12 Elements of Engaging Blog Posts
We all have a personal style for writing blog posts. Some people like to interject their personality in every article, while others prefer the straightforward “how-to model and don’t worry about being likeable.
No matter how you write an article, it’s vital that you include a number of important elements. This engages readers, which ultimately helps you build a loyal audience.
Here are 12 elements that should be included in most blog posts:
1.Compelling Headline:
Craft a great headline that commands attention. The best way to create a compelling title is to use proven formulas that are used by other bloggers.
2.Hook Statement:
Start the article by describing a painful problem related to the topic. Use this to grab people’s attention and get them to read the rest of the content. The goal of a hook is to “sell the value” of a post. It should help the reader identify a problem they experience and give them a valid reason to keep reading.
3.Begin With Short paragraphs:
Limit the number of words in your first few paragraphs. Actually put each of the first 4 lines on a separate paragraph. Yes, this breaks a few grammar rules, but it gets people to read the rest of the content.
4.Right Adjust An Image:
Include an image to the right that matches the theme of the article. This forces readers to go “below the fold” and check the rest of the content. Ultimately this increase the time people spend on your site.
5.Promise A Solution:
Follow the hook with an offer to help fix the problem. Evoke emotions with your copy and talk (explicit detail) about what it’s like to experience this problem. Then finish this section that will be presented in detail in the bulk of the article.
6.Provide A Solution:
This will be the biggest part of the content. Here you’ll describe a detailed solution to the problem. You can provide a numbered list of content, or you can talk about a step by step strategy. The key point is to fulfill the promise you made to your readers.
7.Make It Easy To Scan:
Don’t write a blog post like it’s a research paper. Instead, make it easy to scan. Here are a few ways to do this:
--Limit each paragraph to a few sentences
--Use headlines that provide an overview of the content
--Include bolded statements and large quotes
--Add bullet points to break text apart
Include all of these elements and you’ll have an article that’s easy to follow.
8.Include Quotes:
You want readers to share your content. This helps you build and audience and get more followers. The best way to encourage this action is to include a compelling quote or an inspiring catchphrase. Look closely at your article. Think of an important lesson that readers will learn and turn it into a bite-sized message. Spend a few minutes on this phrase—you want people to feel so inspired that they’ll share it with their friends.
9.Optimize For Keywords:
Every blog post should have a primary keyword that you’re targeting. This will help you get extra traffic from people using the search engines to find content. Of course you can use the WA keyword tool, Jaxxy or the Google keyword planner.
10.Interlink Articles:
You want readers to stick around and check out multiple pages. An easy way to accomplish this goal is to link to related blog posts. Do this whenever you’re talking about a topic and you think a reader would get value from another article that explains a concept in thorough detail.
11.Provide An Action Plan:
Near the end of the post, talk about how to implement what you’ve just taught. The best way to do this is to provide an action plan. Tell readers what to do next. This will help with engagement and increase the likelihood that they’ll check out future articles.
12.Solicit Feedback or Questions:
Conclude the post with an engagement-building question. Ask for a comment or tell them to voice their opinion on the subject—both are excellent ways to get readers to interact with you on a personal level.
Now, writing the post Is just one small step. The secret is to know when readers actually enjoy the content. Once you know this, you can replicate the process and create more articles people love.
Recent Comments
1
Great post , thanks a lot :)