Have you ever been stuck in a rut and unsure how to get started on your next blog post? Have you had an idea for a fantastic blog post but just couldn’t seem to put it into words? Worry not!
We have the five steps that will help you write the perfect blog post.
Writing the Perfect Blog Post in 5 Simple Steps
- Decide on a topic, create an outline, do research, and verify the information before writing your blog post.
- Create a headline that is both informative and appealing to readers.
- Write your blog entry, whether you do it all at once or in parts.
- Using images to enhance your post’s flow, add humor, and explain complicated subjects is a good idea.
- Edit your blog post. Make sure to avoid redundancy, read your piece out loud to ensure its rhythm, ask someone else to read it and give you feedback, keep phrases and paragraphs short, don’t expect it to be perfect, don’t be afraid to remove the text or modify it on the fly.
Let’s look at each step in more depth:
Writing the Perfect Blog Post, Step 1: Planning
Even if you can type eighty words per minute and your writing abilities are excellent, the process of producing a blog article might take more than a few hours.
You might spend anywhere from a few days to a week writing a blog article, but it’s critical to invest those essential hours planning your post and even considering it before you actually begin.
You’ll have a lot of time on your hands if you don’t have any writing responsibilities. Before you sit down to write digitally, make sure you’ve got everything you need to do so. Many first-time bloggers overlook the planning process, and while it may be possible to get by without doing your research, it will, in fact, save you time and effort if you know what the heck you’re writing about.
Choose a Topic of Your Interests
“No fun for the writer, no fun for the reader,” as the old adage goes. As a blogger, you should adhere to this belief without question.
Before you go any further, choose a topic that genuinely appeals to you. Nothing — and I mean NOTHING — will kill a blog post faster than a lack of passion from the writer. When a writer is bored by their subject, it’s cringe-worthy and rather embarrassing.
‘But I’m forced to blog about a topic that is of no interest to me,’ you’re probably thinking. I understand how you feel, and it’s certainly true.
During my career, I’ve worked on hundreds of projects for businesses in less-than-exciting industries (such as financial regulatory compliance and corporate housing), but the ability to write well about any subject, no matter how dry it may be, is what sets a professional blogger apart.
If you can fake a degree of interest in the subject, blogging is a lot easier.
You also need to be able to accept that not every post will make your engine rev. Some activities may seem like a drag, but if you have editorial control over what you write about, choose subjects you’d want to read – even if they’re in specialized markets. The happier you are about your topic, the more enthusiastic your readers will be while reading your blog.
Create an Outline For Your Blog Post
Blogs don’t just appear on their own. Even the greatest bloggers require some structure to stay on track. Outlines are useful in this situation.
An outline isn’t required to be lengthy or detailed; it’s simply a loose guide to prevent you from going off on tangents unrelated to your topic.
This is the skeleton for this post, which I sent to my editor before starting:
Introduction
[Quick summary explaining what the blog post will cover]
Header 1 – Planning a Blog Post
– Before they start writing, bloggers should consider these aspects. – Outlining, research, etc.
Header 2 – Writing a Blog Post
– Tips on how to focus while writing, productivity suggestions for bloggers
Header 3 – Rewriting/Editing a Blog Post
– Common blogging mistakes, things to watch for while self-editing, and helpful hints
Header 4 – Optimizing a Blog Post
– How to improve a blog article’s on-page SEO, social media shares/likes, and so on
Header 5 – Conclusion
– To sum it up and some recommendation
The purpose of this outline is to ensure that I have a clear understanding of what I’ll cover, where each section will fall in the proceedings, and what information it will contain.
Outlines keep you honest. They prevent you from engaging in illogical metaphor-driven writing and help you stay on track with the overall structure of your piece. I’ll occasionally write a more comprehensive outline, but most of the time, something similar to the one shown above is fine.
Whatever works for you to keep you focused, whether you write your outline in a word processor, on paper, or even scramble on a napkin, go with it.
Do Research
One of the most significant secrets that professional bloggers don’t want you to know is that we don’t know everything. In fact, sometimes, before we sit down to write about something, we don’t know anything about it.
This does not imply that all bloggers are fakes. On the contrary, many bloggers’ natural inquisitiveness drives them to be fantastic at their job. If you blog for a living, you must be comfortable changing topics frequently, even if you don’t know much about them.
Knowing how to do research for a blog article is what allows us to write authoritatively about issues that are new to us.
It should go without saying, but relying only on Wikipedia as a source is almost never a good idea. Yes, Wikipedia does have hundreds of meticulously researched pieces, but it isn’t perfect, and incorrect facts slip through undetected. Furthermore, every verified fact on the site is linked to additional sources on the internet, so why bother.
Choose legitimate sources if you’re using third-party material to create your blog post. Official organizations, government sites, highly cited research papers, and preeminent industry experts are all excellent choices.
Nobody is always correct, however, so approach every source with the seasoned skepticism of a journalist and question everything until you’re confident your data is accurate.
Check Your Facts
In addition to thorough research, writers must check their facts before publishing a blog post. It’s amazing how often bloggers will reference incorrect numbers or get dates wrong in an article because they didn’t double-check them first.
The most common reason for inaccurate fact-checking is that the writer did not wait long enough after conducting research on a topic before writing about it.
This is because the longer you wait, the more time you have to find something else to write about. However, waiting too long can lead you down a different research path than your original one and result in incorrect information getting out there for everyone to see.
One blunder can destroy your reputation. Everyone makes errors, but they are not to be repeated. If you’re just getting started, a major fault with your information will instantly damage your credibility and authority, even if you have a large number of devoted followers on your blog.
If you fall for a well-executed hoax, repeat widely circulated misinformation, or make a simple mistake, own up to it right away and be truthful about your changes. You can bet that if you try to sneak something by your readers, they’ll call you out on it, adding to the damage. Be honest and accountable; make things right.
Writing the Perfect Blog Post, Step 2: Writing a Great Headline
The headline is very important. It is the first thing your readers will see, and it should be catchy. If you don’t attract their attention, they won’t read further.
There are different ways to write a good headline: using numbers (write “How To Write A Blog Post in Three Simple Steps”), comparing (“Why Writing This Article Is Better Than Working Out”) or writing a question (“Do You Need to Write an Awesome Blog Post?”).
The title of your article is going to determine whether they click through and read the entire post. If you’re able to come up with something that’s genuinely interesting, people will share it on their own, which can help drive traffic back to your site from social media friends and followers.
If you want to maximize the number of people who read your blog post, choose a title that accurately reflects what is inside and get them excited about it. If they think something good will be in there, but it isn’t, they’ll share their disappointment with everyone else rather than give credit to where it’s due!
There are two primary approaches to creating blog post headlines. You may choose your final headline before beginning the rest of your post, or you can write your blog post with a working title and see what works when you’re done.
Writing the Perfect Blog Post, Step 3: The Writing Part
So, you’ve done your research, chosen a headline (or at least a working name), and are now ready to create a blog article. So go ahead and start writing.
There are two primary approaches to creating a blog post, much like there are to generating an essay. You can either write the whole draft in one sitting or, bit by bit, over time. There’s no right or wrong answer; it’s all about what works best for you.
However, I strongly advise you to get as much done in one sitting as possible. This helps you stay on track and retain important information, making it less likely that you’ll forget anything.
Even if you do your best work in short bursts, make an effort to get the most writing done in each session. The more times you have to go back and look at a draft, the more tempting it becomes to add a bit here and there until you’ve gone off-topic completely. Even if you like to write blog posts over three or four days, it’s important to sit down and do a final run-through in one sitting.
Writing, like all abilities, gets easier and more natural the more you do it. You might find that writing a post takes a week to complete your first time around, but with practice, you’ll be able to do it in hours. There are no “hacks” or shortcuts for producing text – you must put in the effort on the front.
Writing the Perfect Blog Post, Step 4: Using Images Effectively
Writing for the web is a far different beast than writing for print. Many individuals lack the time, will, or skill to devote lengthy blog articles without some visual interest. Even a well-designed blog post with only text may quickly send your reader back to Reddit or Twitter, which is why images are so crucial in your postings.
Images Help Your Content Flow More Effectively
One of the most significant reasons to include pictures in your blog entries is to break up the text. Many readers skim blog articles rather than reading every word, and inserting images throughout the text will help make your article seem more approachable and visually appealing.
Images Give Great Visual Feel to Your Content
If you’re writing an article about how to make sushi, for example, adding pictures of the process will help readers understand what’s involved. If your post is filled with nothing but paragraphs and paragraphs of text, they may feel overwhelmed or bored by the sheer volume before finishing half of it. This creates a poor experience for both parties, and it’s likely the reader will leave without sharing your post.
Images Help Make Your Content More Visible Online
The next time you’re looking for something to read, consider how many articles have pictures in them. Now think about how much more interesting those articles are when compared to their text-only counterparts that don’t offer any images.
Images Make Complex Topics More Easily Understandable
If you want to grow your audience, images are a must-have in your blogging toolkit. Charts, infographics, tables, and any other visual assets can assist readers in comprehending abstruse or complicated themes while also.
Writing the Perfect Blog Post, Step 5: The Editing Part
It’s difficult to put into words how time-consuming it is to write a blog post. It’s harder to edit a blog article. Many individuals believe that editing consists of simply cutting through sentences that aren’t working or correcting grammatical errors. Although sentence structure and grammar are crucial, editing involves more than just looking at each sentence individually and making decisions.
I won’t tell you to double-check your spelling and grammar directly – you should already be doing so. However, I’ll provide some self-editing suggestions and ideas for tightening up your writing so that it has punch and entices readers to keep scrolling.
Avoid Repetition
Repetition of certain words or phrases is always jarring to read. Read your blog post through after you’ve completed it, and look for terms that can be replaced to avoid repeating yourself.
Read Your Post Aloud to Check Flow
It’s difficult to read your own work objectively, which is why reading aloud can help you spot silly mistakes. Pay particular attention to words that don’t quite fit the tone of what you’re writing – they may be another word entirely or a phrase that doesn’t convey what you want it to.
Read Your Post Aloud Again, This Time Picking Up the Pace
After you finish reading your article aloud for flow and tone, read it again at a normal pace. How does this version sound? Are there certain phrases that don’t quite fit or seem out of place? If so, try rewriting them before moving on.
Have Someone Else Read Your Work
Having someone else read your blog post is one of the best ways to check for errors and tone. If you can, try getting a second (or even third or fourth) opinion on what you’ve written before publishing it.
You might want to get a second opinion from someone who knows about how to edit and the process of doing so. Also, make sure they understand you’re not looking for help finding typos or grammatical mistakes (but if they do, great), but that you’d want their input on the piece’s flow and whether it makes sense structurally.
Do your points make sense? Is it clear where you stand on a divisive issue? Is the content engaging enough to get the reader thinking or challenging their existing ideas? Is the guidance you’re giving practical and worth following? These are all questions that having another pair of eyes evaluate your work may help answer.
Keep Sentences Short and Paragraphs Shorter
Nothing will displease or irritate a reader more than a wall of text. It’s a common error by inexperienced bloggers and one I see far too often in many online articles.
Sentences should be as concise as possible. They’re easier to comprehend, making your readers’ jobs simpler. Shorter sentences also decrease the chance of you straying off-topic.
Paragraphs should also be brief and to the point. The shorter the paragraph, the more likely your readers are to read it all the way through. Since web-based publishing became common, many of the “rules” for paragraph structure have been relaxed, but try to keep individual thoughts confined to their own tidy little paragraph.
Accept That Your Content Will Never Be Perfect
There is no such thing as a perfect article, and the sooner you accept it, the better.
Blog posts are likely to be edited and revised many times over, which is why it’s important that you’re always open to feedback.
When writing your blog post, try not to get too attached or precious with each sentence – because once it’s live on the internet, there’s no turning back! It will become public property for anyone who has the inclination to read it – good, bad, or ugly.
Make every post as good as it possibly can be, then move on.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Cuts or Adapt on the Fly.
Don’t be afraid to make cuts or adapt your blog post if a new idea comes along. Your first draft will always be a rough outline, and as such, won’t include everything you want it to cover – which is why subsequent drafts are so important! Read through what you’ve written and see how else you can improve upon each section.
If you think of a different example or put down your pen and come back with a better analogy, feel free to go back and rewrite the section, so it covers everything you want to say without leaving any gaps! This is also where having an editor comes in handy – they might see something that’s missing from what you’ve written (and vice versa) and be able to help you fill in the gaps.
The post may never be perfect, but if you do a good job with it now, no one will know there were any “mistakes” made!
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Conclusion:
Blogging is one of those tasks that appear simple at first, but once you have to do it, you realize how difficult it is. Fortunately, with practice and time, blogging will become easier for you.
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