This is a blog post and you are reading it.
Nothing about that statement is shocking news. But the point is that people love digesting written content - especially when it comes to learning something new (like how to write a great blog post).
Here at Better Business Tools, we know a thing or two about writing a blog post. After all, that is what we do. So, we have created this guide to walk you through everything you need to know about writing engaging, compelling content for your business.
Ready to smash your blog writing out of the park? Then read on…
TL;DR
Pushed for time? Here are the top-level lessons from this guide:
Blog articles help businesses engage their audience, build their brand and improve search engine rankings
Doing audience research will help you write content that appeals to those you want to engage
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find keywords that will help your blog reach your target audience via search engines
Your title is your first opportunity to grab your audience's attention - so write a great one
Creating a blog outline will make your blog flow better and ensure you don’t miss any key points
Visual elements such as videos and images help break a blog up and make it more visually appealing
Working with a content writer can help you establish a higher quality, consistent blog
Why Are Blog Posts Important in Business?
Blogs can be powerful marketing tools. This is for three key reasons:
They are a mouthpiece for your brand, helping you to establish your brand tone and develop a position of authority
They can help you capture customer attention by entertaining or educating them
They can support your efforts to boost your search engine rankings
Although blogs can be great for business, they must be carefully managed. Time and consideration should be taken over producing high-quality, high-value content. A poorly maintained blog can actually impact your business negatively, by making visitors assume you have little interest in communication - or worse, that you are no longer in business.
How to Create a Great Blog Post
Ok, so we have told you why you should be creating blog posts for your business. But how do you actually create ones that your audience will love reading?
We give you a step-by-step guide below.
STEP 1: Know Your Target Audience
Whether you are entertaining or educating, great blogs should be highly valuable to those who are reading them. So, it makes sense that knowing exactly who you're writing for will help you produce and create content that is specific to their wants and needs.
Having a clear idea of your target audience will help you:
Pick highly relevant/helpful blog topics
Create appealing blog titles
Speak in a tone which is relatable to your audience
For the majority of businesses, it is easy to research your target audience, as this will be your customer base. However, many businesses fail to realise this when creating blog posts.
Take for example the fact that many marketing agencies produce content that is appealing to other marketing agencies - rather than content that contains any value for their brand client.
Start by finding out as much information about your customer base as possible. You may do this by exploring your CRM or interviewing clients. Some useful information will include:
Areas of interest
Pain points/challanges
Age
Genders
Social habits
Locations
Once you have collected this information you can use it to create ‘reader personas’. These are mock profiles of a typical individual who might read your blog. The more information you can include, the more helpful your persona will be in helping you write great content.
You can check out our guide to creating buyer personas to find out more about creating useful reader personas.
Although you should certainly write content that is useful for your customers, you may find that certain segments of your customers are more receptive to blog content than others - in which case lean into this and focus on serving them via your blog.
STEP 2: Develop Topics and Research Keywords
Now you know who you are writing for, it will become much easier to decide on which topics to write about.
You can start your blog post planning by listing out articles that you think your readers will be interested in (based on your research). This is a great starting point, although will need a little refining before you are ready to get writing.
Finding the right keywords will help you reach the right people with your content via search engines. So, it is beneficial to research keywords when formulating article ideas.
There are some great tools out there for conducting keyword research. Some free ones include Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest. Using these tools you can type in your assumed keywords to find real data on how well they might perform - pay special attention to the level of competition of that keyword and potential search volumes.
Let me let you into a secret…
…the original title for this blog post was ‘How to Create Killer Content for Your Blog’, but upon undertaking keyword research we found that the phrase ‘blog post’ was more promising than ‘content’.
Similarly, you may find that a slightly different phrase could serve you better during your keyword research.
When planning keywords for your blog post you should find a primary keyword (use in your H1 title and throughout the article) as well as 3-4 secondary similar keywords to use throughout your content.
Here is a video that we found useful when it comes to keywords. It is more specific to finding general keywords for your blog, but the majority of the points can be applied to blog posts:
STEP 3: Create a Knockout Title
So, now you have your keywords to hand, it is time to create a knockout title.
Your blog title is an essential part of your blog as it is the first (and potentially only) opportunity you will get to convince readers to read it. For this reason, it is important to take time to develop the very best version of your title.
Here are some top tips on creating a great blog post title:
Use your primary keyword (for example: How to Create a Killer Blog Post)
Keep it short (for example: How to Sell on Shopify)
Highlight what value the reader will get (for example: How to Make More Profit on eBay)
Highlight how easy it will be to follow (for example: 5 Simple Ways to Boost SEO)
Provoke emotion (for example: 3 Reasons Your Website Sucks)
If you are stuck for inspiration, there are some great free tools online such as Tweak Your Biz Title Generator and Fat Joe’s Blog Title Generator that will help you create a powerful blog title.
STEP 4: Develop a Blog Outline
It is now time to start diving into the heart of your blog post by creating a blog outline.
Some may question why an outline is needed, rather than just getting on with writing it…
Well, firstly a blog outline is going to help you ensure that you cover all the information you need within your blog. It will also help you check that each section is well placed and the article flows before you start writing.
Ultimately, although creating a blog outline is time-consuming it is likely to help you create a better-finished blog article and save you considerable editing time at the end of the process.
Your outline can be as detailed as you like. Start by creating your blog sections/subtitles. Underneath each create some bullet points covering the information you are going to give in each section.
A well-structured blog outline is a thing of beauty and makes writing blogs a much more enjoyable experience.
STEP 5: Nail Your Introduction
Although your title is the ‘big sell’ for your blog, your introduction is arguably just as important in convincing readers to invest their time in digesting your content.
Use your introduction to convince your reader of three key things:
Why the subject of the blog is worth learning about
Why the information you provide is trustworthy
Exactly what they will learn by reading the blog
Injecting some personality and humour into your intro can also help you convince readers that continuing to read will be a fun and worthwhile experience.
TIP: It is a personal preference when you write your intro. Personally, I like to write my intro after I have written the main body of my content as I know exactly what I have covered.
STEP 6: Write Your Copy
Finally….it’s time to write the main body copy of your blog.
There is little to say here in terms of the process other than to follow your outline. However, here are some tips on making your blog post easy to follow and digest:
Make it personal (use personal anecdotes and real-life examples)
Keep paragraphs short (4-5 lines max)
Break up text regularly with subheadings
Use authoritative sources
Back up points with reliable stats
STEP 7: Add Visual Elements
A lot of text can put a strain on the reader's eyes. So, it is beneficial to include some images throughout your content (plus it can also help improve SEO when you use alt text correctly).
Take time to find images and videos that actually add value to your content. This may be to illustrate a point or add further context. For this reason, it is best to avoid stock imagery where possible, instead opt for screenshots, diagrams or photos that are specific to the information you are sharing. You may also want to use a design tool to help you create on-brand images which really stand out on your page.
Here we have a beautiful, but entirely irrelevant image of a horse that adds no value to this article - don't do this!
As a general rule, 1 image per every 150-200 words is a good rule to follow. Although this will vary widely based on the subject you are writing a blog post about.
BONUS: Consider Outsourcing Blog Content
Earlier in this guide, we made a valuable point - that poorly managed and populated blogs can have a detrimental impact on how website visitors view your brand. For this reason, it can be well worth working with a content writer or content agency to ensure your blog is consistently updated with high-value content.
This doesn't mean you can't create your own content, but it does mean that when things inevitably get busy with other business areas your blog doesn't suffer as a result. This approach also allows you to tap into creative talent. Providing your business with new ideas and insight into what to write about and the best ways to communicate that information.
If you want to find out how this might work for your business, we recommend reaching out to our content partner Owain at MAKE IT MANA (owain@makeitmana.com) and he will be happy to help.
Writing Killer Blog Posts: Summary
It is clear that great blog content is great for business. Yet it can take some time and effort to produce the type of content that really appeals to and engages your target audience. Follow the steps we have outlined in this guide to make your blog the go-to place for your customers and start reaping the rewards.
TIP: With so much effort going into creating your blog content, you will want to get as much benefit from it as possible. Read our guide to repurposing your blog content for maximum results.
FAQ
Q: Why are blogs important for business?
Q: What steps are involved in creating great blog content?
Q: Should I outsource my blog content?