog’, ‘how to write a great blog’, ‘how to rank high for a blog’. By searching around you may begin to find patterns in top ranking blog content, it may even inspire you to think of more blog post ideas/titles.
While searching for these phrases, look at the first 3-5 blogs and get a general idea of the length, keywords and writing style of these blogs.
By spending the time to familiarise yourself on what you’re competing with it will give you an idea on what makes a good blog post into a great blog post.
2.What is your goal?
Blog posts can vary greatly depending on their topic, some tell stories, some share experiences and others use their expertise to educate.
Ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish by creating the blog post as well as why users should read your blog post? Is there a product you’re trying to sell? Why would your readers need your product over others in the market?
Laying out a framework for the blog you’re about to write will make the writing process a whole lot easier. A proper plan stops poor performance! But don’t plan forever, sometimes you just need to start writing and then develop as you go.
3. Make navigating easy
A lot of readers will often skim blogs on their first visit to decide whether the topic, headings and content is appealing to them.
Depending on the topic, users may see a large amount of text and be turned away from reading any of your blogs.
By splitting paragraphs into smaller sections, it can make a longer blog a lot easier to read.
On top of this by splitting your blog topics into headings your users can quickly decide if they’re interested in reading your blog.
Personally I’m guilty of skipping down a blog, reading a section half way down that I’m interested in, then starting back from the beginning to get the rest of the context leading up to it!
4. Internal/External Linking
When crafting your blog posts, integrating links is crucial for enhancing user experience and optimising your content for search engines.
When linking within your blog pages, make sure the anchor text (the clickable text of the link) is relevant to the page you’re directing users to. Additionally, linking to reputable sources or relevant internal pages can provide additional context or resources for your readers.
By incorporating links, you not only offer valuable information but also contribute to the credibility and authority of your own content. This not only encourages readers to explore more of your site but also improves your site’s visibility and ranking in search engine results pages, ultimately driving more traffic to your blog.
5. The final touches
There are a few steps to follow at the end of any blog writing that will help you to get an edge over those who haven’t took advantage of:
- Add in bullet points where possible (Yes, I made my first bullet point about bullet points!)
- Add alt text to any images
- Consider a call to action at the end of your post
- Read your posts and smooth out any sections that readers may slow down on
When considering using a call to action, it’s best to use them sparingly. It’s much more beneficial to establish yourself as an expert in your field by giving free unsolicited advice than it is to get a quick sale. However if you’ve got a new product you’re excited to share with your audience, don’t be afraid to lead your readers to it!
The Studio 4 write blogs for a multitude of companies and brands, to find out more about our services, please visit: https://thestudio4.co.uk/