Writing for the web is different than any other format. For that reason it’s important you adhere to a set of guidelines that will make your work that much more readable.
Failing to use the guidelines below will only result in a blog post that does nothing for your business. Ignore them at your own peril.
Below we highlight a workable structure you should use for your blog posts, so you can get the most engagement possible.
1. Hook Your Readers
The beginning of your post is the hook. It’s the first thing people are going to read and it needs to be good enough that it makes readers want to continue reading the entirety of your post.
You need to speak to the benefit your reader will receive from reading your post. You’ll need to be able to answer the question: what’s in it for them?
2. Break It Up With Subheadings
So what’s a subheading? It’s that little headline right above you. Subheadings allow your readers to scan the content to see if it’s worth diving into.
Online readers typically scan the entire post first before deciding if it’s worth their time. By using subheadings you’ll be able to tell your readers what your post is about, and break up your content so it’s easier to read and digest.
3. Include Plenty of Links
Now, you don’t have to include links in your post, but it’s always a good idea. If you’re linking to other pieces of content, then those links will help your readers stay on your site longer. While, if you link out to other authoritative sources, you’re letting the search engines know your site is of similar quality.
Plus, links provide a solid user experience. It allows your readers to dive deeper into the topic that what your blog post might provide. If you’re quoting an authority or including a statistic in your post, then it’s important that you link out to them as well.
4. Use Images Where Necessary
Images will help to break up your content and offer visual cues to your readers about your content. Like subheadings, images will help to give your post space and create a better user experience.
You can either create charts or graphs that will help to further explain your content, or you can choose images that have a similar aesthetic of your post. But, whatever you do make sure you don’t use low-quality images.
If you can’t take the images yourself there are dozens of free sources for high-quality stock photos.
5. Wrap It Up With a CTA
The conclusion is one of the most important aspects of your post. Hopefully, you’ve done everything else right so your readers will actually make it to the end. If they do make it to the end that means they really enjoyed your post and you have the opportunity to take this relationship ever further.
This is where your call-to-action comes into play. What one action do you want your readers to take once they’ve finished your post? Subscribe to your email list? Share on social media? Engage with you in the comments section?
Propose one action for your readers to take and make the request following the end of your post.
Think of the above elements as the underlying structure that’ll power your blog post. By including the above elements you’ll make your posts much more readable and become a powerful asset for your company.
If you’re interested in transforming your existing content strategy to help you rank and get more leads for your business, then reach out to our team today.
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