How to Write a Blog in 10 Simple Steps

If you are reading this, I can safely assume you already know why you should be blogging. There are tons of benefits of blogging such as companies that blog are 13 times more likely to achieve their ROI, 82% of those that blog daily acquired a customer through the blog, 92% inbound links are a direct consequences of blogging (that’s because those blogs were so compelling that people actually wanted to share it) and the list goes on and on and on. But I am not here to tell you why you should blog that you already know or you can find out anywhere else on the internet. I am here to show you how you create a blog post with few simple steps, starting off with few obvious ones.

1. CHOOSE AN ATTENTION GRABBING TOPIC

Choose a compelling topic that has a chance to go viral. This is going to happen only if your article solves a real problem of your target readers. Simple duh…. But how the heck do you know what is going to be compelling or what people are actually looking for. Visit public forums and Q&A sites like Quora and search your primary key words to know what people are looking for.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Your blog will stand out if you produce unique content. How do you handle the challenge of creating a unique content that is never covered before? Simple – visit popular blogs and read the visitors comments to see if there is any question left unanswered. Post a short answer and give a link to a full-length article that you are going to write and post on your blog. Do in-depth keyword research to gain maximum online visibility.

3. CREATE OUTLINE

Create an outline before you begin. This will help you impart a clear direction to your post and get a clear understanding of how you are going to organize your article.

4. WRITE A COMPELLING INTRODUCTION

This should not be more than 3 to 4 sentences. It can be short story, a metaphor or an interesting example that gives a hint to readers about what they can expect from the article. But it should not take the readers off track, instead draws them right into the main theme.

5. PERSONALIZE EXPERIENCE

According to a report by Demand Gen Report, personalized experience can increase sales by as much as 20%. Using personalized experience helps build trust among customers.

6. LINKING OPPORTUNITIES

While writing your article, look for opportunities to link to your service page, previous blog or landing page. At least aim for two internal links per post.

7. END WITH AN EFFECTIVE CONCLUSION

Summaries the entire article with main points in your article and circle back to the story you have started.

8. CREATE A THOUGHT PROVOKING TITLE

Here’s the fact – 8 out of 10 readers are never going to read past your headline. This pretty much explains that you better be exceptional. If nothing works, use this formula: Number + Trigger Word + Adjective + Promise. Keep your headline within 70 characters.

Example – 10 simple steps to write a powerful blog

9. RELEVANT IMAGES

Find or create relevant images. Articles with images get 94% more total views. Avoid image with lot of distractions. One of my favorite source for good photos is Unsplash. You can subscribe with them free of cost.

10. PROOFREAD, PUBLISH AND SHARE

Proofreading, publishing and sharing are self explanatory and you know what you should be doing. Pay attention to the best SEO practice to optimize your post for search. Your blog is often the first impression you make to your potential customer. Use it to make a great first impression.