Blog articles

Have you ever read a blog post that left you nodding hard and saying "Yes!" to whatever the writer said? You can create something just as compelling by adopting the following practices.

Most of the people of the people who visit your blog (perhaps as many as 80% of them) won't read any further than your headline. So your greatest opportunity to make an impact lies in those 10 to 12 critical words that sum up your post's key message.

Experienced copywriters rely on tried-and-true formulas to craft their headlines, so you can do the same. Here are a few formulas you might play with:

• A list – 5 Tips, 3 Reasons, 10 Ways (people love a few ways to do something)
• A shocking fact or number – 90% of university graduates can’t spell
• How to achieve X 
• The Ultimate Guide to ... (meaning you don’t need another source)
• An Easy Way to… (your audience feels like they’re getting a cheat sheet)   
• [Famous person] Taught Me… (referring to a respected industry guru can get people reading)
• A contradictory statement – Forget showering, the new answer to hygiene is…

Try to brainstorm at least 10 headlines for a given blog post. Sometimes, you need to spit out a lot of mediocre ideas in order to get to a truly great one.

An attractive or thought-provoking image adds emotional oomph to your key message.Short on budget? Check out Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplash for free high-resolution stock images.

Great headline? Check.

Awesome visuals? Check.

Don't assume your reader is now firmly hooked. You must continue to hook them by making your first paragraph intriguing. Show them how well you understand their situation and how you can help. Use your first paragraph to sell readers on the value of continuing to read.

If your audience keeps seeing the same kinds of posts over and over, they may get bored. Keep them engaged by varying how you present your posts. Here are some ideas to consider:

• How-to article
• Op-ed piece on an issue affecting your field, industry, or community
• Listicle (article in the form of a list)
• Book review
• Article by a guest blogger
• Challenge of a popular assumption or myth
• Case study
• Insider secrets

Stories pack a powerful punch because they make abstract concepts real. Like VR (virtual reality), they make your audience feel as if they're "right there," living out whatever dramatic situation you present.

If you have trouble dreaming up stories, make it a habit to start "catching" them--listen closely to customer interactions and note down success stories whenever you come across them.

Make it easy for your readers to skim and scroll through your content. “Chunk” your content into brief paragraphs, lists and visuals, separated by generous amounts of white space. Make frequent use of headings and sub-headings to make the meaning of your post obvious even at a glance.

Find popular blogs related to your field so you can analyze their content and imitate the elements of their approach that resonate with you. Here are some questions to help you identify aspects of your model blogs you might copy in your posts:

• How long is the average post? (This can vary widely, and there’s no best practice that fits all situations. Keep in mind, though, that Google will pick up on your content only if your post runs to at least 300 words.)
• What kinds of articles does the blog include most often?
• What other kinds of articles does it feature?
• What headline formulas do posts use?
• How would you describe the voice of the blog?
• What style choices do you notice?
• How is graphic design applied to the blog (e.g., layout, font variations, color, visuals)?
• How do posts encourage the audience to engage with the writer?

Curated resources

Getting Started as a Health Blogger: The Beginner's Guide

Downloadable tools

• The PAVE method for creating a thought-provoking blog
• Writing shapes for blog posts drawing on personal experience
• Blog idea generator
• 74 Clever Blog Post Title Templates That Work (from TwelveSkip.com)

Try this!

Targeting your Impact Audience, write a blog post that draws on your personal experience as well as findings from your research. Aim for 1,000 to 1,500 words (Google's algorithms prefer longer posts.)