There are masses of blogs out there, some great, some not so great. Everyone seems to have something to say, so how can you make an impact in the blogging world?
The best place to start is to look at the structure and presentation of your blog posts.
How you write and the way you present it can be more important than what you write when it comes to drawing readers in.
Admittedly if what you’ve written is poor they won’t come back, so you have to make sure you tick all the boxes – simple then really.
Producing a constant stream of fresh and interesting content can be tough. But inspiration is all around you – in the newspapers, magazines, films, TV, images, everyday experiences, conversations etc.
So what do you do once you’ve got a subject idea?
How to structure a great blog post
There are 5 main steps to go through when you create a blog post. It’s a system I’ve been using for quite a while – this is how it goes:
1. Title
Your title is really important.
It has to grab your reader’s attention and make them think “that sounds interesting”. If it doesn’t immediately grab them, they won’t bother wasting time reading it. Ideally your title will be specific to your topic so your reader knows what they are going to learn. However some abstract/humorous titles work just as well if they pique you reader’s curiosity.
2. Beginning
Before you even begin writing your post, think about the visual image of your blog. Having a well chosen image that compliments your subject matter introduces an instant link to your topic and makes it more aesthetically pleasing.
As with any form of writing, you have to grab their attention within the first paragraph or two if you are going to get them to read the whole post. And the more interesting it is, the more likely they are to stay with you to the end, especially if they learn something new along the way.
3. The most important first
Always start with the most important aspect first. Explain your concept simply and clearly without resorting to the use of jargon. If you do that, you’ll lose readers hand over fist.
People read blogs for entertainment and to learn – make that learning experience easy for them and they’ll return time and time again.
4. What’s next?
A post that explains a concept but fails to illustrate how to put it into practice, is a wasted post. Take this one for example, assuming you’re still reading you are well on the way to understanding how to create stronger blog posts.
5. Summarise
At the end of your post, write a few lines outlining why the information you have given is important to them and explain how, by following your tips/recommendations, they will enhance their lives.
Being careful about how you create your posts and paying attention to your headings, images and starting paragraphs will make sure you are well on your way to writing informative and enjoyable posts that people will want to read. This will help increase your traffic and widen your readership.