So you have taken step one and created a blog. Welcome to this new creative endeavor! After you have the logistics of starting a blog squared away comes the fun part, creating quality content. Step one to drawing in followers is sharing something worth reading. Typically the more engaging posts you create, the more engaged readers you will attract.
Creating quality content from the beginning pays dividends in the long run. If you put in the effort to make each blog post excellent with your best foot forward, you will be off to a strong start. It may seem overwhelming, but following a few similar guidelines for every post will keep you on the right track while giving you freedom to try new things. Be smart, be creative, be you!
Use a Catchy Title
The title of your blog post will usually determine whether someone clicks on your blog post to read or scrolls right past it. That is a lot of power within a few words! My trick is to come up with a catchy title after writing a post. I generally have an idea of what the post will be about, but waiting until the end gives you more context and keywords. Try basing your title off of something that is searchable and will provide relevant resources. For example, How to Create an Excellent Blog Post is much more likely to be searched and found in comparison to Quality Blog Posts.
Ask yourself these questions: What are the key phrases in my blog post? Would a follower take time to read this post based on the title? How can I make it more searchable or relevant?
Define a Purpose
I have written plenty of blog posts in my day that could be considered ramblings or life updates. There is nothing wrong with these posts, especially if that is the niche you are going for, but most followers are looking for well crafted posts that have a purpose. Think through the focus of each post and ensure that your readers don't leave confused about or questioning what they just read.
Ask yourself these questions: What is the big takeaway? What do I want my followers to learn or think on? Have I expressed my main reason for writing this post?
Be an Expert
In this age of technology, anyone and everyone can consider themselves experts on countless topics. As a blogger, it is important to establish rapport and credibility among your followers within each and every post. You will develop confidence when you write authentically in your own voice and share from personal experience.
Ask yourself these questions: Why should someone trust me on this blog post topic? What experiences can I draw from that make this post or point of view unique? Do my followers trust me?
Add Additional Resources
As I just mentioned, drawing from your personal experiences helps you gain credibility and authenticity as a blogger. That being said, it is also beneficial to include helpful resources in blog posts. Give credits where credit is due and refer your followers to places where you were originally inspired. Another way to provide additional resources is through linking within your blog. Once you have established quality content, include relevant links to other blog posts with your new posts. This will allow followers to fall in love with you even more and go deeper into your blog.
Ask yourself these questions: Are there outside resources I should cite or share with my followers pertaining to this blog post? Have I written a similar post in the past that I could link to in this post?
Start a Conversation
Engagement is at the heart of lifestyle blogs. I would much prefer a small following of people who are regularly engaged compared to a huge following that could care less about what I share. At the end of your blog post, start a conversation with your readers and encourage them to engage with your content. This may be asking questions at the end of a post to begin a dialogue, it may be encouraging followers to pin an image on Pinterest or it may be having an easy commenting mechanism to promote interaction. You can choose what works best for your blog and each post, but starting and continuing a conversation will set you up for publishing an excellent blog post.
Ask yourself these questions: How can readers interact with my content? What would an ideal, active community look like for my blog? How can I encourage more engagement within each post?
What area is hardest for you in creating an excellent blog post?
Where are your strengths in writing blog posts?
Labels: blogging
