How to Write the Perfect Blog Post
If you’re just starting your small business, or you’re just stepping into the wild world of social media, blogging can be an intimidating task. You know you have to do it, but how do you write an article your customers actually want to read? I have good news, it’s not as hard as you think! Even if writing isn’t your favorite thing to do, you can do this. Here’s some easy-to-follow advice on how to write the perfect blog post:
Title
Obviously, your title is going to be the first thing that people see. It’s what is going to determine whether your potential customer clicks or keeps scrolling. Above all else, your title should address a problem that your reader needs solved. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What problems do they need solved? For example, if you’re a makeup artist, your customers may desperately want to know how to achieve the perfect smoky eye look (I know I do), so your blog title might go something like, “3 Easy Steps to Achieve the Perfect Smoky Eye.” Figure out what your customers want, help them get it, and make it catchy!
Bonus: people love numbers. It’s a fact. Adding a number into your title, specifically an odd number, will help ensure more viewers!
Image
Images are almost just as important as titles, especially if you’re on social media. Make sure your image is relevant, high-quality, and on-brand. You can create Pinterest-worthy blog header images in a free program called Canva. Stock images are also helpful. You can find amazingly beautiful and FREE stock images on Unsplash.
Introduction
This is where you pull your reader in. In your introduction, tell your reader what problem you’ll be addressing, and how they’ll benefit from reading what you have to say. Introductions should be short and sweet. Don’t make them any longer than a paragraph.
Subheading
When people read blog articles, they want to get to the information they need quickly. Subheadings help to break up your article into easily digestible bites of information. This is especially beneficial to the skimmers who are only there for specific information. Break your article into multiple chunks. If we continue with our makeup artist example, “3 Easy Steps to Achieve the Perfect Smoky Eye,” each step could be a separate subheading with the details in the body below.
Body
Your body text lives below your subheadings. This is the meat of the article and where your reader is going to find the most valuable information. When writing your body text, remember to keep it conversational. Blog articles are meant to be informative but still enjoyable to read. Your readers don’t want to feel like they’re reading a technical instruction manual, so try writing like you would speak. Be relatable and empathetic to your customers’ needs, and keep your sentences short.
Conclusion
Your conclusion should wrap up all of the main takeaways from your article. At this point, you’ve handed your reader all of the valuable information, so now you’re just wrapping up the conversation. In the end, most blog articles should be between 500 and 1,000 words. That tends to be the magic number when it comes to writing valuable content.
Call to action
Most importantly, your call to action. What do you want your reader to do? What are you currently offering? Whatever action you want your reader to take, whether that’s signing up for weekly emails or scheduling a consultation, add it at the end of your article. If they make it this far, it’s likely they find value in what you’re saying and want to hear more!
As I mentioned, blogging can be overwhelming at first, but once you catch your rhythm and gain some experience, It’s not so terrible. Practice makes perfect, so don’t give up! Read other articles in your niche for inspiration, or ask around to see what is working for other businesses. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Bonus: Make sure you proofread your articles! Have a friend look it over with a fresh set of eyes. There are also plenty of services out there that will make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. You don’t want to leave a bad impression!