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I have a confession to make- when I first started my blog content was horrible. Actually, the content itself was good but how I delivered it was horrible.
Writing in a conversational manner is not second nature to me. You would think it would be for anyone but I am a very ‘Type-A/follow-the-rules’ kind of person which means it was hard to rewire my brain to write for people versus for a research journal.
Reading my posts was about as fun as reading a term paper at first (I am so sorry to all of my original fans- I love you for sticking with me).
What really sucked is I knew my writing was lacking but had no idea how to improve it. It can be hard to know what you don’t know.
Check out the following tips to make your content great from the get-go as you start your blogging journey.
Need help starting a blog so you have a place to publish your great content? Check out my article on How to Start a Blog in 6 Simple Steps.
Tips for Writing Great Blog Content
Writing a blog is probably a little different than other pieces you’ve written so here are a few tips to keep in mind as you write.
- Draw Your readers in
There are three main ways to draw a reader into a post and start your blog content off great.
1) Tell a short anecdote or story. Human beings are built to get drawn to stories dating back to our caveman daves where relaying information via stories could be the difference between life and death. Of course, a blog post isn’t life or death but people still love stories.
2) Share an Interesting Statistic. Notice I said share an interesting statistic? Day to day numbers are not going to catch a person’s eye but I guarantee you if you share a number that seems surprising or shocking people will stick around to learn more.
3) Agree with your readers about a pain point and then tell them how it can be Fixed. Have you ever read a post or watched a video and the opening line makes you think “How did they know” or “Get out of my head”? That is not a coincidence. Part of connecting with your readers is getting to know their pain points. Once you agree with them about a pain point then tell them you have a solution to their problem.
Ex. “Discover the best homemade deodorant that actually works.”
- Limit the Use of 'I' and 'My' Phrases
A lot of people start off writing about their experiences which is great but can lead to a lot of “I/my phrases”.
“What I have learned,”
“My favorite way to do xyz,”
“How I found my rhythm…”
“I/my phrases” are fine as long as once you use them you turn it around to “you phrases.” This lets your audience knows how your “I/my” story is going to help them.
- Avoid Editing as Your Write
This is something I still struggle with to this day. When you sit down to write- just write. Try to avoid editing as you go. Not only will you write quicker but you will also stumble across bog content you would’ve never come up with if you were taking the time to edit as you write.
When it’s time to write a post- just write. Then let your post stew a day or two and come back to it so you can take a look at it with fresh eyes.
- Make Your Posts Easy to Scan
As much as we would love for people to read every word of our posts, it’s just not going to happen. Give the people what they want with great H2 subheadings and by using lists.
Take it a step further and use odd numbered lists which tend to get 20% more clicks than even numbered lists.
- Avoid Passive Voice
I am not an English major so I was having a heck of a time trying to explain passive voice. Instead, I found this great article on passive voice for you though.
- Keep It Conversational
Remember how I mentioned my posts were like reading a research paper? It’s because they were not conversational at all.
One of the easiest ways to improve your blog content and sound more conversational is to use contractions. Using contractions like “haven’t” and “you’re” can go a long way in making a blog post easier to read.
- Use an app to edit
Use the Hemmingway App to edit your work. It will check for overuse of adjectives, passive voice, spelling errors and will give you a word count. *Side note: When you go to the page you will have to highlight and delete the example text and replace it with your own.
Make sure you never miss a step when you publish a new post. Get your FREE Blog Post Checklist. Refer back to it or print off a few to keep at your desk to use time and time again!
Learn How to Write Great Content from a Professional
If you are anything like me you love tips but crave a lot more detail when it comes to something as subjective as writing especially since it’s the first step of blogging. That’s why I enrolled in Sticky Blogging.
Sticky Blogging is a great deep dive into how to write better and I loved it. She goes through different ways to make your writing stand out from the rest and memorable with simple to follow chapters and course work as well as a downloadable workbook if you choose.
The instructor, Kelly, is very hands on and limits enrollment so she can answer each students questions throughout the course.
Unfortunately, due to it being an instructor lead course, it is only open a few times a year. You can go to the Sticky Blogging site and enroll for the 5 day free course to start improving your writing now and to be notified the next time her course opens for enrollment.
In the meantime, check out Copyblogger. The have a ton of great resources including a FREE class on how to write great copy that will keep your readers on page longer and coming back for more. Go to their page, click on education, and register to access awesome writing material.
Writing great content doesn’t have to be hard. Knowing the best way to format your content is half the battle. Hopefully, the above tips will help get you on your way.
Want a handy list to help you remember the above tips for writing great blog posts? Get the password to my resource library below and gain access to all the lists and print outs you could need to help your blog succeed.
FREE Blog Content Planner
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