When you make the effort of writing blog posts you obviously want people to read it, otherwise you’re wasting your time! So how can you get more people to read your posts? Follow these guidelines below in order to get more views & readers !
How many e-mails are in your inbox right now? Or how many blogposts are waiting to be read in your Feedly account? Too many, I know. And most likely you will either delete most of them, if the headline doesn’t appeal to you, or just scan through them very quickly. I do it too. But, there are a few posts that I always read, and I’ll tell you what makes them special: they grab my attention and make it easy for me to digest the content.
Follow the guidelines below & to create posts that people will actually read !
Structure your post in a logical way
- Pull them in with a catchy headline
The headline is key real estate! By reading just the headline people will decide whether or not they will click on your link or not. They might see the headline in a tweet, via your e-mail, in a Google Search etc. Numbers work really well in headlines such as ‘4 Tricks To Write a Blog Post in 45 Minutes‘ for example. - Tell them what the post is about in the intro
Then you need to tell people what this post is all about. You need to set the stage. Don’t just jump right into the topic, people will be confused. - Make your point in different paragraphs
Once you have introduced the topic, you can then make your point in different paragraphs. Obviously the content on the blog post has to relate to the title. Don’t get too fancy with the title and then the post has nothing to do with anything. If I’m clicking on a link because I’m interested in the title, I then also want to find out more about the specific topic! - End with a conclusion
When we had to write essays at school we were taught to always end with a conclusion. Well, on a blog it’s the same. You wrap up and maybe include a call to action or ask a question if you are looking for comments.
Format your post in a visual way that makes it easy for the reader
- Use white space
A blog is always read online, either on a desktop or a mobile screen. It’s not the same as reading a print magazine or newspaper. Which is why you need to present it differently! Use lots of white space to make it easier on the eye. - Use subtitles to tell your story
People are scanners on the web. There’s a 5 (or 3) second rule: if in 5 seconds people have not been pulled into your article, they will leave again. So you need to use subtitles strategically and tell your story through them. Someone should get the main points of your blog just by reading your subtitles. - Bold most important sentence in each paragraph
Another trick to help the reader is to use the bold format for the most important keyword or keyphrase in each paragraph. This way people will read the subtitle, and then jump to the bold sentence. I bet you have been doing this automatically in this post ! - Use a nice visual
A picture says more than a thousand words… Not only, it will also increase your social shares ! People are more likely to share your blog posts with their network if it includes a nice image. I create mine with Canva.com
Use the right tone
If you have previously published in print magazines or newspapers: congratulations! This means you already have very good writing skills. However, the digital and the print world are completely different planets and you need to learn to write in a much more casual tone, use clear and concise wording and much shorter sentences. Pretend you are writing for a 10 year old ! 😉
Use the right keywords
Yes, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) matters and I recommend you install the WordPress SEO Plugin by Yoast. Ideally you focus on 1-2 long tail keywords for each blog post, then fill in the blog title field as well as the meta description. Also include the Alt text on your images.
If keyword research is new to you, check out my Keyword Research E-book
Follow These Guidelines to Create Blog Posts that People Will Read
Try it. Apply these tips and you will see the impact !