Maintaining a blog is something that so many companies do, but are they doing it as well as they could be? Sometimes paying attention to the details can make your blog so much better. Of course, the reason for making your blog better is to increase engagement and have your blog ensure that you are meeting your goals. Your company blog is a chance to communicate freely with your audience, so take advantage of this opportunity and really communicate with them. Here are tips for making your blog the best ever:
Make each blog post pop!
Following our 10 steps here is actually kind of a checklist for making each post pop. When you put some extra attention into your blog posts and show the importance of them, they will stand out in the way you want them too. When you finish writing each post, take the time to review it to make sure that it has that extra “oomph” to draw those readers in.
Put a beginning, middle, and end in each blog post
Blogs can definitely be more informal than other forms of writing that can represent your business. However, you still need to have the hook at the beginning that tells your readers why a post is important, and the middle of the post should have all that valuable information to keep them reading. Lastly, you should have at least a small conclusion to drive home and reiterate your point or main idea. In many cases for a blog, the conclusion can also be a call-to-action.
Include at least one Pinnable picture in each blog post
Pictures and other imagery are definitely important for a blog post because it helps draw attention. However, when you make at least one image in your blog a Pinnable one, which will help your social game and drive more traffic to your blog.
Explain why the topic of your post is important
It is a simple concept, but it is often forgotten. Why should someone read this blog post? Tell your readers in the introduction of your post why it is important to them and what they can learn or gain from it.
Write your blog to be easily scannable
Remember to make your blog post easy to read quickly. This will ensure that all of those internet users with very short attention spans can still get the gist of your blog post in a very short amount of time without having to reach a big chunk of text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, and short chunks of text to make your blog posts scannable. Take some time in the formatting of each post with bold titles and give each section ample spacing.
Make your blog dynamic with different elements
We already talked about including at least one Pinnable image in your blog post, but it should be filled with all kinds of goodies for your readers including infographics, video, quotes, statistics, links, etc. Of course, each post doesn’t have to have all of the above, but keep a good media mix to keep your blog posts interesting and readers engaged.
Choose titles that attract readers
Definitely spend a bit of time working on the title of your blog post. Don’t be afraid to use provocative language, especially in your title. Just be ready to back up your title with the content. Some examples of types of titles that work:
- Numbered lists
- Provocative questions
- “How-to”s
- Case studies
- “Lessons learned”
- “Reasons why”
- Breaking news
Create a sense of urgency
Urgency really helps attract readers; however, you must make sure not to use it in a gimmicky kind of way. Back up the urgency with important information, breaking news, a hot new product selling fast, or a big sale ending soon. Not every post can be urgent, so use this tactic sparingly.
Plan for the social element
Write each blog post with the social element in mind. When you are creating those alternate titles, save a few for social media to mix it up while also adding variety and interest to your post. Even though your blog is social in nature, remember that you should share your post throughout your social networks with images and different quotes or elements to increase traffic and promote interest.
Make your blog useful
Ultimately, if you are asking your audience to spend time with your on your blog, it has got to be useful to them. Always focus on that “why” behind each post and aim to provide value to your blog readers. Content is the backbone of your digital presence, so make sure that your blog isn’t just another salesperson.
Summary and takeaways for your business
A blog post doesn’t have to be long, but you should take the time to sum things up, just like we are doing in this article. Reiterate your point, and the point here is that a blog is something to to take for granted. However, your blog can be a giant asset when you focus on it and realize how great of a communication tool it can be with a little bit of tweaking and energy invested into each post.
