How to Write an Irresistible Blog Post
Everyone knows that a great blog post can encourage customers to buy a product, sign up for a service, or simply keep coming back for more.
But what makes a blog post “great?” In this post, we’ll explore some of the elements that go into writing an irresistible blog post – one that will keep your readers coming back for more.
Write a Catchy Headline
Your headline is often the first thing readers will see, so it’s important to make a good impression.
An effective headline should be attention-grabbing and relevant to the content of your post. A headline that’s too long or irrelevant will only turn readers away.
So take some time to craft a headline that accurately reflects the content of your post while still being interesting enough to stop scrolling users in their tracks.
Know Your Audience
The first step to writing an irresistible blog post is to know your audience. Who are you writing for? What are their needs and wants? Once you understand your audience, you can begin to craft content that appeals to them. When you know who you’re talking to, it’s easier to find the right tone and approach.
If you’re not sure who your target audience is, take some time to consider who would be interested in reading your blog. Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can begin to tailor your content to them.
Search Engine Keywords
If you want your blog post to be found by search engines, you’ll need to consider keywords. Keyword research can help you identify the terms and phrases your audience is searching for.
Once you know what keywords to target, you can incorporate them throughout your post – in the headline, in the body copy, and in the tags and metadata.
Keep in mind, however, that keywords should never come at the expense of quality content. Stuffing your post with keywords will only serve to turn readers away. Instead, focus on writing quality content and incorporating keywords naturally.
To find keywords see our Keyword Research Services post.
Blog Post Metadata
In order to ensure that your blog post appears as one of the top search results, you need to include metadata. Metadata is additional information about your content that helps identify it for readers and search engines. This data usually includes the title, author, date published, etc. and can be found in the “head” section of your blog post.
If you’re using WordPress, you can use a plugin such as Yoast or RankMath to optimise your blog posts. These plugins will help you to add the correct metadata to your blog posts and ensure that they are optimised for search engines.
Including metadata in your blog post is a crucial step in making sure it is irresistible to readers.
Have a Consistent Blog Theme
Your blog should have a consistent theme running through all of your posts. This could be anything from product reviews to tips and tricks in your industry.
Having a consistent topic or subject matter will not only make your blog more appealing but will also give readers a reason to keep coming back. After all, they’ll know that they can always expect quality content on the topics they’re interested in.
Not sure what theme to choose for your blog? Take a look at other blogs in your industry and see what’s missing. Is there a particular niche you could fill? Find your niche and run with it.
Avoid Duplicated Content
If you’re writing a blog post, chances are there’s already a lot of content out there on the same topic. So how do you make sure your post stands out from the rest?
For starters, avoid duplicating other people’s content. Not only is this considered plagiarism, but it will also get you penalized by search engines. If you want your post to rank well, you’ll need to create original content.
To avoid duplicating existing content, take some time to research your topic. Read other blog posts, articles, and even books on the same subject. Once you have a good understanding of the existing content, you can begin to craft your own unique take on the topic.
In addition to being original, your content should also be relevant and useful to your audience. No one wants to read a post that’s full of fluff and filler – they want quality information that’s going to help them in some way. So make sure your content is worth reading before you hit publish.
What Do You Want to Achieve?
Every piece of content should have a purpose. What do you want your readers to do after they finish reading your post? Do you want them to buy something, sign up for a service, or simply learn more about a topic? Keep your goal in mind as you write, and make sure every element of your post supports that goal.
If you’re not sure what you want to achieve with your blog post, take some time to consider what would be most beneficial for your business. Once you have a clear goal in mind, you can begin to craft content that supports it.
Keep It Focused
When it comes to blogging, less is often more. Trying to cover too many topics in one post will only confuse and frustrate your readers. Instead, pick one main topic and stick to it. This will help you stay on track and keep your readers engaged.
If you find yourself straying off-topic, consider breaking your post into multiple parts. This way, you can cover all the ground you want without overwhelming your readers.
Use Interesting Images
Including images in your blog posts can help break up the text and make your articles more visually appealing.
When choosing images, make sure they’re high-quality and relevant to the subject matter. Infographics are also a great way to add visual interest to your posts while still providing valuable information.
If you want your blog posts to rank higher in search engines and be more accessible to everyone, always remember to include image alt tags. Plus, make sure any images you use are ones that you have the legal right to publish. If you’re unsure about this, there are many websites where you can find free stock photos.
See Unsplash, Pixabay and Pexels for free-to-use images.
Remove Metadata if Using Stock Images
Free image websites are extremely popular, which also means that your images will likely be used by hundreds or even thousands of other sites. To make your blog posts more appealing to Google, you’ll need to remove the hidden metadata from these files.
If you want to upload an image directly from your source, use a WordPress plugin WP Strip Image Metadata to automatically remove any accompanying data. You can also edit the image in Adobe Photoshop or another program.
Including keywords in your image file name also helps improve the optimisation of your blog post.
Break It Up With Headings and Subheadings
By including subheadings in your blog post, you make the content more reader-friendly and easier to understand. Furthermore, if done correctly, subheadings can help readers navigate through your article while also highlighting the most crucial points.
If you’re not sure how to structure your headings and subheadings, take a look at some of your favourite blog posts for inspiration. You can also use an online tool like Hemingway Editor to help you format your headings and subheadings.
Make Your Blog Post Easy to Read
Breaking your blog post up into shorter paragraphs makes it easier for the reader to follow along and understand.
This will not only make it easier for readers to digest your content, but it will also help improve your SEO ranking by making your content more keyword-friendly.
If you’re not sure how to break up your content, try reading your post aloud. If you find yourself gasping for breath, it’s probably time to start a new paragraph
In general, shorter paragraphs (2-4 sentences) are best for blog posts.
Table of Contents
If your blog post is long or complex, consider adding a table of contents. This will help readers navigate through your article and find the information they’re looking for.
A table of contents can also be helpful if you plan on repurposing your blog post into an ebook or PDF. By including a table of contents, you make it easier for readers to jump to the section they’re interested in.
To create a table of contents, simply add headings and subheadings to your blog post as you write. Then, use a WordPress plugin such as Easy TOC to automatically generate a table of contents based on your headings.
If you’re using a theme like Kadence, then you can take advantage of the “Table of Contents” feature within the WordPress block editor.
Write in a Conversational Tone
When writing your blog posts, imagine you’re having a conversation with a friend. Using a conversational tone will make your articles more relatable and easier to read. Avoid using industry jargon or complex sentence structures; instead, opt for simple language that anyone can understand.
If you want your content to be read and enjoyed by the largest audience possible, it is typically recommended that you write at a 6th-grade level. You can use tools like the Hemingway Editor to test if your writing is accessible to a 6th-grade reader.
The best way to ensure your writing sounds conversational is to read it aloud. If it sounds natural, then you’re on the right track. Otherwise, revise your language until it sounds more like how you would speak to a friend.
What is the Take-away?
As you’re writing, always keep in mind what you want your readers to take away from the article.
What do you want them to learn? How can you help them solve a problem? Answering these questions will help ensure that your article is focused and actionable.
If you’re having trouble identifying the main point of your article, try asking yourself what you would want to know if you were in your reader’s shoes. This can help you zero in on the most important information to include.
Write Now and Edit Later
It can be tempting to stop and edit mistakes or redo sentences when you’re on a roll, but resist the urge!
This usually means that you’ll lose your train of thought entirely. Instead, just jot down everything as it comes to you, then worry about making corrections later. You can always go back and revise your article before you hit publish.
If you’re worried about making too many mistakes, try writing in a Word document first. This way, you can edit your article to your heart’s content without affecting the original post.
Proofread Your Work
Before you hit publish, it’s important to proofread your blog post for any typos or grammatical errors. Nothing will turn readers off faster than seeing mistakes in your writing.
If possible, have someone else read over your article as well – they may catch errors that you missed.
Alternatively use tools such as Grammarly.com and Hemingwayapp.com which offer a great way to proofread your blog posts for errors. Both sites will catch grammatical errors, typos, and complex sentence structures.
End With a Call to Action
Once you’ve finished writing your post, take a step back and make sure there’s a clear call to action. What do you want your readers to do after they finish reading?
Do you want them to sign up for a service, buy a product, or simply learn more about a topic? Whatever it is, make sure your call to action is clear, concise, and relevant to the content of your post.
If you’re not sure what call to action would be most effective, try A/B testing different options. This will help you determine which approach is most successful in getting readers to take action.
Final Thoughts
Writing a great blog post doesn’t have to be rocket science – just follow these simple tips and you’ll be well on your way to creating content that’s irresistible to your target audience! Just remember: focus on one main topic, use attention-grabbing visuals, make it easy to read, and most importantly, know who you’re talking to.
With these guidelines in mind, you’ll be able to produce high-quality blog content that will keep your readers coming back for more.
