13 Tried and True Techniques to Write Better Blog Posts

Want to write successful blog posts? Writing good blog posts has a big learning curve, but you can greatly shortcut the process using proven techniques. In this post, we’ll share 13 tried & true techniques to write better blog posts.

Writing successful blog posts is a battle. A battle in the war waged between ideas worth sharing, and the vast array of online distractions.

From plugins to social networks, there is a lot to learn. But none of these techniques matter if you dwell in amateur blog post writing.

You see, readers these days simply don’t have time to read poorly-written content.

It doesn’t matter if you got good grades on writing in school…

Success in academic writing and success in blog post writing are two completely different things.

Unless you educate yourself on how to write better blog posts (i.e. blog posts that get traffic, shares, and leads for your business), your inexperience will show, and you’ll gain nothing more than higher bounce rates.

So, before you even think about WordPress plugins or Pinterest SEO tactics, you need to make sure that you know how to write good blog posts like a true professional.

If you skip this step, then nothing can save your blog from oblivion.

The good news is, you are reading this article. After reading this, you’ll have a complete arsenal of techniques for writing better blog posts. You’ll know exactly how to yield your pen (a.k.a. your “sword”), and make your voice heard.

Are you ready? Good– your readers are counting on you!

1. The Anatomy of a Successful Blog Post

Let’s start the first point with the harsh truth: if you don’t structure your post in the right way, no one is going to continue reading it till the end.

This point is something that I didn’t fully grasp when I started writing digital content, so, I would create massive walls of text with no structure, a clear process, or a straightforward approach. This approach resulted in fewer shares, views, and a high bounce rate.

Maybe structure is not the only thing to consider, but it’s essential, and a hundred percent necessary if you want to create content that makes an impact but also gets read and shared.

To create a viable structure for your blog post, your post needs each of these components (we’ll go more in depth on each of these later in this post):

• Write a compelling headline.

• Write a compelling introduction that hooks the reader in.

• Show some personality– build a personal brand, or signature writing style, that the reader can pick up on.

• Share relevant stats and always cite your sources.

• Write about personal stories that are relevant to your article.

• Be relatable to your reader– write using terms that are familiar to them and easy for them to understand.

• Conclude your article with a recap of the main points and motivate the reader to take the first steps.

2. Craft a Compelling Headline

Do you know one of the biggest mistakes that most bloggers make? Writing a post before the headline.

A blog post headline is like a roadmap for the blogger to follow. Without a proper headline, the post can go haywire, leaving the readers feeling dizzy, confused, and disoriented. To make matters worse, many bloggers only write their headline after writing their post, which inevitably results in a dizzying mess.

If you want to write a post that is clear, effective, and full of conviction, then you must spend some time crafting a quality headline that sets a clear destination, lures readers to your content, and makes reading your post irresistible.

Your headline will be your navigation tool, and it will let you know which road to choose and avoid. This tool will help readers get to the point as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Follow these points to create a killer headline:

• Your headline should make a promise– what will the reader gain from reading your post?

• Get inspired from the pros and other blogs in your niche. What headlines do your competitors use?

• Ask your subscribers and commenters what they would like to learn about.

• Be perfectly clear– don’t get too clever with your headlines.

• At the same time, your headline needs to reflect your unique voice and style.

• “How to” and list-style headlines work especially well.

• Tease the content– share just enough to make someone want to read the post.

3. Write an Intriguing Introduction

So, readers are lured to your site with your catchy headline, your job now is to keep them hooked to your content and not increase the bounce rate. This, my friend, is no easy task.

Readers are fickle and have a low attention span. They are known for taking a quick glance at your content and then vanish from your site in the blink of an eye.

Consequently, to make them stay on your site, these are some of the points you can follow for a gripping introduction.

Slip Into Their Shoes

Trying to sound smart, to the point that it seems condescending, in your blog openings can be the downfall of your content. This is also one of the common mistakes that separate the pros from the amateurs.

You need to provide empathy, show the readers that your content is relatable and you know what they are going through. Step into their shoes and write from their perspective.

Get Into Character

To captivate readers, you need to trigger their emotions.

When you sit down to write, you need to think about the feelings that you may trigger through your post; fear, anger, sadness, hope, joy, love, comfort, and so on. Then get into character and the words will be authentic and believable.

Lure Readers Down the Page

Want to reduce your bounce rate, and bring about commitment from your readers? Then you will have to accelerate their experience to the next level and lure then down the page.

The faster they scroll down your post, the more engaged they will feel with your content. Open with short sentences or a question, avoid fillers, and set a rhythm. These points will make your introduction compelling and engaging.

4. Over-Deliver Easy-to-Consume Advise

Okay, so far, so good!

The readers have now clicked your headline and have also gone through your introduction and are still hooked to your content waiting to devour more information.

Now is the time to deliver the material that was promised in the headline and the introduction.

You have two ways to go about your content, that is, to over-deliver and under-deliver.

If you want your reader to look forward to every post that you write, then over-deliver.

If you want the reader to have a glance and vanish for good, then you can under-deliver.

The choice is yours.

Here are some of the top rules that you can follow to over-deliver with valuable, efficient content…

5. Add Pitstops (Subheads)

 

Subheadings! Use them!

You may ask, “Why?” Well, because readers are scanners.

You can’t blame them, there are so many blog posts to read, and not all of it is good; this leads them to scan the content and not to read it.

This is where subheadings come in: they are there to reiterate that your content holds solid information and value. They make your post consumable.

When creating subheads, keep these points in mind:

• Add a subhead every few paragraphs.

• Avoid cryptic, plain label, and spoiler subheads.

• Compare each subhead to your main title.

• Follow a set format– all of your subheads should be consistent with one another.

6. Unleash the Unexpected

Readers crave new information– they want to read something they’ve never heard before.

So, try to avoid old and repetitive news. Your post must be creative, bold, unique and eye-opening… maybe even epic!

My advice would be to list all your main points, create an outline, and add your perspective and personality to the content. Maybe even provide some plot twist– something that the readers will not expect.

Try shedding new light on an old problem, what methods are available now that people don’t know about, and so on.

Try not to go overboard with the “shock factor” though– you don’t want your information to overwhelm the reader.

7. Follow a Formula

Following a consistent formula is very important. Each section should be similar in length, grammar, and examples.

It’s quite mandatory whether you are writing for your own blog, writing guest posts, or providing blogger outreach services. The more consistency that you weave into your posts, the better it is for the reader.

Your readers deserve the best content and minor details matter because they will ultimately affect their experience.

8. Be Ridiculously Generous

Many bloggers refrain from giving away too much in their posts– they fear that by giving away too much, the readers may not buy their online courses or other premium content.

However, the truth is, if you’re not generous in your posts, readers may not get a favorable impression of your paid products.

So, don’t hold back on your readers– work through their problems and deliver with powerful, actionable advice.

9. Start and Finish Strong

Just as your introduction and conclusion should make an impact with your readers, you want the main body to be impactful as well.

Every section should have valuable content, but if you are offering six ways to achieve something then save the absolute best tips for the first and last.

This way the opening tip will grab your reader’s attention, and the last one will leave them feeling completely satisfied.

10. Conclude with Motivation

You have almost made it to the finish line, and now it’s time to go out with a bang!

The conclusion of your blog post is where you provide motivational support to your readers and show them that you believe in them.

You can influence your readers by making them think that the goals listed in your article and the headline are attainable. You need to show them how far they have come after reading your post, what they are capable of achieving in the future, and what their life will look like once they follow the advice that you have listed in your post.

Give them a pep talk that will help them overcome their struggles and take that first step.

11. Stick to the Point

A common mistake that many bloggers make is inserting new information and advice in their conclusion. It’s like introducing an unnecessary cliffhanger to a well-climaxed movie scene.

This method can be jarring and unnerving to your readers; don’t do that.

Again, when writing the conclusion, and indeed your whole blog post, put yourself in the shoes of the readers. Let them know what they can accomplish once they go through the points that you have listed in your post. What their lives will be like if they follow your advice. Cut out everything else that is fluff or off-topic.

12. Pace Yourself

Now you can breathe that sigh of relief, you have crossed the finish line, and you can look back at your content with a sense of accomplishment.

Once you have completed the post, it is now time to take a break.

Step outside, indulge in some other activity that is not writing. Come back to review your content with a fresh set of eyes.

Once you have paced yourself substantially, it’s time to get back in the game and pay heed to all the details.

13. Polish Your Post

Editing your post, after you have completed it, is essential.

Once you have completed your write up, it’s time to look at your content as a reader and not a writer. If your post does not provide you with a smooth reading experience, then your readers will lose interest in the content as well.

To prevent your audience from bailing on your post, you must make sure that all the information that is posted by you is authentic, transparent and to the point from the first word to the last. You can achieve all these milestones through proper editing.

Begin by reading your post aloud. You can use the following checklist while editing:

Blog Post Editing Checklist

• Slash away all the unnecessary filler words.

• Motivate, don’t lecture or sound obnoxious.

• Add emotion to your words, empathize with your readers.

• Don’t make the content too tedious on the eyes, make it easy to read by breaking it up into small paragraphs.

• Avoid using jargon, keep the language simple.

• Remove any contradictory statements or repetitive ideas.

• Avoid beating around the bush and get straight to the point.

• Have a smooth flow by including segue sentences from one section to another.

• Keep the content real and original– does it sound like you?

• Highlight important points.

• Create bullet points to make smaller points easy to digest and scan.

• Avoid analogies and stay to the point.

Conclusion

The battle to capture your reader’s attention is not an easy task. However, what’s scarier is motivating yourself to write the content until you meet the endgame.

Roadblocks like resistance, fear, procrastination will all hinder your progress.

It’s ok to feel overwhelmed, and every writer feels that way; especially when they have to look at a blank screen. However, if you have made up your mind to write, then write you shall.

You need to fuel up your courage and determination and let it translate on paper. With this, your confidence will grow, your blog post writing technique will sharpen, and your artistry will shine.

Remember, improving your content marketing by writing better blog posts is the key to successfully marketing any online business. It’s well worth the effort.

Jafar Sadhik

Jafar Sadhik is a passionate blogger, content crafter, and a white label SEO services marketer working currently in at Stan Ventures, an Indo-American digital marketing company.