There are many tips and hints for writing a brilliant blog post and this article covers some basic guidelines.
An important part of your blog is the name, which should also be in your website domain name. It needs to be catchy and memorable. Unfortunately, with so many blogs already out there, it can be hard to know what names are taken or are similar sounding to yours. You don’t want people getting you confused for someone else. Trying a domain name search is a convenient, easy way to make sure your blog name is available before you try setting it up.
You’ll need to start a blog post with an introductory paragraph. Tell your readers what you will be writing about in a nutshell. Use one or two keywords (keywords are words that are poignant and salient to your business). Keep sentences short and to the point.
When you are writing your post, you should refer back to the intro paragraph to be sure you are staying on topic.
Note that this text is “paragraph” text. Most content management systems allow you to change the font and size of the text by highlighting and choosing “paragraph”, “header 1” etc.
If you want to add a sub-head – and I suggest you do – it’s done like this.
How to add a keyword rich sub head
This is called an H2 header or an H3 header.Break up the text of your blog with engaging headers.Using keywords in headers is a useful way to gain traction in search engines.
Good blogs have great photos
Use the “add media” button to add a photo.
This is a brilliant photograph because it is unusual and eye-catching. It also includes a dog – and many people love animals.
Points to note about photos
- It looks better in a blog post is you centre the photo.
- Change the size of the photo before you upload it to your blog or website. I use photos 700 pixels wide.
- Always add a caption.
- Behind the scenes, you should add words to the “Alt text” box.
What is alt text?
Alt text or alternate text is an attribute added to an image tag in HTML. This text appears inside the image container when the image can not be displayed. It helps search engines understand what an image is about.
Here is another great photo:
This is a bright and interesting photo.
Note: This photo is centred and 700pixels tall, rather than wide.
Top tip: Use bullet points
People are lazy readers on-line and so it helps to keep their attention with easy-to-read text. Bullet points grab attention and report information succinctly. Likewise, sub-heads, photos and captions keep people engaged in what you have written.
More top tips for engaging blog posts
I want to keep the reader interested and so I use another h2 sub-head. I could add another list.
- Use sub-heads to break up long chunks of text.
- Use short sentences and paragraphs.
- Try to use simple language (think about writing for a child in primary 6 or 7.)
- Don’t waffle on. If you have made your point move on.
The best ideas for headers
When writing a header think about what people might search for in Google.
For example:
- How to
- Guide to
- Best of
- Easiest way to
- Review of
- Top tips
What is the right length for a blog?
There is not set rule. At least 350 words per post is good but you could equally have a post filled with photos and great captions.
A post could be 1500 words long, too, if it is engaging enough and you do not start to waffle.
How do I finish a blog post?
Always try to conclude what you have offered in the post. For example, “I hope you have learned a few great tips from this post about how to write a brilliant blog.”
Then add a call to action. If you are a small business and you want to find out more about writing great blog posts, email [email protected] or call 07803970425. You can also read more about my How to Blog Workshops.