There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between writing a blog post and driving. You may spend months studying the highway (or reading articles that tell you how to write a blog post), but nothing can prepare you for the real thing quite like actually driving yourself down the road or perhaps something else.
Let’s put on our knowledge caps and start now that I’ve finished completely misinterpreting that nebulous metaphor. You know that starting a blog would help your business expand, but you’re not sure how to get started. I’ll walk you through the process of writing a fantastic blog article in five easy stages that readers will want to read in this post. Are you ready? Let’s go ahead and begin.
Learn how to write a blog post in just five easy steps:
- Step 1: Formulate a plan
- Step 2: Headline or Title
- Step 3: Outline your blog post
- Step 4: Add media
- Step 5: Possible revisions
How to Write A Blog Post
Step 1: Make a plan of action
First, a disclaimer: even if you can write well and type eighty words per minute, the overall process of composing a blog article frequently takes more than a few hours. You may spend several days or even a week “writing” a blog post, from the moment the idea first occurs to the moment you hit “Publish.” However, it’s crucial to invest those crucial hours in planning your post and even pondering it (yes, blogging is considered work!) before you actually write it.
Make sure you have everything you need to write before you ever sit down to use a digital pen and paper. Planning is something that many inexperienced bloggers ignore, but even though you may be able to get away with it at first, doing your homework now can save you time in the future and help you form excellent writing habits.
Select A Subject You’re Interested In
“No fun for the writer, no fun for the reader,” goes an ancient proverb. This is a statement that bloggers should live by and abide by, regardless of the business in which they operate.
Make sure you choose a topic that truly interests you before moving on to any of the subsequent phases. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ruin a blog article more quickly than the author’s lack of excitement. When a writer is disinterested in their subject, it’s obvious, and it’s almost humiliating.
Prepare An Outline For Your Article
Good blog posts do not happen by accident. To stay on course, even the most proficient bloggers require a general notion. Outlines are useful in this situation.
An outline is only meant to serve as a general guide to ensure that you don’t write a dissertation on unrelated topics. It doesn’t have to be long or extremely thorough.
For instance, before I started working on the piece, I provided my editor with this outline:
Overview
[Short synopsis outlining the topics the blog post will address]
Section 1: Organizing a Blog Article
Before writing, bloggers should do the following: research, outline, etc.
Section 2: Composing a Blog Entry
- Writing concentration techniques, as well as productivity advice for bloggers
Section 3: Editing or Rewriting a Blog Entry
- Self-editing strategies, cautions, and typical blogging errors
Section 4: How to Make a Blog Post Better
- How to maximize a blog article for social media interaction, on-page SEO, and shares.
Section 5: Concluding Remarks
- This outline serves as a reminder of the topics I intend to cover, the sequence in which they will appear, and some basic information about the contents of each part.
How To Write A Blog Post
Step 2: Write a Headline or Title
Regarding headlines, everyone and their granny has an opinion. While some advocate adopting a more abstract approach, others contend that you should be as explicit as possible. If you’re Seth Godin, vague headlines could work just fine, but for the majority of us, specificity is preferable.
When it comes to crafting blog post headlines, there are two primary methods you may employ. You have two options: either create your blog post using a working title and see what suits after you’re done, or choose your final headline before you write the remainder of your piece and use it to organize your outline.
Depending on who your audience is, you should also adjust your headline strategy.
Another popular strategy is to use a question mark in your headline. These examples show that, when done correctly, this can be quite powerful.
- Can an Algorithm Compose a News Article More Effectively Than a Journalist?
- Are You Interested in Joining a Crowdsourced Environmental Alert System?
- What Are the Similarities Among Private insurance in Europe?
But this method is also becoming increasingly tedious, and fewer media are using it these days (happily, along with the ever-annoying “You won’t believe…” headline). Make sure the question in your headlines is one that your readers will actually find interesting if you decide to use questions.
As much an art as a science, creating headlines for blog articles is definitely worthy of its own essay, but for the time being, all I’d suggest is testing to see what works best for your readership. By all means, provide your audience with access to really detailed case studies that demonstrate various techniques.
How To Write A Blog Post
Step 3: Create An Outline For Your Post
You’ve done your homework, chosen a working title or a headline, and are now prepared to start writing a blog article. Thus, get going.
Like news stories, there are two primary methods for crafting a blog article. One can choose to work on the manuscript progressively over time, although I personally like to sit down and compose the entire thing in one session. What works for you is the only answer that matters in this situation.
But, I would advise doing as much as you can in a single session. This reduces the possibility that you will forget important details, facilitates maintaining attention on the subject, and expedites the process of getting the blasted object out of your hair.
Try to get as much writing done in those periods as possible, even if you are more productive while working in short bursts. The more occasions you have to go back and edit a draft, the easier it is to add a little bit here and there.
And before you know it, the topic has completely strayed. Even if you would rather divide up a blog post’s drafting across multiple sessions, try to do as much as you can in one sitting.
Writing gets simpler and more organic with practice, much like most other talents. When you initially start out, writing an article may take you a week or more, but with time and practice, you’ll be writing excellent pieces in a matter of hours.
How To Write A Blog Post
Step 4: Add Media
Writing on the web is not the same as writing for print media at all. People frequently lack the time, motivation, or capacity to concentrate on lengthy blog entries without some sort of visual stimulus.
It’s crucial to incorporate graphics in your blog articles since, in only a few minutes, a properly organized blog post with only text will probably have your reader screaming to go back to Facebook or Instagram.
Media Can Improve the Flow of Your Blog Posts
Using photos to divide up the text in your blog articles serves as one of the most important motives to do so.
The majority of readers skim blog articles rather than reading them word by word; therefore, include graphics in your writing to make it appear less daunting and more visually attractive.
Great Visual Punchlines in the Media
All individuals like a good chuckle, and a carefully selected image may contribute to a post’s lighthearted tone and much-needed comedy. This works especially well when writing on a dull or uninteresting subject.
Media Simplifies Hard Subjects for Audiences
Let’s be honest: digital marketing, like hundreds of other specialized subjects, isn’t always the easiest for beginners to learn. For this reason, if you want to grow your following through blogging, photos should be a vital component of your toolkit.
Any visual aids you use, such as tables, charts, infographics, and diagrams, can aid readers in understanding abstract or difficult subjects and in understanding the arguments you’re attempting to convey.
How To Write A Blog Post
Step 5: Possible revisions
It’s difficult to really write a blog article. A blog post requires more editing. First and foremost, use a tool that checks grammar in addition to a standard spell checker to correct any contextual errors in your blog post.
However, it doesn’t stop there. Many individuals erroneously believe that editing consists just of removing awkward sentences and correcting grammar. Editing is about viewing the work as a whole and sometimes being prepared to forego words for the sake of cohesiveness, even though sentence structure and syntax are also highly essential.
Here are a few manual editing guidelines and recommendations for improving the clarity and impact of the content you produce so that readers will continue to scroll.
Steer clear of repetition
Repetition of a word or phrase may be quite disorienting when reading. After completing the preliminary version of the website article, go over it again and look for any terms that might be substituted to save repetition.
Read the Content to Verify the Pattern
Many authors pick up this tip in seminars: an article will most likely read uncomfortably in your reader’s head if it sounds odd when read aloud.
Although it may sound a little strange, make yourself read your article out loud in order to look for any too wordy or artificial phrases.
Do you ever find it difficult for a phrase to flow? Work on it until it flows naturally.
Get a Second Opinion on Your Writing
This is especially important for novice or part-time bloggers. Asking a friend or coworker to review your work is a commitment to making it as powerful as it can be, not a declaration of vulnerability or a sign of failure.
Reduce the length of sections and phrases
Try to keep sentences as brief as possible. They are simpler to read, which facilitates the task of your viewers. Additionally, shorter phrases make it less likely that you will ramble.
Your readers are more inclined to continue reading a paragraph that is shorter in length. Since web-based publication became commonplace, the “rules” of paragraph form have been somewhat loosened, but overall, they aim to keep ideas contained inside their own tidy, concise paragraphs.
Never Be Afraid to Adjust on the Spot
Your outline is not set in stone, unless there’s something you really must include.
Recognize that there will never be flawless blog content
The sooner you accept that there is nothing known as a flawless post, the better. Make each post the best you can, take what you can from the experience, and then move on.
What New Knowledge Did You Acquire Today?
One of those things that looks simple as long as you are perform it is blogging. Thankfully, it becomes easier with time and experience, so you’ll quickly become a better blogger.
Please leave your questions in the comments below if there is anything specific you would like me to address, or if there is any area of creating a blog post that I did not cover. I will do my best to respond to your inquiries.
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