The Perfect Blog Post Formula!
The start, middle and end: an autopsy of the perfect blog post.
You would think that writing a blog post is straightforward, wouldn’t you?
Just bang out the words, hit ‘publish’ and make a coffee!
What’s the big deal?
After all…
There’s not much to creating articles?
It’s just you, your thoughts and your keyboard!
If only it was that easy!
Businesses must either prioritize content marketing – or get left behind.
There is no middle ground!
Astonishingly 50% of online content gets a measly 8 shares or less.
Is that you?
When you stop and consider how much
global content is pushed out on a daily basis, it is not surprising that
standing out is getting more challenging.
Readers are getting lazier and often not taking in more than 20% of words on a web page.
But some bloggers don’t have this problem.
Their following, hang on every word they write.
Bloggers like Jon Morrow for example.
Now, Mr Morrow is an exceptionally gifted
writer with a powerful story and yes you may never write a blog post
that gets 65000 shares.
But the truth is, you can do much better than you currently are by following the Perfect Blog Post Formula.
But first, lets get back to basics, because when it comes to content, the little details make a big difference.
Let’s break the Perfect Blog Post down into 3 sections: the start, middle and end.
How to write a seductive opening that will get people hanging off your every word.
We’ve heard it all before:
If your content doesn’t have a good headline, then your strategy is stuffed right from the start.
The trouble is, if the only decent thing in your article is the headline, you’re nothing but click-bait.
People will leave in droves.
Quickly.
If clicks are all you’re after then that’s great.
But if you’re serious about getting the right traffic onto your website, then you’re going to need more than just a polished headline.
You also need a headline that is not too long, not too short.
Opinions vary, but as a generalization the ideal length of a headline is 6 words.
If you want shares, links and comments, you need to walk the walk too.
You need an opening to your post that will impress.
Something that will make people read on.
The best way to open a blog post is to do 2 things.
Firstly, reveal the value of your article as quickly as possible.
Don’t waste a moment.
Hanging around, ignoring any real-life distractions and committing to reading what you’ve got to say is a big ask.
As such, whoever is reading your piece needs to know what’s in it for them… fast.
Assuming that you’ve done your homework and you’re writing about a common pain point experienced by your target audience…
The second thing you need to do is to try to make your topic relevant.
You can do this simply by speaking in a normal, personable way.
Get people to really think about the issue you are covering.
What problem is it causing?
What will happen if it doesn’t get dealt with?
And end your introduction by revealing exactly how you’re going to help.
Don’t worry about sounding like a teacher, because people like to be told what to do.
How to write an article that stifles yawns and stops people bailing out.
It might sound old-school, but list out
all the different points that you’re going to want to make in your post
on a piece of paper.
The ultimate journey for the reader is to
go from A to B, where A represents the start of your piece and B is a
satisfying resolution.
Arrange them in an order that would make sense to a layman.
This is the road-map for your article.
That’s the plan for your post. It’s key for maintaining a smooth read and a rhythm to your words.
The next stage is to try and create a story for this journey.
And there’s good reason for this.
You have heard it before – stories sell.
According to Stanford’s Jennifer Aaker, stories are 22 times more memorable than facts alone.
[Which, by the way, is worth thinking about the next time you’re listing out all the benefits of your product or service.]
Craft a journey that’s enjoyable and pleasurable to read.
Of course, ensure that your copy is suitable for digital consumption. By that, I mean, space out your sentences.
More people are reading content on a
mobile device than ever before, so the last thing that they’ll want is a
huge, intimidating block of text in front of them.
Plus, choose a nice font for your blog, since typography is an important, yet underestimated factor for content marketing success.
Fonts are essentially clothes for your words, so choose them carefully and pick something that’s large enough to read.
How to finish a post in style and get the reaction you’re hoping for.
After putting a lot of effort into a piece of content, the temptation is to rush the conclusion.
You see it all the time. I don’t know
whether I just have an unnatural hatred for the word ‘summary’, but most
conclusions are staid and boring.
But forgetting to craft a meaningful conclusion a huge error, for 2 reasons.
Firstly, anyone who has read your entire article and reached the end is obviously a pretty engaged reader.
They’ll probably never be more likely to do you a favour than they are at this point.
So, whether we’re talking about a share on social media, a comment, download or subscription, if you want something, just ask.
You’ve earned the right.
Secondly, humans are odd little creatures.
Conclusions are often one of the first things we read. It might sound counter-intuitive, but think about it.
I’m sure you’ve seen an interesting
headline, clicked on a link, read the first sentence and immediately
scrolled down to the bottom of the article.
Bearing that in mind, you want to use your conclusion to wrap up what the reader has gained by reading your copy.
You need to summarize the point of your article existing, if you like.
The idea is that we want them to realize what these kinds of users could be missing out on if they leave.
We need them to scroll back up to the top and read the article properly.
What is the purpose of your blog post? | What is the Big Picture?
So, now you know how to write an intro to a blog post, structure the main section and end an article with a flourish.
You’re already one step ahead of most bloggers out there.
You’ve greatly reduced the chances of one of your articles going by the wayside.
I’ve been a copywriter for a long time and if there’s one content tip that I’d always believe in, it would be this:
Always understand the purpose of your post.
Having a clear idea of the purpose of your post, or as I like to put it – The Big Picture, will make your introduction, main points and conclusion much more impactful.
So what is the purpose of your blog post? What action do you want the reader to take?
Do you want your reader to buy something?
To request information?
To share on social media?
Or build your reputation as an authority on a subject?
In truth, it is in knowing the PURPOSE that your perfect blog post is created. That is the starting point of all perfect blog posts!
