A great blog post delivers solutions to your audience’s problems in a compelling and straightforward way. Establishing trust with your business is crucial to converting your readers into customers.
In addition to generating leads, a blog can boost your search engine rankings. And sharing helpful information and tips related to your industry builds brand authority.
Impact Group Marketing provides customized content that engages your audience, drives traffic, and helps you rank higher in search engines.
Most blog traffic is organic – consumers search for something on Google and click on your blog if it matches their inquiry. However, there are many blogs competing for your audience’s attention. So, how can you write a blog that stands out and gets noticed?
What Makes a Great Blog?
- Knowing Your Target Audience
- A Compelling Title
- A Strong Introduction
- Strategic Keyword Placement
- A Skim Friendly Structure
- Interesting Visuals
- Relevant Internal Links
- A Clear Call to Action
- Proofread and Edit
- Consistent and Frequent Posting
Knowing Your Target Audience
To write an impactful blog post, you first need to know who your target audience is. What information are they looking for? Choose a topic that matters to them.
A Compelling Title
A great blog title grabs readers’ attention and entices them to continue reading. It should match the intent of your target audience, have a concise purpose, set clear expectations, and be optimized for SEO.
When crafting a compelling title, ask yourself, “Would this make me want to click and keep reading?” Also, write your title for the people you want to reach, not for search engines.
Make sure your title includes the following:
- Keywords – Place your target keywords towards the front of the headline.
- Purpose – Be clear about what readers can expect from the article.
- Value – Let readers know why they should read your post. What value is it to them?
Top 4 Blog Post Titles – and Examples:
- Number Titles – 10 Unique Toys Every Dog Lover Needs
- “How To” Titles – How to Quickly Teach Your Dog Not to Jump on Guests
- “A Guide To…” Titles – A Simple Guide to Successfully Potty Train Your Pup
- “Question” Titles – Which Dog Breeds Are Better for Families? [10 Things to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Pet]
A Strong Introduction
Once you hook the reader with a compelling title, you need a powerful introduction that tells them what to expect. Be clear, concise, and engaging. Remember, all readers land on your blog post with a question or problem in mind. So make sure your intro lets them know they'll find a solution if they keep reading.
Strategic Keyword Placement
Great blog posts should prioritize the reader over search engines. And while you should intentionally use your target keyword throughout the blog, you want to avoid keyword stuffing.
But since you want your blog post to rank, you should include your target keyword in the following places:
- Towards the front of your blog title
- In your URL structure
- In your meta description
- In image alt text
- In your intro and conclusion
Read More: How to Choose the Right SEO Keywords
A Skim-Friendly Structure
One of the first things you need to decide is what type of blog post you will write. Listicles and how-to guides are more readable and easier to write.
Readers are looking for specific information quickly, so keep your blog skim-friendly. Include titled sections and subheadings, plenty of paragraph breaks, relevant images, and formatting that make it easy for readers to find the information they’re looking for.
For a deeper dive into how to structure your blog post, here are four proven blog post templates to help you get started. Once you choose a template, you can easily create an outline for your post. An outline significantly impacts the organization, clarity, and flow of your article – so don’t skip this step.
Interesting Visuals
Capture your reader’s attention by illustrating your points with interesting visuals and graphics. Providing something to look at besides text keeps them engaged for longer – and gives their eyes a break.
Here’s how to add appealing visuals that will also improve your ranking:
- Use simple, high-quality images that are clear, sharp, and relevant.
- Compress images as small as possible without sacrificing quality.
- Use personal, realistic stock photos with realistic subjects and natural lighting.
- Use alt text to help search engines understand what your text is about.
Relevant Internal Links
An internal link is a hyperlink from one page on your website to another. It’s one of the most important factors search engines use to rank and index your post. In fact, Google’s Search Essentials says, “Ensure that all pages on the site can be reached by a link from another findable page.”
Adding internal links where readers would benefit from a deeper dive into a topic you’ve previously written about is an easy way to keep users engaged and lead them to other content on your site. When done correctly, they also improve your site’s search crawlability, leading to better rankings.
A Clear Call to Action
Every blog you write should compel readers to take action. Besides educating readers about your niche market, show them how your products or services can be helpful to them – and prompt them to take further action. For example, your call to action (CTA) may encourage them to subscribe to your newsletter or download an item.
When someone finishes reading your post, you want to motivate them to take action. This action should be tied to your high-level goals – conversions, social media shares, or another relevant blog post.
Proofread and Edit
You’ll never regret taking the time to proofread and edit – even the most experienced writers do this. Before publishing, take the time you need to make sure your structure flows. Also fix typos, run-on sentences, and any other accidental mistakes.
Consistent and Frequent Posting
Content is the key to a successful business blog. But publishing good content isn’t enough – you also need a consistent and frequent posting schedule.
When you consistently post high-quality content, your readers see you as a reliable source of valuable information. This enables you to build trust, credibility, and loyalty with your readers.
Regularly providing fresh, quality content also shows search engines that your website is active and relevant, which helps improve your ranking. Consistent blogging allows you to use keywords and optimize your content for search engines – increasing your visibility and making it easier for your target audience to find your blog.
Bottom Line
Creating a great blog requires thought and effort, but you’ll reap the benefits of brand visibility, trust, authority, and conversions.
If you’d like help creating posts that rank, Impact Group Marketing offers customized content writing services with experienced USA-based writers. Contact us today to see how we can help you make an impact in your industry.
Read More: 5 Reasons Why Your Business Website Needs a Blog