Our ultimate guide to blog writing

Are you making the most of your site’s blog? Or is blogging often left off your content marketing strategy? You’re missing a trick if you said yes to the latter. And why? Marketers who use blogs generate 67% more leads than those who don’t. Those are crazy results that you NEED to be making the most of. In this ultimate guide, we de-code how to start, maintain and ace a successful blog for your brand, with blog writing tips and content ideas to help you get the ball rolling. Let’s get into it…

What is a blog?

A blog is a website or site page that shares regular content on a specific topic. Unlike news sites or online magazines, blogs are generally more personal in their approach to the spread of information, offering tailored advice or unique ideas and insight. An individual may start a blog to share their opinions, passions and stories, develop their brand or teach others what they know. Alternatively, while a business blog may dip its toe into all these things, it is also likely to use its site’s blog to build an email list, share proof of its expertise, and generate traffic. 

“A blog is a website or site page that shares regular content on a specific topic. Unlike news sites or online magazines, blogs tend to be a little more personal in spreading information, offering tailored advice or unique ideas and insight.”

However, both personal and business blogs are made with a similar goal to reach as many people as possible. With increased traffic comes a higher chance for business. For a personal blog, this may look like paid business collaborations and revenue through advertising. For a brand with a blog on its site, this may look like more leads, newsletter sign-ups, and higher brand awareness. For this guide, we are focusing on creating an effective business blog. Still, if you are just an interested individual looking to up your blogging game, you may find value in much of our advice as it’s often transferable. 

The history and future of blogging

“When I first started [blogging], they called it a personal home page, then they said I’m one of the first Web diarists, and now I’m one of the first Web bloggers.” – Justin Hall

The term ‘blogging’ has and continues to change with time. As the practice of writing and sharing long-form content emerged and developed, ‘online diary’, ‘weblog’ and ‘personal web page’ were monikers thrown around in place of the term we now use day in and day out. 

Many of these original blogs are either now archived or floating around in the ether. However, we do know that, in January 1994, a Swarthmore College undergraduate named Justin Hall created a site called links.net. This simple site that Hall used to review HTML examples he came across on the web, links.net and its student creator was dubbed the ‘founding father of personal blogs’ by New York Times Magazine in 2004. In the article, Hall was recorded saying: “When I first started [blogging], they called it a personal home page, then they said I’m one of the first Web diarists, and now I’m one of the first Web bloggers.”

It wasn’t until the late nineties that resources tailored for blogs and bloggers began to proliferate. In October 1998, Open Diary launched and quickly became one of the most pivotal blogging platforms. The platform focused on its community approach to blogging and was the first to allow site members to comment on other’s work. Open Diary still exists today after a relaunch in 2018, and the community approach to publishing content remains at the heart of the brand. 

“While traditional, written content still sits at the top of the list, blogs have had to adapt to meet consumer needs and fit in with their lifestyles.”

A year later, ‘weblog’ became ‘blog’, and Blogger, LiveJournal and Xanga all launched, setting the foundations for nearly 25 years of web-based content publishing. Today, blogging takes all sorts of forms and mediums. While traditional, written content still sits at the top of the list, blogs have had to adapt to meet changing needs and new technology. Vlogging continues to soar in popularity, and many blogs have adopted interactive elements to keep users reading. There’s a lot more to blogging than great blog copywriting, and in the latter part of this guide, we will dive into this in a lot more detail. 

Why start a blog? 

There are over 600 million online blogs, so why should you start yours? According to DemandMetric, 80% of internet users interact with social media sites and blogs regularly, with 59% of this group reporting that they find blogging valuable. Traffic aside, websites with active blogs have 434% more indexed pages and 97% more inbound links than those without. 

The crucial business reason for writing SEO-optimised blog posts that Google loves and your audience craves is that it will positively impact your site’s rankings. Quality content creates a powerful cycle of more traffic, increased leads and higher brand authority.

“According to DemandMetric, 80% of internet users interact with social media sites and blogs regularly, with 59% of this group reporting that they find blogging valuable.”

Everything you need to do before you start blog writing

As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry famously said, ‘A goal without a plan is just a wish.’ So, before you dive into writing blog posts on a whim, you must think about your long-term content goals and aims. This section will cover how to do just that in detail.

Finding your blogging niche

It makes sense to start here. What are you going to write about? For individuals looking to up their personal blogging game, this is where you’ll probably write down your interests, expertise and some loosely thought-about topic ideas that cover both the former and the latter. But for businesses, you’ll need to be more precise in your decision-making. While personal blogs have much more freedom with what they talk about – and readers will probably be following along for enjoyment or out of interest – a blog on your brand’s website needs to consider what your audience wants, search intent and SEO. 

To find your blogging niche, you just need to look at your business. You will have researched your industry, competitors and audience in significant depth before launching your brand, and all of that information will come in handy again here. 

Here is our checklist for finding your blogging niche before you dive into writing blog post content that drives results. 

Step one: Understand your audience:

• Define your target audience in strong customer persona guidelines. 
• Conduct audience research to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points.

Step two: Define business objectives:

• Clarify your business goals and objectives.
• Identify how blogging can align with and contribute to these goals.
• Pinpoint the resources (time or money) you can use for blogging regularly. 

Step three: Complete competitor analysis:

• Research competitors’ blogs to identify gaps or opportunities.
• Determine what topics resonate with your target audience.

Step four: Do your keyword research:

• Conduct keyword research to identify relevant and high-volume search terms using a tool like Google Keyword Planner or Answer the Public. 
• Ensure alignment with your business and audience needs.

Step five: Find your unique selling proposition (USP):

• Define your brand’s unique selling proposition.
• Identify how your blog can showcase and reinforce this USP.

Step six: Dive into industry trends:

• Stay updated on industry trends and advancements.
• Consider how your blog can address emerging topics and provide valuable insights.

Step seven: Decide on your content format:

• Determine the preferred content format for your audience (e.g., articles, videos, infographics).
• Align your chosen format with your brand’s communication style.

Step eight: Pinpoint your brand tone of voice:

• Define the brand voice and tone for your blog.
• Ensure consistency across all blog content.

So, you’ve figured out your niche, but why is it important? 

Semrush notes that your blog niche is like a compass; ‘It guides your efforts in the right direction to topics relevant to your interests and audience’s needs’. In some ways, your niche is like a giant filter, focusing on a few specific topic areas and discarding the rest. 

Without a clear niche, your message to your audience could be confusing. People want to engage with brands that are confident – confident in their product or service offering but also confident in the words they publish online. Customers may question your expertise if the ideas and subjects you discuss on your blog vary too greatly. 

“Your niche is like a giant filter, focusing on a few specific topic areas and discarding the rest. Without a clear niche, the message you send to your audience will be confusing.”

Where to publish your blog posts

Once you’ve got your niche in mind and your feet planted in the sand, only then should you consider publishing content. For the best results, you should host your blog on your website. How you set up your blog on your site will depend on what platform you’ve used to host or build it. We recommend working with a web developer to build your blog page. But if you lack the budget for this level of technical support, here is our brief guide to adding blogs to WordPress, Squarespace and Wix websites. 

WordPress

WordPress is known for its flexibility and plugin support when it comes to building a website. It’s one of the most popular and versatile blogging platforms with many pre-made themes and features to build a decent website. WordPress Elementor website builder allows you to drag and drop many of their premade widgets, elements and features. However, if you’re looking for in-depth customisation, you will need to be well-versed in HTML code. 

You can add a blog to your WordPress website by: 

• Access your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to “Appearance” > “Themes” to choose a theme with blogging features.
• Create a new page for your blog if needed.
• Start adding new posts by going to “Posts” > “Add New.”

Squarespace

If HTML code is something you wish to avoid, Squarespace is an all-in-one solution that might suit you. It’s a user-friendly website builder with options to customise almost every inch of your site. It also has relatively straightforward blogging capabilities. 

You can add a blog to your Squarespace website by: 

• In the “Pages” section, click the “+” button to add a new page.
• Select the “Blog” layout and customise the settings.
• Add new blog posts by clicking on the blog page and then “New Post.”

Wix

Similarly to Squarespace, Wix is another popular website builder that offers a simple drag-and-drop interface. It has many creative themes to choose from or provides an opportunity to build a site from scratch. Wix also offers easy blog creation tools. 

You can add a blog to your Wix website by: 

• In the Wix editor, go to the “Site” menu.
• Choose “Blog” and click “Manage Posts” to add new blog posts.
• Customise the design and settings of your blog section.

Aside from the three platforms mentioned above, many other sites allow you to publish blog content regularly, many of which are free. If you don’t want to host a blog on your site – although we strongly recommend that you do – then you could use: 

• Blogger 
• Medium 
• Ghost
• Weebly
• Tumblr
• Typepad
• Joomla

How to plan your blog copywriting

Grab the notes you made during the first step of this guide. The work you did to figure out your blogging niche will come in handy here. Writing blog content will only ever be as efficient as the plan you make. We’ve said this before – and we’ll say it again – a coherent strategy based on achievable business goals and identifying measurable and meaningful KPIs will make all the difference. 

Where to find blog content ideas

There are a few ways to generate ideas when considering how to write a blog post. And one of those is spending a little extra time laying the groundwork for many more blogs by creating an idea bank. Think of it as a healthy foundation for your whole blogging strategy.

Although thinking on your feet and writing a blog post on a whim can often pay off – and yes, you should leave room in your marketing strategy for these reactive moments – having a whole host of ideas in your back pocket will save you time in the long run. It will also ensure you’re covering all bases of search and answering all of your customers’ questions.

But where do you start? I suggest creating a list of content ideas that answer the following five questions:

• What are your customers’ pain points? How can you help them overcome these common problems?
• What are your customers’ frequently asked questions about your products or services?
• What are your competitors talking about? Can their content ideas inspire your own?
• What would your target customer enjoy reading? Use customer personas to pinpoint your audience and what makes them tick.
• What does Google say? Look at what consumers are searching for and generate ideas based on keyword search volumes. You can also use tools such as Answer the Public to generate the most searched-for phrases based on various keywords.

Next, you should turn to other resources to find good content ideas likely to generate traffic and help you meet your content goals. We like to use:

Audience feedback and questions

• Pay attention to comments on your blog posts and social media channels. Look for recurring questions or topics that your audience is interested in.
• Use tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey to create surveys and polls. Ask your audience about their preferences, challenges, and the type of content they’d like to see.

Keyword research

• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Ahrefs to identify trending keywords in your industry.
• Analyse related searches and long-tail keywords associated with your primary keywords for additional content ideas.
• Prioritise medium difficulty, long tail keywords for maximum results. 

Competitor analysis

• Explore competitors’ blogs to identify topics they have covered extensively and areas where content gaps may exist.
• Look for their most popular content – this can indicate topics that resonate well with the audience.

Industry news and trends

• Follow industry-specific news outlets, blogs, and publications to stay informed about the latest trends.
• Keep an eye on thought leaders in your industry who often share insights and predictions.
• You can also use tools like Answer the Public to keep up with popular search terms and search intent within different topic areas. 

Social media listening

• Monitor industry-related hashtags on platforms like Twitter (X) and Instagram.
• Look for posts gaining traction and analyse the comments and discussions for potential content ideas. Platforms like Reddit and Quora are also ideal for finding discussions and ideas from others in the industry.  

Customer FAQs and support tickets

• Review customer support logs and frequently asked questions to identify common concerns.
• Use blog content to address common pain points or misunderstandings customers frequently encounter.

“Although thinking on your feet and writing a post on a whim can often pay off – and yes, you should leave room in your marketing strategy for these reactive moments – having a whole host of ideas in your back pocket will save you time in the long run.”

In-depth guides and pillar content

• Identify broad topics within your industry that could serve as comprehensive guides.
• Break down these comprehensive guides into smaller, more detailed blog posts that cover specific aspects.

Seasonal topics and ideas

• Using an editorial calendar, plan content around seasons, holidays, and industry-specific dates.
• Use Google Trends to identify trending topics and searches during specific times of the year.

Record your ideas in a spreadsheet – this is your content calendar – and update regularly to stay on top of trends and current affairs. As mentioned, staying updated with these and becoming more industry-aware will aid your reactive content marketing.

Your content calendar will quickly become the source of life for your entire blog copywriting process. We agree with Buffer when it says it will save you time, help you organise your process, help you execute more ambitious projects, improve consistency and help you track blog performance. If you only take one thing away from this guide on blog content writing, it’s that your content calendar is king. 

Once you’ve populated your content calendar with your research, convert these ideas into punchy headlines to save “future you” time. The key to a good headline is to include a promise that the reader will receive information that will benefit them and make their life much easier.

We also recommend noting the keywords to use for each title or idea. Do your keyword research ahead of the game to ensure your content marketing strategy covers all bases. And remember – prioritise long-tail keywords for the most effective results. If you want to learn more about writing for SEO, we wrote an in-depth blog that will come in handy.

How to write a blog post on any topic

You have your idea, your “A-star” title, and you’re armed with your very best keywords – now it’s time to start writing your blog post. But before you dive headfirst into a Word document, you must have a clear structure planned out ahead of the game. This is a crucial consideration when learning how to write a blog post.

We always use 5-7 bullet points that will later act as subheadings throughout our blog post. These will not only break your writing down into manageable chunks but will also keep your blog writing concise and on track. There’s nothing worse than waffle when getting your point across.

Formatting your blog post

If you’re stuck on what to write, you can take this bullet point suggestion more literally and provide your content in list format. People love lists. They’re easily digestible, with information in bite-sized chunks. They’re also easy to write because the topic of the list clearly defines your content – more on this later in this guide. But if lists aren’t for you, here are 12 other blog post structures you could follow: 

1. How-To Guides: Step-by-step instructions on accomplishing a specific task or achieving a particular goal, providing value through actionable information.
2. Case Studies: In-depth analysis of a real-world project, situation, or success story, demonstrating the application of your product or service.
3. Interviews: Features a conversation with an industry expert, thought leader or relevant person to provide insights, opinions, and expertise.
4. Product Reviews: Evaluates and provides an opinion on a product or service, offering readers valuable insights before making a purchase decision.
5. Behind-the-scenes: Takes readers behind the scenes of your business or a specific project, offering a glimpse into the process and people involved.
6. Comparison Posts: Compares two or more products, services, or approaches, helping readers make informed decisions by highlighting differences and similarities.
7. Thought Leadership: Showcases your industry expertise by sharing original thoughts, insights, and perspectives on current trends, challenges, or future developments.
8. Guest Posts: Features content written by a guest author, providing a fresh perspective and potentially expanding your blog’s reach to the guest author’s audience.
9. Roundup Posts: Gathers and summarises insights, tips, or quotes from multiple sources, creating a comprehensive overview of a particular topic or theme.
10. Infographics and Visual Guides: Presents information visually through graphics, charts, and images to make complex concepts more digestible. This format is highly shareable on social media and engages readers who prefer visual content.

Blog copywriting, search intent and the marketing funnel

The format you choose will also depend on the type of blog you are writing and the search intent you are trying to address. Just like the keywords you use will change at different stages of the marketing funnel, so will the type of blogs you write. 

Top of the Funnel (TOFU) – Awareness stage:

Search Intent: Informational

Create blog posts that address broad topics and cater to the informational needs of your audience. These can include educational content, industry insights, and general overviews. Focus on capturing attention and introducing your brand.

Example Blog Titles:

1. “Understanding the Basics of [Industry/Topic]”
2. “The Ultimate Guide to [Relevant Trend or Concept]”
3. “Exploring [Industry] for Beginners”

Middle of the Funnel (MOFU) – Consideration Stage:

Search Intent: Consideration and Comparison

Develop content that dives deeper into specific topics related to your products or services. Compare different solutions, provide case studies, and offer valuable insights to help users evaluate their options.

Example Blog Titles:

1. “Comparing [Product/Service] vs. [Competitor]”
2. “How [Your Solution] Solves [Common Problem]”
3. “Case Study: [Successful Implementation] in [Industry]”

Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU) – Decision Stage:

Search Intent: Transactional

Create content that directly addresses the decision-making process. Offer detailed product/service guides, customer testimonials, and exclusive promotions to encourage conversions.

Example Blog Titles:

1. “Why [Your Product/Service] is the Best Choice for [Specific Use Case]”
2. “Customer Success Stories: How [Your Solution] Delivered Results”
3. “Exclusive Offer: Get [Discount/Deal] on [Product/Service] Today”

“The format you choose will also depend on the type of blog you are writing and the search intent you are trying to address. Just as the keywords you use will change at different stages of the marketing funnel, so will the type of blogs you write.”

You need to write something genuinely useful

Your site’s blog is vital for showing potential customers you can be trusted and know what you are talking about. An individual blog post has to give just enough to get each reader to sign up and stay with you – but the bar is always rising. Many companies out there publish incredibly detailed information and insight free. Over time, this develops trust with the reader.

Readers want valuable information that they can take with them. Consider how you can offer the reader a solution that might change their life or solve a problem if they read your blog post. Figuring out how to write the perfect blog post should have your reader in mind at every step. If you promise to teach readers how to write the perfect meta description in your title, you must provide them with clear, straightforward steps to achieve that goal.

You may also think about other freebies of insight you can give your customers. As well as the how-tos and problem-solving paragraphs, you can encourage your readers to sign up for or download extra helpful information for free. This will help boost your credibility, helping you stand out as an expert within your niche. For example, when writing for Big Star Copywriting, we can pretty much share every part of what we do – we’re experienced and an expert in what we offer, but we do not have secret knowledge or valuable IP.

Shaping your points

The body of your text is where you will naturally spend most of your time and focus – this is where the magic happens. But how do you shape your blog copywriting? There’s a blueprint for this that you can apply to each of those bullet points we made in the beginning:

1. Lead with why

2. Show how by painting a picture

3. Include a data point

4. Provide an example

5. Give an action step

Make sure your blog post writing is credible

• Factcheck your information: When researching for your blog, make sure you are only using credible sources. For example, if you are writing a blog post about a historical event, you couldn’t grab your information from some teenage hobbyist’s blog and call it a day. The facts and quotes you put online must be credible and fact-checked – miss the mark with this, and you will appear unreliable.
• Include relevant statistics: Similarly to fact-checking your information to boost credibility, you want to include relevant and accurate statistics to back up your words. As we did at the start of this blog – we told you that blogging was important, and we used a statistic from a recent study to prove our point.
• Don’t forget your external links to credible sources: Finally, link to other industry professionals and notable figures throughout your post for that extra layer of credibility and industry awareness. You’ll show your reader that you are on top of what’s happening in the industry and know where to look for the best information. Plus, by including a link to pages your readers may also find beneficial, you are only helping them more in the long run – just make sure you aren’t linking to a competitor with similar products or services to you.

‘On your website and blog, you can write anything and claim anything. Unless the information you present is backed with evidence, it doesn’t make much of an impact.’

What makes a good blog? Expert blog writing tips to ace your content

The quality of your blog copywriting is essential, and writing a blog well relies on more than targeted keywords and well-researched points. Here are our top blog writing tips to help you keep your readers engaged. 

1. Structure your blog with the reader in mind

Organise your blog copywriting with clear headings and subheadings, and consider using bullet points for easy readability. 73% of readers admit to skimming reading content, so you must make it easy for users to navigate to the information they need. Plus, Semrush reports that content writing with at least one list every 500 words receives 70% more traffic than those without lists. 

2. Write the best headline

Your headline needs to grab your readers’ attention, spark curiosity and leave them with questions they can only answer by reading your blog. You should also consider: 

• Headlines with 10-13 words attract twice as much site traffic and one and a half times as many shares as those under seven words, according to Semrush. 
• Eight out of 10 visitors will only read the headline of a page or article.
• Using a hyphen or colon in the headline increases click-through rates by 9%.

3. Vary your sentence structure

Keep your blog post writing dynamic by using a mix of sentence lengths and structure to help maintain the reader’s interest and flow. Users want to enjoy reading your content and will quickly head back to the SERPs if boredom strikes. 

4. Use the active voice

Opt for the active voice to make your writing more direct, engaging, and impactful. It also adds a sense of immediacy to your content. Writing a blog post in the passive voice is easy, but doing so leads your blog writing to fall a little flat. Here’s how to use the active voice well.

In the passive voice, the action’s target is the focus of the sentence. Whereas, in the active voice, the subject performing the action is the focus of the sentence. For example: 

Instead of: ‘The ball is being chased by the dog.” 

You’d write: “The dog is chasing the ball.”

“73% of readers admit to skim reading content, so you need to make it easy for users to navigate to the information they need. Semrush reports that content writing with at least one list every 500 words receives 70% more traffic than those without lists.”

5. Format your blog for readability

A simple tactic that can make all the difference is to experiment with quotes, sidebars and other formatting decisions to add visual interest and break up the monotony of long paragraphs. 

6. Avoid jargon overload

While expertise is important, avoid overwhelming readers and cut the slack on excessive industry jargon. Explain complex concepts in simple terms to ensure broad understanding. If readers feel out of depth, they’re more likely to leave your site to find something that helps them reach their goals more directly. You don’t want that to happen; an increase in bounce rate will only put you in the dark with search engine rankings.

7. Be authentic and personable

If you’re uptight and patronising, your reader will leave your site quickly – with a grimace. No one likes to be told what to do by a stranger, and when someone reaches out for advice, you’ve got to be approachable. To be authentic and personable in your blog copywriting, you should: 

• Share personal stories and experiences that relate to the blog topic, including both downfalls and successes
• Use conversational language
• Have an identifiable personality
• Be transparent about your experience, research and original ideas
• Highlight imperfections – we are all human
• Respond to feedback
• Take your reader behind the scenes

8. Master easy transitions

The flow of your content is essential. If you go too fast, too slow, off-topic or too narrow, your reader will lose interest. Your blog headline will set an expectation of what users should expect from that piece of content. Find the sleekest and sharpest way to get from A to B without losing the crowd. 

9. Use metaphors and analogies 

Metaphors and analogies can simplify complex concepts into single, easy-to-picture scenarios that your audience can wrap their heads around with little fuss. You can also appeal to a wider audience by illustrating your ideas and explanations. Your blog becomes much more accessible, and – if done well – you can keep your content on top of mind when recalling information. 

10. Break the fourth wall 

Hey, you. Yes, I’m talking to you. We write blogs to provide our readers with something. Whether that’s entertainment or education, the best way to get your point across is by directly addressing your audience. The first way you can do this is by addressing their pain points – and more on doing this empathetically in one of our later points. And another way you can do this is by breaking the fourth wall. To involve your audience in an ongoing conversation within your blog copywriting, you can: 

• Use pronouns like ‘you’ and ‘we’ to create a more intimate and engaging tone
• Ask rhetorical questions that prompt the reader to reflect on their own experiences
• Create and share inside jokes that you can return to frequently
• Be playfully self-aware by acknowledging the act of blog writing itself 
• Comment on the format by saying things like: ‘”If you’ve made it this far in our blog, kudos to you!”

11. Say only what needs to be said

Going off on a tangent can be easy when you’re in the writing zone. But good blog content should be free of waffles. Here are three ways to trim the excess and get to the point: 

1. Start sentences with your main idea rather than burying it in unnecessary introductory phrases. For example, instead of saying, “To achieve success, it is essential to focus on the key strategies,” you could say, “Focus on key strategies for success.”
2. Review your writing for redundant phrases or ideas. If you’ve made a point once, avoid restating it in a slightly different way. Redundancies can make your blog writing feel repetitive and bloated.
3. Opt for the active voice to make your sentences more direct and concise. Passive constructions can often introduce unnecessary words. For example, change “The report was written by the team” to “The team wrote the report.”

12. Be empathetic

Why does empathy matter in your blog writing? We can sell all the specs, features and benefits in the world when copywriting, but if the words we use don’t take your audience’s pain points, desires or beliefs into account, then it’s unlikely they’ll listen to what you’ve got to say. For our complete guide on how to be empathetic when writing, click here. 

13. Make clear conclusions

Cliff-hangers are great in novels and on TV, but in marketing, customers should never be left wondering why. Your blog copywriting should work hard to answer every question or query a potential reader could have on a certain topic. And even when you can’t answer something, you should be able to signpost where your reader can turn to next. One of your blogging goals should be to become a one-stop shop for information on *insert your blog niche here*. If you want to become an authority in your space, clear, thorough and complete content needs to be a priority. 

“Finish your blog with an intriguing call to action. The average conversion rate of a page is 2.4%, and this number only increases the more thought you put into your CTA.”

14. Be mindful of your pacing

This will greatly depend on who you are writing for. If you’re writing a blog post for beginners, you will be mindful of the level of detail you write in your informational guides and ‘how-to’ blog posts. You’ll want to strike a balance between information overload and thorough explanations. Likewise, if your audience is experts in your industry, there will be a certain expectation of how much you can assume your audience already knows. Your audience will determine the pace of your article, and to keep the right people engaged, it’s crucial that you nail this. 

15. Offer a tempting call to action

Last but not least, you need to finish your writing your blog post with an intriguing call to action. The average conversion rate of a page is 2.4%, and this number only increases the more thought you put into your CTA. Here are a few stats to consider: 

• Anchor text CTAs increase blog conversion by 121%, according to HubSpot.
• Customised CTAs convert 42% more visitors to your site, according to Mind Stamp.
• CTAs shaped like buttons see a 45% increase in clicks, says Copy Blogger.
• Email marketing with just one CTA increased sales by 1617%, report Word Stream.    

For our advice on how to write a call-to-action the right way, read this blog. 

How long should your blogs be? 

One of the perennial questions in the realm of blogging is the optimal word count for a post. Striking the right balance between providing valuable content and respecting readers’ time is crucial. 

Factors that influence blog word count

There isn’t always a one-size-fits-all approach to pinpointing blog word count. Quality over quantity always reigns some sort of truth, but you should also consider these factors: 

• Content depth and complexity
• Audience expectations 
• SEO considerations 
• Content type 

But, if you’re looking for rough blog writing guidelines to help guide your content plan and strategy, as a rule, we’d suggest: 

• Short-form content, including news articles: 500 words
• Medium-form content, including quick tips and brief discussion of topics: 1000 words
• Long-form content, including comprehensive guides and thought leadership pieces: 2000+ words. 

How regularly should you blog? 

Next, comes the question of ‘how regularly should you blog’?  Consistency is vital in the blogging world. Aim to publish regularly, whether daily, weekly, or bi-weekly. A consistent posting schedule keeps your audience engaged and signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. Find a frequency that aligns with your content creation capacity and audience expectations, and stick to it. Regular updates build anticipation, boost SEO, and establish your blog as a reliable source, building a loyal readership.

Short on time? How to write a blog post quickly but effectively

Why aren’t you blogging regularly? Usually, the answer is you don’t have enough time; even the thought of blogging frequently is time-consuming and monotonous and something you’d rather push aside.

But what if I told you it is possible to write a killer blog that converts in no time at all? With this short guide on how to write a blog post, you’ll be ready to start creating content when you get to your desk in the morning, and you’ll be done before the first tea break of the day. Think lists. 

For example, if I told you to write a blog post about why Twin Peaks is one of the greatest TV shows of the last thirty years, you may struggle. If I asked you to list the five greatest things about Twin Peaks, you could rattle them off (provided you’re aged at least 30 and/or a serious TV nerd).

There are endless types of lists you can create. Here are a few prompts to get you started:

• Reasons why each of your USPs is so important (for example, “Seven reasons why you need to focus on consistency in your [insert business] service,” “The top 10 reasons why reliability is important to [insert product]”).
• Top ten things about your sector (with one being directly related to your product or service).
• Top ten mistakes people make when shopping for your product or service.
• Ten best, ten worst.
• Ten (or twenty) ways you can (make life easier for your customers with suggestions that will benefit them).
• Five reasons to stop avoiding [insert service or product here].
• Ten most influential people in your sector (in your city, in your country, in the world).

And before you say it – yes, list posts still work really, really well.

“But what if I told you it is possible to write a killer blog that converts in no time at all? With this short guide on how to write a blog post, you’ll be ready to start creating content when you get to your desk in the morning, and you’ll be done before the first tea break of the day. Let’s get into it. Think lists.”

How to optimise your blog posts for SEO

There’s no point spending time writing a blog post if, before you post it, it’s not optimised for search. Here are the top must-have SEO practices to keep in mind when writing a blog post or optimising it for SEO. 

1. Keyword Research:

Tools to use: Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs

• Conduct thorough keyword research to identify terms relevant to your niche.
• Focus on long-tail keywords for specific targeting.
• Prioritise keywords with a balance of search volume and competition.

2. Content optimisation:

• Integrate keywords naturally into your content, including titles, headers, and meta descriptions.
• Create high-quality, valuable, and user-friendly content that addresses your audience’s needs.
• Use descriptive and compelling meta tags to enhance click-through rates in search results.

3. Mobile optimisation:

• Ensure your blog is mobile-friendly to cater to the growing number of mobile users.
• Utilise responsive design to maintain a consistent user experience across devices.
• Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool can assess your site’s mobile optimisation.

4. Page speed optimisation:

Tools to use: Google Page Speed Insights, GTmetrix

• Optimise your blog’s loading speed for a better user experience.
• Compress images and minify CSS and JavaScript files.
• Regularly check your site’s speed using dedicated tools and make necessary improvements.

5. Link building:

• Incorporate both internal and external links strategically within your content.
• Internal links enhance navigation and distribute authority across your site.
• Build quality backlinks from authoritative websites to boost your blog’s credibility.

6. Content updating and repurposing:

• Regularly update and refresh existing content to reflect current information.
• Repurpose successful content into different formats (videos, infographics) to broaden its reach.
• Monitor analytics to identify which posts can benefit from updates or repurposing.

7. SEO plugins:

Tools to use: Yoast SEO (WordPress), All in One SEO Pack (WordPress), Moz

• Utilise SEO plugins for platforms like WordPress to streamline optimisation efforts.
• These plugins offer features like on-page analysis, XML sitemaps, and social media integration.
• Configure settings to ensure optimal SEO practices are applied to each blog post.

Keeping your blog up to date

Success is about the consistent delivery of relevant content over time. If one particular blog, newsletter, or social media post has achieved excellent results, don’t be afraid to use elements of its content in your blog.

Recycling is ok as long as what you’re recycling has value – rework ideas, repackage content – there are new readers out there who never saw your original post, and there are old readers who want to be reminded of your insights. Feel free to rewrite older content with a new spin and use new stats to rekindle old debates. It’s all grist to the mill.

How to track the performance of your blog posts 

Tracking the performance of your blogs is essential for optimising your content strategy and ensuring you’re on track to achieve your content goals. Start by defining specific objectives for your site’s blog. This could be increasing traffic, generating leads or improving engagement. Next, identify the specific metrics that align with these objectives, such as page views, conversion rates or social shares. 

What metrics should you track for specific blog strategy goals?

If you want to increase website traffic…

Tools to use: Google Analytics

Metrics to track: 

• Page views
• Unique visitors
• Bounce rate 
• Dwell time

If you want to track where users are coming from…

Tools to use: Google Analytics

Metrics to track: 

• Organic traffic 
• Referral traffic 
• Social media traffic

If you want to track blog engagements…

Tools to use: Google Analytics

Metrics to track: 

• Goal completions 
• Conversion rate
• Lead generation form submissions

If you want to track SEO performance…

Tools to use: Google Search Console, SEMrush

Metrics to track: 

• Comments
• Social Shares
• Click-through rates 

Examples of great blog copywriting

70 million new posts are published on WordPress each month, and there are over 600 million blogs in the world. To stand out, you need to write well. Here are three examples of blogs getting it right: 

TechCrunch

TechCrunch is a blog that provides technology and start-up news to tech enthusiasts and business owners.

What can we learn from TechCrunch?

• You should prioritise text readability when designing your site. 
• Punchy, captivating headlines are effective at drawing in readers. 

A Cup of Jo

This blog was started as a hobby by editor Jo Goddard. It quickly grew in popularity, and A Cup of Jo now features articles by multiple authors on lifestyle, fashion and parenting. 

What can we learn from A Cup of Jo? 

• Posts are categorised by an extensive list of categories for easy and precise navigation. 
• Each blog features a short yet intriguing standfirst that reveals a little more of the article’s content.

Treehugger

Defining itself as a modern sustainability website, Treehugger is a blog that provides environmental news and articles exploring environmental topics. 

What can we learn from Treehugger?

• Top-performing posts are listed on the home page. 
• The blog’s mission statement is also written on the home page. 
• ‘How-to’ posts and guides are frequently used to drive search-intent-focused traffic.

Do you need an expert blog copywriter? 

When you know what you are writing, writing a good blog post doesn’t take long. And as long as you hit the SEO sweet spots, traffic to your blog is almost guaranteed. If you’re staying on top of trends and the latest industry changes and demonstrating expertise in your niche, get your blog posts out there. Share your know-how – but remember to deliver real value. There are too many blogs out there holding back on real insight and expertise because they are trying to protect their knowledge – whereas the real gold comes from sharing what you know and delivering value to potential customers.

However, if you’re a little unsure of where to start and want some expert guidance, consider getting in touch with a copywriter. That’s where we come in. We’ve been in the game since before the iPhone and helped many brands get more from their blogging. When the average blog takes at least four hours to write, we can help you save time by taking the reins. If this sounds right for you or your business, get in touch.