It’s become a no-brainer that the digital marketplace has birthed the need for quality content. But where do you begin creating “quality content?” How should it be structured?
Above all, you want your blog posts to leave a good impression! A well-structured blog shows the reader that you know what you want to say, and how to say it. This builds trust in consumers. People rarely want to buy from places that can’t clearly explain what they do. In a study conducted by Edelman (a renowned marketing and PR firm), 81% of consumers reported that they need to trust the brand to feel comfortable buying from them.
What type of article do you want to write?
Before you begin writing, it’s best to know what type of article you intend to write. The type of article you write plays a huge role in determining how you structure a blog post.
Different types of articles include:
- List article: A list article often consists of a list of points (e.g. “Top ten sushi bars in Sydney”).
- “How to” or tutorial: This type of article involves a series of steps. It’s usually written with the intention of creating a procedure people can readily follow (e.g. “How to permanently delete Facebook”).
- Guide: Guide articles are often about big ideas. They consist of subtopics that belong to the main topic (e.g. “The complete guide to marketing for tradies”).
- Product comparison article: This type of article typically consists of a list of products, with a description of pros and cons under each (e.g. “Mac vs PC: The pros and cons of both”).
- Expert roundup: Expert round-up articles often include a list of experts, with a few paragraphs of advice from each (e.g. “Why scheduling quiet time is important: Expert psychologists weigh in”).
As you become more comfortable with writing blog posts, you can blend different types of articles into one. For instance, you could write a blog post titled “Everything you need to know about effective time management for remote working.” In it, you might include a guide that collates different aspects of effective time management for remote working. But you could also embed a list article (e.g. “Best habits for productive remote working”) and/or an expert round-up of organisational psychologists offering their input.
The title is one of the first things people see
Attention-grabbing titles that encapsulate what the blog post is about are the best kind. Don’t succumb to clickbait. Readers expect blog posts to deliver on what the title suggests it’s about. They’ll quickly lose faith if it doesn’t.
It’s best to include these variables when creating a blog post title:
- keyword – what your target audience would search about to your business (e.g. “probiotic benefits” for a company selling kombucha)
- inclusive language (e.g. we, our, etc), and/or second person imperatives (e.g. “Why you should outsource copywriters”)
- superlative (e.g. best, easiest, fastest).
Marrying these variables, while keeping it as succinct as possible is the best recipe to a winning title.
Reel people in with the introduction
The introduction is like an executive summary of what the blog post is about. It should hook the target audience, telling them why they should keep reading this blog post.
Before you begin writing, identify the pain points of your target audience. What are the problems your readers are facing? What are you providing to help solve these problems? Agitate the problem by creating a vivid picture of their predicament. Then signify you have a solution they’ll become privy to by reading the rest of the blog post.
The body is the meat of the blog post
The main body should be a logical sequence of points that deconstruct the topic while being relevant and engaging for readers.
Key elements in formatting structure include:
- bullet points
- numbered lists
- headings (H2, H3, etc)
- images
- white space.
When writing a blog post, make the reader feel like you’re chatting with them – pose questions, invite them to consider, and insert a few humorous anecdotes here and there. Blog writing is a delicate balance between being informative and engaging. So, make sure to also include some eye-catching facts and statistics to support your claims.
Write a conclusion – no one likes being left hanging
A conclusion wraps up the article by reiterating or reaffirming the main point of the article. A blog without a conclusion feels jarring. Imagine if you’re speaking to someone, and mid-conversation they abruptly walk away without saying goodbye. Pretty rude, right? Blog writing is a virtual conversation with the reader. So, remember your social etiquette when structuring blog posts. A conclusion only needs to be one or two sentences that flow into the “call to action.”
Don’t forget the “call to action”
What do you want people to do after reading your blog post? The call to action is the underlying reason a blog post is created in the first place. So, forgetting this section is a huge mistake.
An effective blog post structure helps you create content that converts visitors into loyal supporters. So, think about what you want to say and how you want to say it every time you write a blog post.
Need more clarification on how to structure blog posts? No worries. At Elite Words, we can create a great structure from scratch, or help you edit your pre-existing structure to perfection.
Contact us today. We’re here to help.
