How to Write a Killer Blog Post
Blogging has become extremely popular over the years and it can be overwhelming to know what to do, how to reach more people, what to say to draw people in or if you’re even saying the right thing. I get it girl, I have been there!
In this post I am giving you some of my valuable tips + tricks on how to write a killer blog post. Say hello to more engagement, more reach and more traffic to the content you work so hard to produce.
There’s no doubt that we are living in a social media based world with so many incredible online opportunities. I have personally been blogging for about 4 years now, but it’s only been in the last year or so that I stepped up my game, started doing more research and took blogging seriously. It started out as a fun little hobby and a place where I could express my thoughts + feelings in a creative way, but as time went on I really grew a passion and found my niche in the health + wellness realm. 2020 is the year I started actually paying for my own site, received my domain and have experienced so many amazing opportunities since doing so.
I totally understand what it is like to feel overwhelmed when you start your own blog. There are about a million different thoughts and feelings running through your mind and body… “What if no one clicks on my post?”
“Should I even publish it?”
“She wrote something way better than anything I could ever write.”
Girl! Stop listening and giving into those negative + harmful narratives and start believing in yourself. It is extremely easy to compare yourself in this online world, I can be guilty of it, and sometimes I need to take the advice I just gave you. Something I always come back to when comparison creeps in, is actually something my sweet husband told me. While all of those questions run wild in my mind, he tells me even though other people have amazing ideas, no one is ever going to be you and no one could ever produce the EXACT same content as you because you are unique and have your own ideas. I think this is such an important reminder that we all bring something special and different to the table. Instead of worrying about someone doing something “better” let’s celebrate them and celebrate that we have beautiful things to share with the world too.
I truthfully think blogging is extremely underrated and whole heartedly believe that people should have their work shown to a larger audience. In this post I want to give you the full rundown on how to write a killer blog post. My hope is to help you + inspire you to stop letting fear hold you back, so that you can produce the best possible content!
Alright! Beautiful souls, I’m going to be breaking down this blog post into 6 different categories and sharing my tips on how to write the BEST blog post ever.
NUMBER 1: Title is EVERYTHING.
This is definitely one I have learned over the years, and still sometimes struggle to implement into my content today. Truly, your title is everything. That one phrase is the very thing that is the make or break to your blog post. Your title is the first thing your audience is going to see when they look at your post. You want to make a good impression with your title, so I highly recommend you make big, bold statements that will drive more traffic your way.
Let’s look at a few different examples and compare:
Cookie dough
The BEST cookie dough you’ll ever eat (gluten free & dairy free)
Growing your instagram following
Learn my top 3 tips to doubling your instagram following
First off, we have a recipe post. The first title is pretty average and just explains what the recipe is. It’s okay but it’s not something I would instantly click on. However, the second title gives us a little more of an idea about what we are going to be baking. Using a phrase with your recipes like “the BEST” is instantly going to draw your audience in. Not only is this title more captivating, it’s also telling me that it is gluten and dairy free. For me this is a big yes because I have a dairy intolerance, so I am much more likely to click on this because I know I can eat it. Know your audience!
Secondly, we have a social media growth post. Again, we see that the first title is explaining what the post is going to be about but we don’t really get much more from it. The second title gives your audience an incentive. It clearly states 3 different tips that someone has used and has worked to double their instagram following. People are drawn in when you can give them something… we will discuss that a little more in a category to come.
Do you see how the title of your blog can have such a large impact on how much traffic you drive to your site? You want to give a good first impression, so make the title of your blog posts captivating!
NUMBER 2: Open with an engaging paragraph.
Alright, you have captured your audience with your incredible title, now what?
The very next thing you want to focus on is your opening paragraph. You need to make this part of the post engaging, yet short, sweet and to the point. People don’t want a massive ramble, they want to read about the topic they clicked on your site for. Give them a little more depth of what to expect from the post, while still adding little touches of you in there. Let me give you an example…
“Okay. I’m going to be completely honest with you… I never used to like thrift shopping. Crazy, I know! The thought of going through unorganized clothes and sizes overwhelmed me and I often set myself up for failure before I even began. Can you relate girl?
Thrifting is an art and I truly believe anyone can do it and do it well, you just need the right tools to set yourself up for success and I am here to give them to you!”
This is a post I wrote over the summer about thrift shopping. I made this opening sentence relatable. People loooooove relatable, especially when it’s something they feel alone in and let’s be real, thrifting can definitely be one of those things. I also added a question. I personally like to approach my writing as if we are all best friends. Adding questions gets your audience engaged. I truly do care about my community and want them to feel comfortable + welcome to come back to my little corner of the internet. I’ve closed the statement by telling them exactly what they are going to get from this post — My tips on how to thrift shop.
NUMBER 3: Structure matters.
I’m going to keep this point of the post short and sweet. I almost wasn’t going to add it in because each blog post can vary in length depending on what you’re writing about.
The way I structure my blog posts is kind of how I used to structure my essays in high school.
A gripping title.
An engaging opening paragraph explaining what your audience can expect.
The body of your blog post is where all the details comes out and you get to offer your experiences, write your recipe and share your knowledge etc. The body is important and you want to find a sweet spot with your word count. You want your audience to be engaged the whole time they are reading your post. I find around the 2,000 word mark is usually my limit unless I’m writing about a story or experience that I’ve been through, then it’s usually a little longer. Or when I’m posting my recipes, I keep them on the shorter side with a shorter introduction, a little nutrition info, the recipe and the conclusion. There is nothing worse than finding a recipe you want to make on Pinterest but you have to scroll through so much writing to actually get to the post. I’m not here for that, so I’m assuming my readers aren’t either. They want to bake or cook and enjoy the food. Apart from those two kinds of blog posts, I will always stick to or aim for around 2,000 words. Don’t be scared to connect with your community! Find what they like, what they want to read and what they want to see from you.
Wrap it up well. Give your concluding statements and leave your audience with a question to answer in the comments section of your post. This not only gets the reader engaged, but it’s another way you are building that personal relationship.
NUMBER 4: Take good pictures.
We all know people love a good visual, at least I know I do. When I look at an advertisement of a post, I also look straight at the photo that goes along with it. I took a photography course back when I was 20 years old and learned a lot of different + helpful tips and tricks when it comes to angles, lighting and placement. But don’t stress, we have such advanced technology now-a-days that you can pretty much make any photo look incredible.
Everyone is going to have their own personal preference when it come to photography and what they like, but for the sake of explaining and giving examples, I’m going to run you through what I like and what apps I use to edit my photos for FREE.
The first thing that captures my eye when I look at a photo should be your main product, person or kitchen creation. You can either have your subject or object centered OR you can play with the rule of thirds. There is a particular setting on the iPhone that has the option for a grid to come up in your settings. You want to work from the center square and use each corner from that center square as your guide when you are playing with the rule of thirds.
You also want bright photos. If I am seeing a visual of a dark photo, it is an instant no, no for me. (like I said everyone has their own style, but I truly don’t think you can go wrong with bright photos. Just be sure you don’t over expose because there is such a thing as too bright when it comes to photography).
The two photo editing apps I use + swear by are:
- The mobile light room app
- VSCO.
You can download both of these for free and play around with their pre-made filters, exposure, contrast, saturation etc. It’s important to try keep a nice flow and consistency with any social platform feeds. I encourage you to play around with different photos, see what you like, what style fits your aesthetic and go for it girl.
Last piece of advice for the picture section: Please don’t feel like you need to go out and buy a $500 camera just to get good quality photos. I used to have a nice camera but sold it when I moved to the States and now I just use my iPhone. I’m hoping to upgrade soon but for now it’s okay to make do with what I’ve got. I just want you to know that not everyone has the latest and greatest technology. You truly can make images look beautiful with the bare minimum.
NUMBER 5: Add in a freebee.
I don’t know who doesn’t love a freebee. This is a perfect incentive for people to click onto your post, just ensure you add in the title that you have something more you are offering than just the blog post you are sharing. Here is an example:
A step by step guide on how to set goals you will actually achieve + a free printable PDF to help you keep on track.
Instead of just writing: “goals” as your title, you are getting your audience engaged by explaining that you are giving them a guide on how to set goals and you are giving them something FREE to tangibly help them achieve their goals and stay on track.
You don’t need to give freebees with every single blog post, but I have found that when I create something a little extra it really boosts my traffic and drives more people to my site. Your freebees don’t have to be big or take too much time to create. It can be as simple as a little PDF. One of my recent freebees was a printable outline of a shopping list that people can use. Think smarter, not harder.
NUMBER 6: Promote, promote, promote.
This step is crucial for your engagement and for your traffic. All bloggers start out small and getting views can seem like such a slow process when you only drive a few people to your site, majority of those being supportive family members. Girl, we have all been there. In order to create more reach you need to be diligent in how you promote your posts. Use your other social media platforms to drive traffic to your blog. I mainly use Pinterest and Instagram… and Facebook occasionally.
In 1 month I went from 34k unique monthly views on Pinterest to 170k unique monthly views. That’s a big jump. I did it by creating pins, using key words and promoting my blog through another platform. Once you have hit the Pinterest algorithm, you are pretty set. As Jenna Kutcher would say… Pinterest is a traffic driver and is specifically used and designed to get you to click on other sites. Instagram on the other hand isn’t designed to do that.
I will post my photo and advertise new posts through Instagram, but I get most of my engagement and traffic through Pinterest right now.
Don’t get me wrong, I am still over here trying my best to grow my blog and personal brand just like you are but I wanted to take the time to really break down these tips + tricks I have learned along the way, in the hopes that it will empower you to go after what you want, start your blogging journey or apply a few of these tips to get some more engagement.
There is so much to learn in this world of blogging but I truly hope you have found this post helpful + informative. I’d love to connect, talk with you and share more about blogging and this journey as a whole. Always feel free to reach out to me.
With love,
Bethany
You can find Bethany’s personal blog and more amazing content at Let’s Flourish Lovely!
