How to Write an Irresistible Read-Worthy Blog

In all honesty, this is a bit of a scary blog to write, as it’s all about… well, writing a great blog! As I sit down to write any blog, I often think about all of the things that could go wrong. What if this blog isn't educational enough? What if the readers don't find this subject interesting? WHAT IF NO ONE READS ANYTHING I WRITE? But, I recently had an “aha moment.” Other bloggers have to be dealing with the same fears I have throughout my own blog writing process. Cue, “How to Write an Irresistible Blog.” Hopefully, with the tips and tricks I offer in this post, other bloggers will have a less fearful writing experience in the future. Whether you’ve been blogging for years or just caught the desire to start, I’m here to help you refine your blog writing skills and develop compelling content for your audience! ​

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​Step One: Choose an Important Topic
What do you specialize in? What questions do your peers and other professionals ask you? These topics are what your blogs should be covering! Every blog you write should provide an answer to a question your audience is asking. Think about your target audience and determine their biggest pain points that are associated with your specialty. Your goal should be to help them solve these pain points through your expertise.

Step Two: Create a Compelling Headline
The headline provides the reader with a first impression of your blog. I recommend that you develop your headline before you even start writing the blog content, as it will provide a main purpose to always keep the subject matter top of mind. If at any point you question the paragraph you're writing, it’s helpful to check back in with your headline to make sure the content fits. Another hot tip to developing the best headline is to create anywhere between 5-10 rough drafts before picking a final title. I tend to handpick words out of my rough draft headlines to create the best final headline. A great free headline analyzer tool to use for determining if you have a winning headline is http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/index.htm.

When developing the title of your blog, always remember the “Three C’s.”
1.) Correct: Every blog title needs to accurately represent the content inside.
2.) Compelling: Give the viewer a reason to continue reading!
3.) Concise: Keep it short but strong, no distracting fluff necessary.

Bonus Tip: Once your final headline is chosen, it’s time to develop an outline of what the rest of your blog could look like. This outline would include subheadings with important information that applies to each. Remember, everything must align with the main heading, your “North Star” during the blog writing process!

Step Three: Hook your Reader with the Introduction
If the headline is the reader’s first impression, than the introduction is their second glance. They’re interested, but not sold quite yet. Remember to write in a voice that you would want to be reading. While blogs are oftentimes educational, no one will complain if a little entertainment, humor or playfulness is woven throughout. Your goal for the introduction should be to hook to the reader while also providing a purpose to keep reading. The best way to provide a purpose is by exposing the fears or desires of your reader, and hinting towards the solution being provided in the rest of your blog.

Remember, the two main purposes of your introduction are to delight while also giving the reader a reason to continue reading.

Step Four: Make It Easy!
Blog content shouldn't be difficult to digest. After the introduction, be sure to give the reader everything they could need to move forward in a positive direction! While many bloggers are concerned about providing too much free educational content, being generous with your knowledge exposes your expertise, gives the reader a reason to trust you and sets the stage for them to continue reading your blogs.

Keep in mind that different content may require different blog layouts. For some issues that require more in depth explanation, the best delivery may be through short paragraphs. While more straight forward blogs can be delivered effectively through lists or bullet points. Virtually everyone loves list blogs so keep that in mind.

Including subheadings is of the utmost importance. Why? Because, we can’t help but scan! Subheadings provide a roadmap for the reader where they are able to see all of the pit stops they are about to make on this journey through the blog.

Step Five: End with Encouragement and a Call to Action
Along with the previous four steps, having a strong conclusion is one of the keys to a successful blog. Without providing a final call to action and also encouragement to your reader, they will be lacking a takeaway they so desperately desire. Give your reader the gift of an actionable conclusion!

Final Tips While Editing your Blog
Once you have followed each of the five steps above and developed a draft of your blog, utilize the editing tips below to make sure your content is as compelling as possible. This is your last opportunity to strengthen your blog before sharing it with your audience! Good luck!
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1. Always encourage! No one wants to read through a lecture.
2. Be emotional and personal. You're a person not a robot! By incorporating personal stories, your blog will be more relatable and entertaining.
3. Dumb complexities down. Your readers want to feel as though they are learning from your blog! If you have any complex terms or ideas, make sure to explain them so your reader does not feel excluded.
4. Add additional transitions if necessary. While you are reading through your blog, keep an eye out for any sudden change of topics or recommendations. This could be a great opportunity to utilize a subheading that will help guide your reader.
5. Don’t be afraid to utilize lists or bullet points. Sometimes long paragraphs get boring. If bullet points or numbered lists would make your content more digestible, use them!
6. Beef up your language. As you proofread your blog, let thesaurus.com be your best friend. Instead of utilizing words such as “nice” switch them out for bold vocabulary like, “Fantastic, outgoing, kindhearted,” or “genuine.”
7. Use great imagery. A great image or set of images can separate your blog from the competition and make it a more pleasurable and visual read.
8. Always be true to yourself, and your reader. The Internet is smart. Be sure to only write about topics you are educated in and always be honest during the writing process. I’ve learned that blog writing has not only given me the ability to educate others about my specialties, but also to educate myself in areas I would like to grow in. Let blog writing be a learning experience for both yourself and your reader.

Want to learn more about how to create compelling content? Contact us, we can help.