You HAVE to write a blog post but creating a quality one is just so time-consuming, isn’t it?
…what if I walked you through it?
Yes?
Then first off, today you will tell yourself to enjoy writing as a choice, and not a chore!
And then, together we will write your next one right this moment.
This post contains affiliate links.
Not there yet? Ever thought about starting your own blog but don’t know where to begin? There’s a perfect training available for you this week. It’s called Blog What You Know – Three Keys To Taking Your Life’s Biggest Challenges and Turning Them into a Thriving Blog. Register for free by clicking the pink link or the image now since it’s only available this week. There will be another advanced training by my mentor and favorite blogger Ruth Soukup who turned her blog into a seven-figure business and her story and insights are one you won’t wanna miss out on. I actually follow her blogging courses as I build this blog of mine.
Also check out my August 2019 blog income report which is the first post in a 7 day series I’m writing to share my blogging journey as part of promotion of my all-time favorite blogging resource The Genius Bloggers Toolkit, a huge bundle of select blogging tools and resources available to everyone at a hugely discounted price for a very limited amount of time once or twice every year. Each day, as I share my blogging journey in the series, I also discuss details about one of my most favorite tools from this year’s toolkit for bloggers.
There are many blog writing examples but I promise, by the time you’re done reading and following through this post, you’ll have your good draft ready AND…
Your blog post will be problem-solving, in the most popular aka list format, SEO optimized, sharable, user-friendly, and so much more.
Just do one thing…grab a loose paper + pen and follow along.
The Trick: Pick one section at a time and focus entirely on completing just that to the best of your writing abilities. For example, when you’re working on the heading, think of it as your sole task. Once you complete it, take a tiny break say 10 jumping jacks and come back fresh. You’ll end up with a masterpiece.
Don’t have time to follow through?
Ready?
Here we go…
1. Pick a Problem:
- Pick a problem related to your topic that you want to help your readers with. You’re going to write a step by step/ various methods of solving that problem.
You don’t have to be the expert you just have to know enough to be able to help others who know less than you out of the billions of people on the internet.
If you don’t know what to write about, look into a Facebook group where your ideal audience typically hangs out and search for the term “need help” with the quotation marks on. Whatever opens up, see what you can solve and don’t think too much, just pick that problem and move to the next step.
- Determine the problem or its solution as your keyword. Imagine the word/s your reader will type into Google search if they are looking for what you’re writing about.
Example: ‘write a blog post’ or ‘how to write a blog post’
2. Title and the Subtitle:
- Okay now write the title using these THREE components in any order that makes sense to you.
a. X beneficial steps/ ways/ things
b. the desired result
c. within a specific short time frame
Example: (a.) Write Your Next Blog Post in (b.) 10 Easy Steps (c.) Right Now
- Copy-paste this title into Co-schedule Headline Analyser and check if the score is above 70. If not, you can keep tweaking using their suggestions till it becomes so. Look at my score.
Repeat for the subtitle. Try not to repeat any words except the keyword itself. Make the subhead more empathetic and personal.
Example: This Detailed Guide Helps Write A Blog Post in No Time (score 64%!)
Note: If you’re awfully pressed for time, skip the subtitle.
While using the headline analyzer is a good practice especially for newer writers, sometimes it just won’t reach that score, no matter how hard you try.
In such instances, just leave it be. Jon Morrow’s On Dying, Mothers, and Fighting for Your Ideas has been shared a gazillion times but its headline score is 63%! I’ve seen his other viral stuff score even less than 50%. #life.
If your message is strong and useful enough, it’ll beat tech. Just don’t waste hours on the headline score if you think it sounds interesting enough to make people want to click it. Discern the balance!
That said, tech does help to an extent, so move on to the next thing…
- Insert the keyword you selected into your title, subtitle, and permalink (separated with hyphens -, keep the permalink as short as possible).
Yayyy!! You’re done with the attention-grabbing title and sub. You did great.
Keep going…
3. Disclaimer
Now since we’re going to completely optimize your post, we will use affiliate links to make it a moneymaker too. For that, you need to inform your reader as per law that you’re making money BEFORE you place an affiliate link into your content.
Also, make sure you explain it further in layman terms what it means when you say ‘This post contains affiliate links’.
Just copy my disclaimer. (sans the karma part!)
(Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, means I may earn a percentage if you buy something through any of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend what I love and use. Or karma happens!)
Keep the color red so they can’t miss it. And I prefer italicizing it.
Note: If you’re using Amazon affiliate links, DO NOT USE THIS DISCLAIMER. They have their own and it is provided when you join their program. If you want to become an expert in affiliate marketing, check out Michelle’s Course which is extremely popular for what it does. I even wrote a review of the course here.
4. Enticing Introductory Paragraph
Your first sentence should be a hook.
Here’re a few hook types that instantly grab the reader’s attention. Pick any.
- An Empathic Question: Ask a question about the problem your reader may be facing which you are about to answer. doh!
Example: Are you struggling to write a blog post that you can be proud of?
- A Startling Stat: Just type your topic + stats in google and you’ll find something interesting worth a mention.
Example: Statistics show that marketers who blog consistently acquire 126% more leads than those who do not.
- A Stimulating Quote: Type your topic + quotes in google and you’ll find something to choose from.
Example: If you want to continually grow your blog, you need to learn to blog on a consistent basis. ~ Neil Patel
- A Touching Anecdote or Story: Start with a reference to the time when you were going through the problem of the reader you’re about to solve.
Example: I wrote my first poem (on Bittergourds- a sensitive mealtime issue in the family back then.) when I was in grade 1. It had the perfect rhyme.
Writing has always been my thing which is why so many years later I end up starting a blog. But lately, I find myself staring at the blank screen wishing if it could fill up with make-you-my-crazy-fan kinda words all on its own. Has your writing transformed from a choice into a chore too?
- Other than the hook, your introductory paragraph should give a quick mention to the reader’s problem- if you haven’t already done that in the hook.
- Then make a persuasive promise to a solution without giving away the answer here. Let’s use the previous example as a continuation.
Example: …transformed from a choice into a chore too? I know how pressured it feels because I’ve been stuck in this rut too until I took matters into my hand and devised a thoroughly researched ‘framework’ that is completely optimized to a typical pillar post’s requirements if followed down to the T.
Done till here?
Awesome!
Keep rolling…
5. Useful Information Rich Body (List Format)
- When you write a post on your chosen topic, you need some key points to be presented in some logical sequence. For example from easiest to difficult, from start to end, or from older to recent chronology.
See the list pattern of this post you’re reading. It is arranged from start to end i.e. from title to conclusion. (Some people write titles last.) The most important thing is putting down your main points.
- Use bullets if short sentences and numbers if short paragraphs. (Totally optional)
- Describe each point in the most vivid form possible. For example, instead of saying awesome say pocket-friendly (precise awesomeness!) Be as precise as possible.
- Provide clear examples wherever possible so your reader can see your talk in action.
- Make sure you give all useful info YOU would have needed to make a decision in favor of what is being said in the post.
- Cut any information that doesn’t help with the previous point.
- As you write, please your reader’s eyes too, as you work to please her intellect. Keep your sentences short. Don’t pair up long sentences. Press enter and move to the next paragraph after every three sentences max.
- Place a useful graphic, chart, table, or any other sort of instructional/informational/useful visual content somewhere in there.
6. Insert a Click-to-Tweet
Pick the juiciest point from your list and put it into click to tweet halfway through your post. Here’s a click to tweet plugin if you need and if you prefer to add the code, check this post out on point no. 4.
Your click to tweet, for example, will look like this:
[Tweet “Please thy reader’s eyes too, as ye toil to please thy reader’s intellect.”]
7. Conclude Strong
A conclusion in your blog writing format will include the following elements:
- Summary of the benefits of your list items/points
Example: See Conclusion
- Your personal inspirational take or briefly mention how these steps helped you
Example: See Conclusion
- What you want the reader to do next about the problem dealt within this post.
Example: Download the cheat sheet to these action steps and tick each box to complete your blog post today.
8. Killer Content Upgrade
A content upgrade is a freebie you’ll offer as help or additional info in exchange for readers signing up to your email list. For this post, you could make your freebie the very next step your reader has to take after going through your post.
The easier it is for your reader to use it, the more they will want to sign up for it. Here are a few good examples in order of their popularity (which is directly related to their usefulness).
- A swipe file they can plug and play right away
- A template which walks them through a difficult task
- A cheat sheet recapitulating a larger concept on a single sheet
- Second half or rest of the steps/items etc of the post
- etc (don’t give your ebook for free yo!)
Keeping your freebies shorter will be easy for you to create and easier for your reader to use.
(What about an ebook? If you have one, a suggestion here: put it on tripwire as a low price purchase for a limited time, don’t give it for free. When we pay for something, we deem it more valuable aka will read and follow through! Not to mention the sales it’ll bring in.)
9. Invite to Comment
Tired? I know. This how to write a blog entry is nearing its end, my friend! Don’t hate me.
As you conclude, don’t just put a one-liner asking to comment. Dedicate an entire paragraph. Use a personal tone, ask them to comment and add their valuable solutions to the topic, make the commenting section easy to follow and reward the commentator (I do it by using a plugin called Comment Luv, so the reader can share her recent blog post too if she wants). Think about what compels you to comment on other blogs, then do that.
10. Pinnable Image
Design a pinnable image in Canva for placing it at the end of your post (or hiding it if you like so it doesn’t appear in the post). Optimize your image using the following points:
- Keep the size 1000 x 1500 (dare 2000!)
- Use predesigned text styles for font combinations in Canva, they’re good enough without you having to decide which combinations to use. (Stick to a couple font combinations so they become part of your brand style and readers can identify you quickly over time.) Here’re a few out of the many in there:
- If you use overlays, keep the transparency to 40%
- Must use warmer colors which convert better on Pinterest
- Keep the size of your images less than 100kb so it doesn’t affect your site speed over time. Reduce the size of your png image here. I don’t mostly use jpegs, don’t remember why but I’m sure there must be some science that got me to stick to pngs.
- Add keyword to title, alt text, and image description when you upload it into the media library
Phew!… So DID You Write a Blog Post Today?
I know we covered a lot and you almost hate me if you’ve reached this far.
But if you did follow through each section, i.e. your post is in the most popular format (i.e. listicle), SEO optimized, Pinterest optimized, affiliate income optimized, visual marketing optimized, meaty, problem-solving, fluff-free, cohesive, shareable,… then yay!!!
I’ll definitely keep updating it as I learn more about how to write a blog post that is full of useful content but for now, is there anything I missed out on which you can add in? Did you find it helpful even a tad bit? Do you use any free blog writing sites or posts to create your content when you get stuck? I’d feel my hard work pay off if it helped YOU write a blog post today, so keep me posted!
Poovanesh Pather | FamilyGrowthLife.com says
Hi, great post. I did not complete the post because I needed to research a few points.I’m a new blogger and my biggest problem is taking too long to write. The way you were able to get me to write up to the body was amazing. Do you have any tips on how to speed up the writing process in the body of the blog post? Thank you for an inspirational post.
Hena Bilal says
Hello Poovanesh!
So glad you found it useful. This info is about the overall structure or framework of a post. I think you’re struggling with the ‘content’ or the meaty/valuable stuff that goes into the body of a post. I get you, writing a good post is not easy. It takes me time too. Here’s what I tell myself:
1. If I keep practicing, it’ll get easier.
2. I make a rough outline in my diary of various aspects of the topic I should discuss in order to help the reader.
3. Sometimes I really try to imagine like I’m explaining something (in writing) to my sister, it helps so much. The visualization, when I can see her face and the potential questions that may arise in her head… my empathy for her… at what level she stands right now compared to the info I’m about to give her… the concern to tell her ALL the relevant details so she really understands completely… all this helps shape my content big time. 4. If I have time, like you I try to pick copywriting tips from Brian Dean’s style, Henneke’s blog of course, and anyone else who clicks!
I wish you good luck and just email me if you think I can help you with something.
Brittney says
THANK YOU! I have literally been looking for something like this. I am so thankful for you! I have been looking how to do a blog post for so long. So many people don’t talk about how to format it. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Hena Bilal says
Brittney,
So happy you found it useful. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Esther says
I find your articles extremely detailed, great job! Like how you give low cost and effective alternatives to courses you recommend, which works for my situation! Do you have a blogging newsletter I can subscribe to?
Hena Bilal says
Thank you, Ester. I’m glad you find my advice useful. Sorry, I don’t have one at this time but I can tell you if you want to join something like that, look for Jennifer Maker’s blogging newsletters or her FB group (Blog What You Love). She will always steer you in the right direction.
Hannah says
I just started my blog and was struggling with how to format my posts because I felt like I was just rambling all the time and it was a non-coherent mess. This helped so much!
Hena Bilal says
Glad it helped. Good luck with your blog, Hannah!
Malin says
Hena, thank you so much for this post! I found it extremely useful as someone who has really been struggling with writing on a regular basis. I particularly found your first two points about how to write a good title really informative. That headline analyser is great! I will definitely be using it when I write my blog posts.
Hena Bilal says
Glad it helped! Good luck.