The benefits of blogging are undeniable for modern businesses. In this guide, we’ll show you how to write a blog post even if you’re not a wordsmith. How to compose a blog post that people will read and share
If you’re not 100% certain how to write a blog post that will resonate with readers, that’s not a problem.
The reality? Blogging is a big problem for most businesses.
And hey, we understand why.
From brainstorming to the digital execution of a blog post, it takes significant effort.
But the benefits of blogging for businesses are worth pondering. The correlation between blogging businesses and more visitors, conversions, and leads is well documented. Writing a blog post is an invaluable skill, no matter what you’re selling. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to explain the anatomy of a good blog post and how you can write one yourself.
What makes a good blog post?
Before we get into how to write a blog post, let’s talk about what the best blog posts have in common.
- Blogging is an art, but you don’t have to be Shakespearean to start writing.
- Instead, just consider the commonalities of blog posts that get read and shared.
They solve a problem.
Listen: people don’t end up on blogs by accident. When we search for content, we have a problem that needs solving or a question that needs answering.
Maybe you’re looking for the perfect ramen recipe. Maybe you’re looking for marketing tips. Whatever the case, we’re often on the lookout for content that provides a solution.
Sprout Social’s blog is a shining example of what we’re talking about. We’ve written numerous posts devoted to solving issues.
But solving an issue or answering a question is just half the fight.
After all, there are lots (or hundreds) of blog posts on a given topic.
So your blog post should not only solve a problem but do so in a meaningful way. That may mean breaking down a complex topic with an approach that’s easier to digest or going in-depth on a topic that needs to be covered in detail.
Considering that most successful blog posts are more than 1,000 words, according to Orbit Media, conventional wisdom tells us that top-notch posts go beyond the essential information and get into the specifics.
The Sprout post “Best Times to Post on Social Media” is an excellent example of this and bursts with original data and charts. It is one of our most successful posts for this very reason.
They are easy to read.
This may seem like a given, but readability is easily overlooked.
Spoiler alert: Most readers have a microscopic attention span.
If your post puts them to sleep within the first few seconds, they’re likely to look elsewhere for information. This is especially real in an age where people can simply watch a video instead of reading a blog post. As a writer, it’s your job to balance delivering in-depth information and keeping your audience’s attention.
You can’t expect people to slog through a wall of text. Instead, be careful to avoid jargon and present your content in a style that doesn’t make you sound like a robot.
Verge’s article “How to Choose a Fitness Tracker” is a pretty straightforward example of a simple post that gets the job done. Written at a 9th-grade level and divided by subheadings and images, the post is easy to read and understand for anyone.
This post by marketing expert Brittany Berger conveys a valuable lesson in marketing with a simple sentence structure and conversational tone. The text is presented playfully, with a clear voice and plenty of images to break up the text, leaving readers jumping from line to line and wondering what comes next. Developing your writing style takes practice. The beauty of blogging is that you’re usually not bound by strict formatting guidelines or typical writing rules that could make your content sound boring.
You’re optimized (but not too optimized!).
Given the fierce competition between marketers and search engines, optimizing your content for SEO (and social media!) is a must.
However, optimization is another balancing act. From keyword stuffing to clickbait and past, writers can’t afford to sacrifice readability and quality just to get clicks. But as many bloggers are proving, it is possible to strike a balance between writing for people and search engines. For example, blog posts like “How to Build Your Social Media Marketing Strategy” can pick up on essential keywords naturally without distracting the reader.
If you follow these three principles every time you sit down to write a post, you’re already way ahead of the curve.
Are you ready to write better blog posts?
Writing a quality blog post is not as easy as it seems.
Ultimately, your goal should be to write better content than what’s already out there. Whether it’s through a strong sense of style or sound information, you can figure out how to write a blog post that adds value for your readers.
With the help of these tips and a lot of practice, you can do just that sooner rather than later. Learn more about the basics of a successful content marketing strategy to improve your blog.
Build and grow stronger relationships on social networks
Sprout Social assists you in understanding and reaching your audience, engaging your community, and measuring performance with the only all-in-one social media sites management platform explicitly designed for relationships.
Enjoy the post? For More Posts Visit My Blog Poster