The internet is a busy place, as online business owners know all too well. When you’re trying to get your website in front of your target audience, you have to get creative. Blog writing is one way to stand out from the crowd. A great blog post can catch the attention of readers and search engines and help you bring organic traffic to your site.
Writing blog posts and getting people to read them isn’t always easy. You need to know how to write engaging blog content, but you also need to understand what to write about and how to get it to the right readers. Whether you’ve had your own blog for years or are just brainstorming your first blog post, there are tips and tricks to help you make the most of your effort. Here’s what you need to know before you start writing.
Table of contents
What is a blog post?
A blog post is an individual entry on a blog, typically similar to an article or op-ed. Blogs are online platforms that can function like a personal journal, a repository of reported news, a portfolio, or anything with an element of curation. People who write blog posts are called bloggers. Typically, blog posts appear in chronological order, with the most recent posts appearing first. You can also pin top performing posts to the top of your feed.
How to write a blog post
- Choose a blogging platform
- Brainstorm blog post topics
- Outline your post
- Conduct keyword research
- Begin the actual writing process
- Optimize for on-page SEO
- Include internal and external links
- Add images
- Edit the post
- Publish and promote your post
Blogging can be an excellent content marketing tactic to promote your brand. A good blog post peppered with relevant keywords and headings can rank high on search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive traffic to your website. That’s why many businesses choose to start a blog to engage with their target audience, provide valuable content, and start prospective leads on their customer journey. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write the perfect blog post that bolsters your brand among your target customers.
1. Choose a blogging platform
Whether you use a standalone blogging website or embed a blog in your existing site, you have a lot of options to choose from. The best blogging platform will include an easy-to-use content management system (CMS), or will integrate with the CMS that’s already powering your website. It will also have useful SEO tools, visual customizations, and an affordable price.
2. Brainstorm blog post topics
Once you’ve selected a platform, start brainstorming interesting ideas that resonate with your blog's audience. Think about your ideal customer. What are their pain points that your products and services can address? What trending topics or compelling stories might hook readers? Answering these questions will help you generate blog post ideas.
🌟Looking for inspiration? Here are 15 standout blogs run by ecommerce stores and ideas you can adapt for your own content marketing strategy.
3. Outline your post
Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or writing a blog post for the first time, you may benefit from putting together a blog post outline. The outlining process helps you organize your thoughts and focus on a topic, just as it would in journalism or fiction writing. Structure your outline around the main points you want to hit, and leave space for your personal writing style to shine through.
4. Conduct keyword research
An effective blog post captures readers’ search intent. To maximize your odds of doing this, leverage keyword research tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Google Keyword Planner. If you spread relevant keywords throughout your entire blog post, you’ll boost your chances of turning it up on search results.
5. Begin the actual writing process
It’s now time to write the first draft of your blog post. You can write articles and posts in your blogging platform’s interface, or you use a word processing tool like Google Docs or Microsoft Word for your initial draft.
6. Optimize for on-page SEO
Once you’ve completed an initial draft, go back and optimize for on-page SEO. This includes utilizing relevant keywords, writing a compelling meta title and meta description, and adding alt text to images. Don’t limit yourself to the keywords that show up in your initial keyword research. Related keywords can help you turn up in even more search results. Just make sure they’re truly relevant to the topic at hand. Starting your article with a brief summary of its key points can also help your blog post turn up on SERPs.
🔍Maximize your blog’s potential to attract more readers. This comprehensive guide includes nine steps to increase organic traffic with SEO.
7. Include internal and external links
Link your blog post to relevant pages on your own website as well as other articles on outside sites. Your internal links keep users on your platform, while your external links can help add credibility to the content you’re providing.
8. Add images
Each blog post should include a featured image at the top of the page. This image will appear in links to your post—such as in the feeds of social media platforms—so choose one that’s visually appealing. Only use images that you have the rights to publish, and always attribute the work of the artist or photographer behind your image. Compelling visuals can be the difference between an ignored blog and a content marketing success story.
🌟Looking for free stock photos? Explore this list of the 36 best free stock photo sites and find the perfect fit.
9. Edit the post
Before you hit Publish on your blog post, do a final editing pass. Stylistically and syntactically, your entry should match other posts on your website. Your facts should be accurate (with external links as needed), and you should link the content to the services and products your company provides. If your writing is a bit rusty, study some time-tested writing tips to help you along.
10. Publish and promote your post
It’s finally time to publish your entry. If it’s your first time doing so, consult your blogging platform for instructions on how to post. Then get the word out. Promote your blog post on social media platforms and in email marketing blasts. If you’re a member of Facebook groups or Reddit forums, promote your work there as well.
How to write a blog post FAQ
What makes a good blog post?
A great blog post engages its readers, provides useful information, and, if you run a business, is relevant to the products or services you provide. It should also contain relevant keywords and have headings, images, and links to make it stand out on search engine results pages. You can choose many formats for your blog post: A how-to guide, a product review, or a journal entry, for example.
What is a good structure for a blog post?
If you’re staring at a blank page and need help structuring your blog post, start with an intro paragraph that summarizes your key points. Then, dedicate paragraphs to each of those points. Conclude your blog post with a summary that encapsulates what you’ve just discussed.
What are good blog post topic ideas?
Potential blog post ideas include stories from your own experience, how-to guides, and industry news.
