6 Simple Steps To Rock Your Next Blog Post

Blogging is a way to establish your brand and educate potential customers online. Here are some tips to help with writing a good blog post:

1. Choose a topic

Decide on a topic that you are passionate and educated about. You want your readers to be enticed and informed. Also, it’s best not to select a topic that has been recently discussed on your blog. The goal of a blog is to keep the readers updated on what is going on in your business and industry. Give them something new and educational to read when they visit your blog; become a resource and build credibility for your business.

2. Build an outline

Once you have selected a topic for your post, decide what your main points are. I find that it works well to bullet out your key points. Start by choosing 3 to 5 main points and then expand on each. For example, if I were writing a blog post on ‘3 Ways to Market your Business’, I would list online, in person, and direct mail as my main points and then briefly note ways to use each method. Using an outline will help you to stay on track and guide you through writing your post.

3. Write your post

After you have successfully created an outline, use that outline to draft your post. Reference each point as a guideline for the flow of your post. Start with a few lines that explain to the reader what they will learn from your post. Try and be as enticing as possible with your opening. If they are hooked by the first few sentences, they are likely to read the entire post. Once you capture their attention, remember you won’t have it for long; keep your blog content 300 to 600 words at the most.

4. Choose a title

Your title should not only tell your audience what they will be reading, but engage them and use search friendly words to do so. Grabbing the reader’s attention with your title is the only way to get them to read your post. You might find that writing the blog post will help to inspire the process.

5. Choose a photo

Today’s consumer is visually driven. You need to have a photo that will grab your potential customer’s attention. Be creative and think outside the box. This means that the photo you choose does not always have to relate directly to your topic. Think about your target audience and what they are interested in. For example, if I were writing a blog post about marketing events online, I might use a photo of balloons. Balloons are a classic representation of a party which can be a fun and enticing way of illustrating an event. Your picture will encourage or discourage a click through, so make it a good one.

6. Share your post

Make it a habit to share your blog posts on your company’s social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Linked In. Search for forums where others go to share and read blog posts and join in. StumbleUpon, Delicious, and Reddit are examples of tools that you can use to promote your blog posts. Be active in sharing your blog, don’t keep it a secret.

Blogging is a great way to tell your potential customers who your company is and what you can do for them. Choose a topic, outline your post, and get writing. Spend time on choosing your title and an eye-catching photo. And when you’re finished, let the world know! The more you amplify your blog post by getting it out on different places on the internet, the more chance your prospects will find it.