When starting a blog, you’re going to spend enormous time writing content. Through your content you’ll be able to connect with your readers, and build your brand over time. However, it’s important you know how to write content which is engaging, and different compared to your competition. I’m surprised at the amount of content I’ve read which is boring and provides NO substance. Writing exceptional content is something I feel can be taught over time if you pay close attention to the fundamentals. We are very lucky we live in a time where so many resources are available so we can learn from authority bloggers.
I’ve decided to write a post discussing the fundamentals of a powerful blog posts. If you can start implementing these elements into your content, then you’ll be able to engage, and increase your brand awareness. You’ll also have a higher chance meeting your bottom line which is product sales through conversions…right?
Let’s jump right into the content, and look at the powerful blog post elements. Your feedback will be appreciated so please let me know what you think in the content box. Each of you will have your own opinion which is why your feedback is encouraged.
Always Do Research
In order for you to write a blog post which resonates with readers, you have to be able to provide them with substance and value. You have to make sure you have knowledge on the topic which comes from your previous experience or conducting research before starting to write. In order for myself to write epic posts, I’ll always spend 3-4 days researching the topic finding what’s changed and even the keywords I’m going to use in my content. Having a handful of keywords will allow me to stay focused when writing, and maybe even use some of them as sub-headings. Keep in mind, keywords are an essential SEO optimization strategy too. So, where do I go to research my topic:
If you have read my previous posts then you know there are a few awesome places I like to target. First, I’ll visit the topic blogs I read in my niche. If they are authority bloggers then they’ll be up to date with the trends, and even provide insight on the topic. Some of them have probably written on the same topic so I’ll be able to find information, but elaborate when I’m completing my content.
Secondly, niche relevant forums are a great place to find trending topics or even information on the topic itself. Paste the question within the forum, and find out what others have written on the topic. You can gather all the responses then elaborate on them when you are creating your own content. The fact they have been talked about in forums means they are popular, and will resonate with your readership.
Google Search is the final research method I use, and it’s one of the best ways to find information on my topic. Google knows how to organize information so you’ll be able to find the MOST important research and trends by doing a simple search. Make sure you try different types of search commands so you end up finding the value you are looking for.
Once you have done your research, you can start writing content incorporating with a clean design and layout.
Design & Layout
One of the best ways to get people involved in your content is by making sure the design and layout of your site creates a platform of visible content. Think about how many times you have visited a website looking for information, and left because the layout was cluttered making it hard for you to read the post. That’s why writing content with a focus on design is very important since it increases user time on your page.
When publishing your content, you want to pay close attention to some very important key elements so your reader can skim through, and resonate with the content. First, make sure you spread out the sentences, and paragraph giving each of them the necessary gap. Secondly, you want to make sure NOT to have too many large paragraphs. I encourage all of you to keep your sentences no more than 4-5 sentences long. Third, always use sub-headings because it divides up the content by section, and gives your readers a way to skim to the section they actually want to read. I’ve learned,
Simplistic design and layout which is easy to read is the best approach. Remember, your main objective is to grow your blog and this will happen through content engagement. However, if you have a layout which is cluttered then you’ll have a hard time engaging your readers through content writing. Slow engagement means slow growth.
Include Images or Graphics
The web has connected people from all over the world, and it’s important you create content everyone can share. For example, you’ve probably noticed many websites have an option for the visitor to select the local language. This is popular because you might have someone visiting whose first language isn’t English. It’s important you find creative ways to get your value across which is why images and other graphics are becoming more important. Let’s explore this a bit more…
Graphics help illustrate your point better, and quickly at the same time. This is one reason why infographics have grown in popularity over the last several months. Infographics or general images embedded into your content will allow you to illustrate your value quickly, and to those who don’t read English very well. Next, creating such images are very cheap with the abundance of tools available online. If you do a quick infographic tool search, you find a handful of affordable online creation tools which are very cheap. If you want to create epic content, then it’s important your able to resonate with everyone who arrives on your website.
- Use infographics
- Add images
- Make them interactive
- Make them to the point
- Allow people to share them quickly
Do a quick search in Google, and you’ll be able to find popular image tools you can get started with.
Social Media Connection
Epic content is always sharable, and has been tweaked so it can be viewed on certain platforms without any problems. Recently I believe Google started to adapt social signals as part of their ranking strategy which is a blessing for those who create awesome content. By allowing others to share your content on popular social platforms, you are increasing the likelihood of ranking above others for the same keywords. However, when connecting your content to social media, you want to pay close attention to a few very important things.
First, only sign up for popular social networks because you’ll be splitting traffic between 5-10 networks, some of which, have no engagement at all. Secondly, make use of the plugins if you are using WordPress as your blogging platforms. WordPress has so many awesome plugins which will easily place the buttons in the MOST optimized places. Third, only share the best piece of content so people know you always provide value. I have been part of so many social profiles who have only “1†piece of awesome content, but then fail to keep users engaged.
- Join the best social media networks
- Share the best content only
- Follow people to have people follow you
- Research social media strategies to improve social marketing
Call to Action
Epic pieces of content always have a solid call-to-action because they know people need guidance. You have to keep in mind many of your readers are new to your niche so are looking for value, and direction. This is why it’s important to have a clear call-to-action within or towards the end of your content. For example, whenever I complete my content I’ll always have a final thoughts section where I summarize what I’ve written and encourage people to take action. I’ll even provide them with some cool steps they can take right now to get started, and implement the tips I’ve just discussed. By having people follow through on your call-to-action, you are building a certain level of respect and trust which will help increase your engagement going forward. Implementing call-to-actions are NOT hard because all you have to do is the following:
Summarize your content, and show them how to implement the strategies you discussed within. Next, you can ask them for their email address so you can send them a checklist of things to do. It’s a cool way to increase your email subscribers at the same time. Third, tell them to read through your content again and create a to-do list on their own. This helps because others have a different way of learning so a list create by themselves will work well.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know the fundamentals of a popular and epic blog post, it’s important you start applying them going forward. If you don’t have the foundation setup, then you can start by creating your next topic. Search in forums for common questions being asked so you know where to target your keyword research. Head over to the places I’ve mentioned above to find the right keywords for your content. This will help guide your content writing, and streamline your creation process. Next,
You can start to write your content, but keep in mind #2 which is design and layout. It’s important you view your blog design and make the necessary changes. For example, if your content seems cluttered or the layout is to compressed, then make some tweaks. Space out the paragraphs, remove unnecessary boxes and reduce the size of each paragraph. Next, you want to incorporate some social media into your website by setting up the right plugins, however remember what I said about focusing ONLY on the popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Google+. All of these are good enough to increase traffic, and engagement quickly. Each one will ensure you get your high quality content in front of the right people which generates traffic and brand awareness. Now that you know the fundamentals, it’s time to follow this strategy to implement everything discussed.
First, start by reading over this content making notes of the important strategies. This will ensure you have everything you need in point form. Secondly, take a look at your blog and make tweaks where necessary like layout, boxes and compressed content. You can start doing this while you write your content so your blog is ready for when you hit publish.
You need to track what works so make sure you have a tool in place like Google Analytics. This tool is free and provides a lot of information about engagement. You want to track until you find what changes are working for you and help you meet your bottom line. For example, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you trying to increase traffic?
- Are you trying to sell a product?
- Are you trying to grow acquisition?
- Are you growing user retention?
Clearly state your objective, then make sure the changes help achieved those after implementing your strategies.