How To Write a Blog | 8 Simple Steps to Create a Blog
There are many lessons that can teach you how to write a blog post. They can teach you about the blogging mechanics, what to do and what not to do.
Learn about them and you can learn how to make a good blog post. Heck, you can even write something that benefits your favorite fan or two.
But if you dream of a bigger one, if you want to know how to write a successful blog post that cuts out the noise and gains you leggings of fans, you need something better than a running course.
The Basics of Blogging
Perhaps you think you can write well enough to write a blog post, but you can’t quite figure out how to get started, and you’re stuck asking your mommy for help.
At least if you ask your mommy, she won’t laugh and say that you should “blog about _____” and write a paragraph about how you know how to write a blog post.
Instead, she’ll help you figure out how to get your foot in the door of the blogging game, and she might even show you how to get your hands on a site hosting service, and all that stuff you need to learn to be successful at blogging.
But to really succeed at blogging, you have to learn how to market a blog, and you have to learn to write a blog post.
In this section, I will teach you about those two very important areas, marketing, and writing.
Creating Effective Content
When you create quality content, you begin to develop a strong relationship with your readers.
One in which you help them accomplish the goals they set for themselves.
And since content is king in today's internet world, content is king in a blog.
And to make your content stand out from the rest, you need a unique style.
In this post, I'm going to share the techniques that have helped me become a great content writer, by providing you with my own unique style guide.
What's it look like? Here's a step-by-step guide to writing effective blog posts.
Step 1: Inspiration
Whether you create content for yourself or for a client, one of the most effective ways to create good content is to get a little inspiration.
Smart Blogging Strategies
Then there are the more nuanced strategies that go into creating highly-engaging content that keeps readers coming back for more.
I’ve put together a brief guide to help you write effective blog posts that are not only engaging and informative but also serve as a self-marketing vehicle for your blog.
Let’s get to it…
You are not a consultant or a writer, so stop acting like one.
You’ve made the decision to blog — you want to improve your writing and content strategy — but you can’t just start spewing out shoddy content like you have nothing to lose.
While there’s a lot you can do to improve your writing skills, there’s only so much you can teach yourself before you hit your limits.
Take a step back.
See what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
How to Write an Effective Title
If you want to write a blog post that’s poised to go viral, then you need to nail the title.
If you are going to market your post as a how-to, then you need to market it as such. If you are going to be a life coach, then you need to market your blog posts as how-to books.
And you should. Because more people trust what other people say than they do what you say.
If you are going to help people, you need to build trust.
And trust is created by following certain principles.
Writing an effective title is just one of them.
How to Write a Blog Post Using This Structure
The advantage of this structure is that it makes it easier for readers to skim through your post.
How to Pick the Right Format for Your Post
Maybe you want to learn the most efficient way to write a blog post.
Maybe you want to learn what works best for the audience you are writing for.
Maybe you want to learn the best format to use for different blogs.
Each topic deserves a different way to be presented. Each audience needs a different way to be presented.
The reason you want to learn how to write the right type of post is that it will make your articles shine.
It will differentiate your blog from everyone else’s.
And that’s what readers are looking for.
The author in my class, George, will often say the same thing to each and every student when he or she posts an article: “Your audience doesn’t care about the mechanics, they care about the content.
Ways to Use Images in Your Blog Posts
Using images in your blog posts will help you grab readers’ attention and can help to captivate your reader’s attention.
It doesn’t have to be complicated though. Using a few well-placed images and a great deal of creativity and flair, you can really make the most of the blog post image.
But what kind of images should you use?
You don’t have to resort to stock photos. There are plenty of amazing photo resources out there that have a stunning aesthetic and are ready to use in blog posts.
That said, many people prefer to use stock photos because they can give a sense of realism and can fit with the subject of the blog post. If you want to add a personal touch to your blog post images, you can include some personal images as well.
How to Create a Captivating Intro
What’s the single most important element that makes a blog post-click?
According to Hubspot, the “Thought Leaders are the bloggers who are shaping the minds and behaviors of their readers.”
In other words, the bloggers with the big reach and influence.
What are those Thought Leaders doing?
They’re capturing people’s attention before they’re fully engaged.
They’re doing that by inspiring and engaging with their audience.
The post that I linked to above is a great example of a Thought Leader’s intro.
Do you know what it’s called?
It’s called a headline.
Why are headlines so important to captivating a reader’s interest?
It’s simple:
People buy on emotion, not logic.
Conclusion
So what’s the right approach?
Nothing is perfect.
You will never learn every nuance of the art of writing.
You will never write the perfect piece of content.
But you can learn the fundamentals that will allow you to succeed with your writing.
And these fundamentals can make all the difference in your online strategy.
Let’s go back to basics.
Begin with the basics.
The Basics of Writing a Blog Post: Step #1
Determine the purpose of your blog post.
What do you want to accomplish with your content?
Who is your audience? What are their pain points?
What do they care about?
What are their fears?
Write a bullet-pointed list.