“Been there, read that,” said the boring, old blog post. More than ever, businesses are leveraging the power of blogging as a content marketing tool. However, not every brand is connecting with its audience as well as it could be. A challenging task in itself, blogging for engagement, is no simple feat. The question arises “How to make better blog posts?” arises often. If you feel you’re falling behind, these simple tips can get your readership to skyrocket.
Tip 1 – Do SEO Research
SEO will play its favorites. To rank, you’ll need to do your research—from related keywords to related queries and trending topics to high-performing evergreen content. The more familiar you are with what people are actively searching for, the better you can craft your content plan. From there, you can match language and tonality according to your target persona.
Tip 2 – Work the Emotion
Consumers love a blog that isn’t a hard sell. Go beyond your marketing content to include something emotional that readers can resonate with. Take special care not to underdeliver—go deep! Not wide.
Tip 3 – Offer Free Educational Resources
Blogs are the best way to impart industry knowledge to casual readers. Offering free white papers or information is a value-adding factor that will encourage readers to cascade your content onto others. The more useful you are to them, the more valuable you’ll likely be to someone else.
Tip 4 – Keep it Concise
Every avid reader loves a bit of long-form—but not every time. Some topics are better left short and sweet. Go directly to the point without rambling and garnish your text with high-quality images or GIFs to keep readers engaged.
Tip 5 – Take a Multichannel Approach
If users are already accustomed to consuming content in a particular fashion, don’t risk changing it up. Blogs aren’t limited to text. Let them watch and listen—it’ll do wonders for your SEO.
Tip 6 – Plaster on a Visual
Whether a photo or video, media can play to the strengths and preferences of visual learners. Not to mention, it’ll make your blog more stimulating and aesthetically pleasing.
Tip 7 – Craft Strong Headlines
We don’t mean clickbait. We mean powerful and informative headlines that readers are compelled to click through. Give readers an idea of what your blog is about with powerful 8 to 10-word headlines.
Tip 8 – Love a Listicle
Not every Internet user has the time to absorb a thousand-word article. Target on-the-go readers with short and easy-to-read listicles.
Tip 9 – Marry Good Design and UX
A well-written blog means nothing if your consumers can’t read it. Bring the experience to life with a sleek and clean layout and thoughtful UX.
Tip 10 – Spotlight Employees
Enough about products and features for a hot second. Why not lend your employees the spotlight? Doing so will humanize your brand and accentuate your culture.
Tip 11 – Keep Diversifying
Sticking to what you know is a great place to start—but at some point, you’ll have to grow. Diversify your writing by having a say in industry news or topics. Publish the occasional opinion piece to drive traffic.
Tip 12 – Repurpose Content
As we mentioned, some readers like long-form. Not everyone does. Re-write long-form content into snackable bites that people will love to share on social media. Hint: try infographics.
Tip 13 – Come up with Good Hooks
Have you ever been told your work doesn’t hook readers in? Kick your blog off with a bang by relating your article to an event in history or a fascinating fact. It’ll make your readers want to find out more.
Tip 14 – Go Industry-Watching
Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry. Understand trends before they explode and know what people are talking about. Then, incorporate these topics into your blog. Share opinions and solutions people will value.
Tip 15 – Have a Strong Distribution Strategy
A good blog means nothing if there’s no one out there to read it. Know where to spot potential readers and how best to reach out to them.
Tip 16 – Inform and Entertain
If you’re getting to the point, but dully, you’ve already lost your audience’s attention. Add some flavor to your writing by working with creative talent.
Conclusion
Industry blogs are informative, but they need not be boring. When pondering how to make better blog posts, apply these 16 tips. You can achieve your SEO goals by being witty, clever, intelligent, and thoughtful about what you publish.
For SEO services and an intelligent content distribution strategy, consult with us at EIC Agency. We’ll breathe life into blogs that could use a kick and get them in front of the right people.
