Want to write successful blog posts that get results? Look no further! This 8-step guide gives you all the tips and tricks you need to write your first blog post! Make sure you read until the end to get the free template.
Learning how to write your first blog post can be a daunting task
Writing your first blog post may seem like a difficult task, especially if you’re new to the world of blogging. But with an easy format to follow and my tried & tested tips you can start writing blog posts that get views and attract your audience to your site. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps I follow to write successful blog posts, from picking topics to writing headlines and formatting your content.
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Here’s a quick 8-step guide to help you write your first blog post
Step 1: Determine the audience you’re writing for
The first and most important thing to keep in mind when writing a blog post is your audience.
- Who are you writing for?
- What are their interests?
- What problems can you help them solve with your expertise?
- What questions do they have?
By understanding your readers, you can tailor your content to their specific needs and interests, making it more engaging and valuable to them. And that is the #1 secret for writing successful blog posts – finding a specific audience and writing for them!
Tip: How to identify the right audience for your blog posts
I’ve found that a good blog topic meets these 4 factors:
- Passion – What topics are you passionate to talk about?
- Experience – Do you have enough experience in the subject?
- Skills – Do you have the skills to teach others about the subject?
- Audience interest – Is there an audience interested to read about this topic?
Tip: Do a keyword search using SEMrush or Ubersuggest and find out the volume of monthly searches for your keyword. For example, if your desired keyword has > 10,000 monthly searches it shows that there’s an audience of ~10,000 people searching for this topic. Ideally, you should target keywords that are not too small (eg: <1,000) and not too broad (eg: 1 mil) in search volume.
Tips for writing for a specific audience:
- Use language and tone that resonates with your audience
- Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your readers may not understand
- Keep your posts relevant and useful to your readers
- When your readers find value, they will keep coming back for more!
Step 2: Choose the right topic & keywords for SEO
A good blog topic & target keyword has:
- medium keyword search volume (10k – 100k/mo.)
- easy to rank (low difficulty)
- low keyword competition
- trending keywords (new)
Tip: How to choose the right keywords for your first blog post
Do a keyword search using SEMrush or Ubersuggest and find out the volume of monthly searches for your keyword. For example, if your desired keyword has > 10,000 monthly searches it shows that there’s an audience of ~10,000 people searching for this topic.
Ideally, as a new blogger, you should target keywords that are not too small (eg: >1,000) and not too broad (eg: <100k) in search volume.
Here’s a video that shows how I do keyword search for my blog posts.
Step 3: Write a catchy headline to attract readers
Headlines are responsible for 80% of the traffic! I’ve always said to my blog writing class students that the most important part of your blog post is your headline! So before you start thinking of your content, start by learning how to write a catchy headline.
A successful blog headline should be:
- Attention-grabbing (get people to click on it to read your text)
- Informative (give readers a clear idea of what your post is about)
- Short and straight to the point (use clear, action-oriented words, keep it under 70 characters so it doesn’t get cut off in search results)
- Reflective of your main content (you can get creative and use puns or humour to make your headline stand out as long as it’s related to the main message of your blog post)
Tip: I teach all about writing headlines in my blog writing course!
Step 4: Use the introduction paragraph to hook readers
The first paragraph of your blog post is probably the second most important part after your headline. Here you continue to build interest and intrigue your readers by promising them a “solution” or a reward if they keep reading your blog post.
Ways to hook readers in with your introduction:
- Identify an important problem your readers are facing
- Share the negative impact if they don’t continue to read and find out the solution to their problem from your article
- Hint at how amazing they will feel after finding the solution to their problem
- Remind readers that you will share a secret at the end of your blog post so they keep reading to find out
Step 5: Use data to back up your points as much as possible
Including data and statistics in your blog post can add credibility and authority to your content. Especially if you’re a new blogger and you don’t already have a loyal follower base, you need to double down on data from reputable sources.
When you reference reputable sources it shows that you have done your research and can provide evidence to support your arguments. You can present the data in various formats such as charts, graphs, infographics or tables to make it easier for readers to understand. Just be sure to properly cite your sources and give credit where it’s due.
Examples of reputable sources:
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Research papers
- Academic journals
- Industry reports & studies
- Case studies
- Websites with known authors
Tip: Don’t be afraid of referencing other articles
Many new bloggers are afraid to cite other bloggers because they may be accused of copying. But that’s not the case. Believe me, when you give other writers credit, they’ll be thankful to you for driving traffic back to them!
Step 6: Write naturally, use simple words and format text so it’s easy to read
When it comes to writing a successful blog post, simple language and easy-to-read formatting are key. I like to keep the format of my blog posts as simple as possible, with many line breaks and short paragraphs so. You can see below an example of the subheadlines I use to break up text into easily digestible sections. This not only makes the blog post easier to read, but it also helps with SEO by making it easier for search engines to understand the structure of your content.
Blog post formatting example:
H1: Main headline or title
[body text] Introduction paragraph
H2: Main Point #1
H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …
H2: Main Point #2
H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …
H2: Main Point #3
H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …
[body text] Conclusion paragraph
[url-link] Call to action
FREE RESOURCE: Download my free blog post template here.
Additionally, I use bullet points and numbered lists to highlight important information and make it stand out. Images and videos can also be used to break up long portions of text and add visual interest to your post. All of these formatting techniques will make your post more engaging and easier to read, which will keep your readers coming back for more.
Step 7: Wrap up your blog with a conclusion
I like to end my blog posts with a simple conclusion – just to wrap up and remind my readers of the main goal or takeaway of the blog post. You could also include a call to action button here and direct readers to take an action (like check out your course, visit your social media page, download a freebie, etc.)
Step 8: Edit and revise your post
Your first few blog post draft will suck. So, don’t panic. Instead, take your time to review it and improve it. By making mistakes early on you can learn, and get better at writing over time. I like to use Grammarly to check and clear any grammar and punctuation mistakes and improve clarity. Hemmingway editor is also a free tool you can use to simplify your text and make your text easier to read.
Conclusion
I hope that with the tips shared in this post, I’ve managed to inspire you to write your first blog post! Think of something you are passionate to write about and start sharing your knowledge with the world – even though it’s not perfect, I’m sure you’ll get there!
Now it’s the perfect time to start your website! If you’re thinking of starting an e-commerce business of a new blog, Strikingly is an easy-to-use blogging platform for those who don’t know how to code (including me!).
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