How to Write a Blog in 6 Easy Steps

Everyone writes blogs differently. There’s a reason for this: not only are there countless blog writing techniques, but there are also lots of different angles you can approach the task from.

Some people focus on the subject of the blog and let everything else follow. Others take a more visual approach, making sure graphics and interactive elements do the talking. Then some people let data take the lead – focusing purely on what’s popular and might attract the largest audience.

So, how do you know where to start – and why are blogs so important anyway? We’ve gathered all our top tips for writing a blog post below.

Step 1: Why Write a Blog Post in the First Place?

Good content brings a number of benefits. From boosting brand awareness to driving conversions and revenue, blogs can be really high performing pages on your site. On the other hand, blogs can also be inactive, wasted spaces – and this is precisely what we’re looking to avoid.

The first mistake people make when it comes to creating blog content is assuming each piece has the same goal. In reality, different blogs can be better suited for specific aims, such as:

• Tapping into a trending topic to gain brand awareness.
• Showcasing a new product or service to drive consumers towards a purchase.
• Acting as a landing page for a news story (that media can link back to).
• Providing advice and guidance to interest a specific audience.

Identifying what the aim of your blog post is should always be the first step, before you write a single word. To get a clear picture of your aims and objectives, we always recommend starting with a content calendar. Map out the next four to six months and decide what you want to achieve with each piece. Need to push out some company news? Plug it in. Noticed a trending topic? Make sure you’ll be joining the conversation while it’s still relevant.

With a detailed content plan at your disposal, you can stay focused, get organised, and start to build a winning content strategy – one blog at a time.

Step 2: Topics and Research

Blog writing isn’t going to get you anywhere if you’re not writing content your audience wants to read. Selecting your topics is perhaps the most important step – and there are many ways you can go about this.

You need to determine not only what your existing audience want, but also which topics might attract new audiences to your website, too. This can involve:

• Keeping a log of customer queries – if the same question keeps popping up, it might make a great ‘How To’ blog.
• Paying attention to how your brand is discussed on social media – are there particular products that deserve more attention than they’re getting?
• Using keyword tools to identify topics with search volume – should you be talking about them?
• Look at what your competitors are talking about – is there anything you’re missing?

Once you’ve gathered this information, you can narrow down the list of blog writing topics by identifying which have the most potential in line with your specific goals.

For instance, if your main aim is to attract more traffic, you may choose to prioritise topics with high search volume – by writing a piece that incorporates popular search terms, your content has the best chance of ranking, being seen, and being read, by the target audience. Once you’ve identified your topics, it’s time for research. You want to gather as much information as you can because this will help you write an informed and interesting blog. Look at who else is talking about the topic and what you can bring to the conversation that’s new and different. Try to find comparable blog posts that are performing well – you can use these to benchmark your own content.

Step 3: The Hook

Every blog post needs a hook: an incentive for the audience to click through and start reading. So, think about why readers will value your blog post and work this information into the places it will be most visible:

• The blog title.
• The meta description.
• Any graphics accompanying the blog post.

For instance, if you’re writing about home décor trends for summer, a title like “Home Decorating and Interior Design for the Summer” might not get your blog the attention it deserves, while “Top 10 Gorgeous Home Décor Trends This Summer” really sells the content as relevant, inspirational and easy to read – which could mean better click-through. Pairing an attention-graphic title like this with a relevant image and an optimised meta description sets your blog up for success – and that’s before you’ve even started writing the blog itself.

Step 4: The Blog

Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for: how to start writing a blog post. Some people find it useful to start with an outline before delving into the writing itself. This can help you visualise the piece. Otherwise, there are a few key elements you’ll want to include.

Write an Introduction

Summarise the content of your blog in a few short sentences. This tells your audience what to expect and to look forward to.

Separate Your Blog Into Sections

Using headers, split your blog into smaller, topical sections. This stops your blog from looking like a wall of text, making the information easier for readers to digest. It also creates more of a flow, as you guide readers from one point of interest to another.

Summarise

At the end of your blog, repeat the main and most interesting aspects you’ve covered. This is an opportunity to re-engage with your audience.

Link, Link, Link!

Thought that was it? Think again. It’s important to add a CTA (Call To Action) at the end of your blog post. This way, you can keep audiences on your site – browsing additional pages, getting to know your brand and (hopefully) converting.

Common and effective CTAs include:

• Links to relevant blog posts.
• Links to relevant product or service pages.
• Download links for resources that relate to the blog.
• Links to your brand’s social media.

Choose whichever option seems most relevant for your specific blog post, and which is most likely to help reach your goals.

Step 5: Proof and Publish

Proofing is an often underrated step when it comes to writing a blog post. Even the best and most experienced content creators make errors, and putting your content in front of a fresh set of eyes helps  to spot them. As well as spelling and grammatical errors, your proofreader can help identify things like tonal inconsistencies and suggest ways to take your blog to the next level.

Once proofed, you’re ready to publish. Try to time the publication of your blog post for when your audience is most active, and tweak all the little details to set it up perfectly:

• Customise the URL to make it relevant (and not overly long).
• Make sure to use a meta description that fits the 150-character limit.
• Review the blog’s readability and SEO (platforms like WordPress have built-in tools you can use for this).

When your blog is live, help spread the word and create a buzz by publishing social media posts and linking to the new post in any email marketing.

Step 6: Review and Revisit

Once your blog is published, don’t be tempted to forget about it. Monitor how much traffic it receives, how long users stay on the page, and whether they click through using the CTAs at the end or leave. By gathering all this data you can not only see exactly how well your blog is performing; you can also learn what you change to improve it further. It’s common to review and revisit blog posts as time goes on – adding new, relevant keywords for instance, or updating CTAs with fresh, more relevant content. By doing this, you can help keep your blog evergreen. So, even long after the date of publication, your blog will still continue to be read and enjoyed.

Unleash Your Creativity

So, now you know all about writing a blog post, it’s time to let your creativity shine. We hope these writing tips have given you the inspiration and the confidence you need – because everything else, you have already. Want more? For advice and expertise tailored to you, get in touch with our Content Team.