At Vivid Image, we get questions about writing blog posts all the time, because blogging is one of the easiest ways to refresh your website content. So here are some tips on how to get it done:
1. Get A Target
A good blog post has one (and only one) “big goal”. Sometimes a post, particularly a “list” post, like this one, has many small points, but they should all lead back to the big goal.
2. Write Less
Give maximum information with the fewest words. A longer post is easier to forget and less likely to be read in its entirety than a short post. KISS–Keep It Short & Simple.
3. Stay on Topic
Good posts anticipate questions and address them to make sense to your readers.
4. Have Personality
People like and remain loyal to blogs because they are written by people, not corporations. Make it your own by using relevant stories, offer opinions, and write “I” instead of “we”.
5. Unique
Be a thought leader, report relevant industry news and add your own insight; that’s a way to be successful.
6. Readable
Pay attention to writing structure makes it easy for readers to understand.
- Break long posts into sections with sub-headings.
- Bullets – structures the post in an easy to digest format.
- Make sentences and headlines short and to the point.
- Use pictures to make your posts more visually interesting and reinforce content.
7. Link to Others
Support your post with links to other blogs, articles or websites. Make your blog a valuable resource and give ways for readers to dig deeper, saving time and effort.
8. Be Intriguing
Make your headlines snappy. Clearly communicate the point of the post. That will compel visitors to read it all.
9. Keyword-Rich
Think about what keywords people would use to search for your post and include them in the body of the text and headers. Make sure the keyword placement is natural and does not seem out of place.
10. Edit Your Post
Good writing is in the editing. Before you hit the submit button, re-read your post and cut out what you don’t need. And don’t forget to spell-check. Double check words that spell-check won’t pick up, for example: from and form.
11. Define/Measure/Execute
Step 1: Define a “good” post – know your blog’s objectives and use concrete measurements. These may include the number of comments per post, the amount of traffic or page views, the number of links, RSS subscriptions, search rankings or other items.
Step 2: Learn how to achieve the goals/results you have defined with research. There a lot of valuable advice online focused on how to create quality blogs, write good posts, drive more traffic, etc.
Step 3: Use each of the characteristics listed in 1 – 10. Measure your results and adjust your goals as necessary.
That’s it. So now you know how to write a great post, with some content ideas to boot. If you are still looking for some help, contact VI today and we can give you the nudge in the right direction.
