Sometimes, that mind-blowing, once in a lifetime idea that pops into your head and begs to be written is just better said than put into words. It’s like desperately needing someone to talk to, but you write better than you speak, so you do that instead. The adrenaline kicks in as you madly type away on your keyboard, letting it all out. Finally, you click publish. But then reality kicks in, and you realize you didn’t check what you just posted for mistakes, structure, or anything else. It turns into a total mess instead of the hit you were hoping for. Now you wish you would’ve just told somebody instead.
Creating top-quality content is very important for a blogger, and it defines your success in the blogosphere. The question is, what makes great content? I’m going to let you in on how to make sure each blog post is your best blog post.
How to create great content?
#1. Pick your topic wisely
No matter how great your topic may seem at the time, don’t rush into it. Your chosen topic has to be something you’re interested in and not just a random thought. Also, you need to make sure it’s actually worth writing about and is in demand online.
#2. Create a captivating title
This may be an essential part of a blog post because it is what brings your readers to your post. You want a title that will make online users click on when it shows up while searching online. So it has to be informative, not too vague yet captivating, and quickly grabs the reader’s attention. For example, if you’re posting a cake recipe, don’t give it a title like “A great cake recipe” but instead go with “Secret recipe for the best cake ever.”
#3. Make an outline
Fight the urge to click publish and take your time with your post. It’s okay to write the first draft when you’re in writing mode, but don’t rush to publish just yet. Plan out all the sections you want in your post. This doesn’t need to be detailed, but it’ll be a clear guide to follow when writing and will guarantee you won’t forget anything.
#4. Do your research
This is vital for any blogger’s credibility. If you don’t conduct an adequate amount of research and lack to check your facts before publishing, your credibility will be on the line. A good blogger knows never to post wrong info because it’ll only impact negatively on your blog. Know everything there is to know about the topic you’re tackling and check your facts from reliable resources.
#5.A killer opening paragraph
So you’ve got your readers to click on your post, don’t lose them now. The first paragraph is your way of setting the stage for your post; it has to be interesting, so they don’t just skip the good stuff in the middle.
#6. Write with a purpose, don’t ramble
Your reader has to come out of this post with something. Don’t think that they’d want to read your random rambling. Even if it’s informative, if it’s not well written, they won’t bother. If you don’t build up to a big finale or a satisfying ending, they will stop reading your post midway and get bored. Every paragraph you write needs to be there for a reason.
#7. Make them DO
The reason why “how-to” or “tips” blogs are a big hit is that they instruct you to DO something. Readers want to believe you know what you’re talking about (even if you don’t). By doing your research properly and studying your product, service, or even idea, you’ll convince even the most skeptical.
#8. Add headlines
Adding headlines to your post makes whoever comes across your post want to read it. A post that’s just a big block of writing is intimidating. Headlines add separations to your writing, making it neat and easy to read.
#9. Familiarize yourself with SEO basics
You don’t need to be an SEO expert (search engine optimization), but being informed with the basics will help you use your keywords wisely, which will promote your blog by having it appear in searches more often.
#10. Use Images when possible
Adding images makes your blog post fruity and gives humor to it. Pictures, GIFs, or images break the typical article structure making your blog fun to read.
These few ingredients will add the perfect mixture of sweet and sour to your blog post, making it readable, likable, and, most importantly, a hit.