How to craft an exceptional blog post (Blog #47)
What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure (Samuel Johnson)
Welcome to my latest blog in which I am going to share some advice on how to write a blog that is going to really work as a way of communicating with your target audience. I am going to include some of my own little hacks based on my many years' experience as a writer.
The act of writing is something that should be taken seriously. People mistakenly think that they can sit down with their laptop, type away for 20-minutes, and produce a perfect piece of writing. No! If you want your words to be read with pleasure then you're going to have to put in some hardwork upfront.
In this blog I will set out the necessary steps you should follow to produce your own perfect blog posts.
Writing, or should I say creating, a blog is no different to producing any other piece of writing, whether it be a book, an article for a magazine or a newspaper, a hard copy letter, or an email, the process should always be the same. They all begin with an idea. (Even when responding to a letter or an email, your first thought is about what to say, an idea, that is.) The trick is to capture that idea and transform it into a cohesive written narrative.
A number of years ago when I was starting out as a serious writer I came across a wonderful poem by Rudyard Kipling that has ever since stood me in good stead, part of which is:
I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.
This is often referred to as the journalist's poem. You'll understand why as you read on.
First you need to choose a topic (this is the 'What' in the poem). You should focus on a specific area that interests you and which aligns with your expertise. This is obvious: if you're an interior designer would you really be able to write knowledgeably about pig farming, for example? Stick to what you know.
People talk about having a topic for your blogs; they also talk about having a theme. To be absolutely clear: the main difference between a topic and a theme is that a topic is what a story is about, while a theme is the reason why it was written. Decide on your topic and theme, again, things you know about.
You should know your audience in the same way as anyone who has a product to sell needs to know their customers. Tailor your content to what your readers want to learn or enjoy reading. (This is the 'Who' in the poem.)
Is your blog intended to solve a problem for the reader? How are you going to do this? (I know it's obvious, but this is the 'How' in the poem.)
You will need to do some research by reading similar content. Look at other people's blog posts or articles about your chosen topic to see what’s been covered, and how you can add something that's unique and memorable. (What has already been said?)
Bear in mind that to grow your readership you will need to incorporate keywords in your blog for search engine optimisation (SEO). (How can I get my message out to ss many people as possible?)
We now come to the nuts and bolts of actual putting together a first class piece of writing. Your blog should be made up of three distinct sections:
The introduction: start with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone. Briefly explain what the post will cover. I call this section the, 'Tell them what you are going to tell them'.
The main body: break the content into sections with subheadings if necessary. Use bullet points, lists, and short paragraphs to make it easy to scan read. Each paragraph should only cover one subject.
The ideal length of your sentences should generally range from 15 to 20 words. This length is often considered optimal for clarity and readability. Shorter sentences tend to be easier to understand, while longer sentences can convey complex ideas, but risk becoming convoluted or harder to follow. That said, variety in sentence length is key to maintaining reader engagement, with some sentences being shorter and others slightly longer, depending on the content and style.
You should finish with your conclusions, which summarise the key points and offer a call-to-action (e.g., ask readers to comment, share, or subscribe). I call this section the, 'Tell them what you've told them'.
Word count matters. The ideal number of words for a blog depends on the type of content, target audience, and goals. Here are some general guidelines:
Short blogs of 300-600 words are best for news updates, announcements, or quick tips. These will appeal to readers with short attention spans or the casual browser.
Medium length blogs of 800-1,200 words tend to be Ideal for SEO and in-depth engagement, as well as being suitable for tutorials, how-to guides, or opinion pieces.
Long form blogs of 1,500-2,500+ words tend to be for comprehensive guides, research-based articles, and pillar or cornerstone content. These often rank higher in search results due to the depth and quality of information. Their audience tend to be highly engaged who are seeking detailed insights.
In general, 1,500-2,000 words is often considered the sweet spot for in-depth blogs that aim to rank well on search engines while providing substantial value to the reader. For me, 1500 words is about right. This takes the average person a couple of minutes to read.
Everyone has their own writing style, but there's one style you should endeavor to adopt, and that is to be clear and concise. You should be telling a story, using examples, anecdotes, and a conversational tone to make your writing more relatable.
After you have written the first draft, put it down, leave it for a couple of days then return to it. This is good advice if at the first attempt the words and ideas haven't flowed all that well.
This next bit of advice is about the task that most writers probably hate doing the most, which is editing and proofreading their work. This is the method I suggest:
First reading - check all names, place names, and references for accuracy.
Second reading - check spellings.
Third reading - check punctuation. This is perhaps the most difficult edit because you may not know what constitutes correct punctuation. If you write short sentences you need not worry too much because all you need is use is a full stop. An easy way to check both your punctuation and your grammar is to use the Grammarly tool.
One of the purposes of editing is to cut out unnecessary words. Every word has to earn its place, and every sentence has to add value.
Word blindness creeps in after a while so I recommend reading your blog piece aloud, which will help catch awkward phrasing or unclear sentences. Read with your eyes then read with your voice
Finally, add visuals to make your post more engaging and compelling; add keyword-rich meta descriptions that summarises your post.
You are now ready to publish and promote on social media: share your blog post on social platforms and email to your subscriber list if you have one.
Don't forget to engage with comments, both positive and negative, this helps to build a community.
The final bits of advice I want to give you are: practice, practice , practice; and
read the writing of others to see how they write and express their ideas
In summary: choose a topic with which you are familiar; know your audience; plan your blog; edit, edit, edit.
By following these steps, you can create a well-structured, engaging, and optimised blog that connects with your audience.
Just to show that I am a published author and therefore know a little bit about how to write, here's my first book (2nd edition):
Managing a Dental Practice the Genghis Khan Way https://amzn.eu/d/0wRjw4d.
And this is my second book:
The Effective and Efficient Clinical Negligence Expert Witness https://amzn.eu/d/gGpBpv4.
My call to action is, please leave a comment, follow me, and share my blogs with your friends. Help build a community.
You can catch my photography @smart_phone_photographer_53, and read my micro blogs on Threads, also @smart_phone_photographer_53.
© Mike Young 2024.
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