This article is a quick guide to blog post fundamentals. It’s intended especially for those who don’t have much experience in writing blog posts and need a few tips on how to get started.
How to Write a Eye Catching Blog Post
In this article, I’ll show you how to write an eye catching blog post that people will actually want to read in simple steps. I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t have the time or resources to maintain a blog.” But with a little planning, writing a blog post doesn’t have to be an insurmountable challenge. Here’s how it’s done.
Write a headline that's clear and compelling.
Once you know what kind of content you’re putting out, it’s time to write a headline that’s clear and compelling.
The ability to write great headlines is important for both your SEO and reader engagement. A good headline makes people want to click; a bad headline can cause your post to get lost in the crowd.
When crafting a title for your eye catching blog post, ask yourself: Would I click on this if I were scrolling through Twitter or Facebook? Be honest; there’s no shame in starting over. Headlines should be short (under 60 characters) and contain keywords if possible. Plus they should accurately reflect what the post is about so readers aren’t disappointed when they click through.
For example, “How To Make Your Own Snack Mix” is better than “Don’t Spend Your Whole Paycheck at Trader Joe’s.” Both posts might be about making snack mix with pantry ingredients, but one sounds like it would be more fun to read than the other—and that’s really what we’re after here.
Keep your introduction short and powerful.
First things first: you need to introduce your topic in a concise way. The introduction is where you state the blog post’s purpose and set up the structure of your argument. It’s best to keep it short—just one or two sentences should do the trick. A good way to think about it is like this: if someone were to ask you, “What’s this eye catching blog post about?” How would you answer? That’s essentially what your introduction should provide in terms of content, and doing so will help establish a clear thesis early on.
Use subheadings to organize the rest of your post.
Subheadings are the next most important element after your headline.
They help to create structure and organization within your post, making it easier for readers to scan and navigate (which is especially important because many people will be reading your post on mobile). They also help with SEO by giving search engines an overview of the topic of your content. Lastly, they allow you to subtly guide readers towards key calls to action you want them to take throughout your piece (more on those later).
Subheadings can be any length, but I generally don’t like to make them longer than a few words. You can use H2, H3 or H4 tags for subheading formats. Again, stick with one type for all the subheadings in a single post so that it looks visually consistent.
Blog Post Layout
The best blog posts have the following layout:
- Introduction
- Content (sub-headings)
- Conclusion
Each of these sections should act as a pillar in the post, supporting it and keeping it strong. You definitely don’t have to have a three-pillar structure, but it’s really helpful for your readers. It also makes your eye catching blog post much stronger as you tie everything together at the end.
Add an eye-catching visual, like a photo or infographic.
Use an eye-catching visual.
That’s right — you get to be lazy and put someone else’s work in your post. But it will pay off big time. Visual content is more engaging and more likely to be shared by readers. They are also great for breaking up text and adding dimension to a post.
Some tips:
Find high-quality, relevant visuals so they don’t turn readers off or distract from the message of your post (bonus points if you create them yourself).
Optimize images for search engines by naming them descriptively and using alt tags. A simple “puppies.jpg” does not tell the reader anything about what the image contains, which means it probably won’t show up in image search results. On the other hand, “black-labrador-retriever-playing-tennis-ball.jpg” describes exactly what the photo shows and what keyword phrases people might use when searching for that image in Google Images search (click here for more on how to optimize images for SEO).
Include visual cues within your copy so readers know exactly where to look (more on this below).
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Put together an SEO-friendly URL.
URL creation is one of the most essential SEO tasks. It’s not enough to just have a URL, you need an SEO-friendly one. An SEO-friendly URL is:
- Descriptive: Tells both search engines and users what your page is about
- Short: Makes it easier for people to copy and paste or share on social media
- Keyword Focused: Contains keywords related to the post
Where to place ads
Where should those ads go? It depends on the type of ad and the placement strategy you want to use. For example, if you are placing search ads in the header of your website or sidebar (like our banner below), they could provide additional ways for readers to find what they need on your site or blog (or elsewhere). If your goal is sponsored content or product reviews, however, they need to be integrated into the body text in order to appear natural and relevant (and not too promotional).
Make sure you proofread before you hit publish!
Here are some tips for proofreading your own work:
- Check for spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and any typos that may have slipped past you.
- Be sure you have cited sources or quotations you used in your post.
- Double check that your formatting looks right on all devices, including mobile phones and tablets.
- Check the heading and subheadings for accuracy and readability.
Writing great blog posts is easier than you think!
Writing a eye catching blog post is a little like driving; you can read the highway code (or take lessons) for months, but nothing can prepare you for getting behind the wheel and hitting the open road.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to write a great blog post that will wow your audience and rocket your content up the search rankings. Let’s go!