To understand how to write a blog post and work through your writing process, it’s important to have a solid grasp on the different parts of a blog post.
There are four basic components of a blog post: headline/title, introduction, body, and conclusion.
The most important part of your post is the headline, also called the title or H1 (header 1).
A great headline summarizes your main point and has these qualities:
- Includes your target keyword at the beginning
- Between 6 and 13 words long
- Concise
- Unique
- Reflective of the content
- Creates curiosity
- Catchy without being click-bait
- Between 60 and 70 characters (for SEO and readability)
An effective headline should entice your readers to want to read your blog post and learn more.
Here are some tips for crafting the best headlines in your content manager.
- Use numbers and statistics. Research shows that odd numbers are more effective. Example: 21 Ways to Cook Chicken
- Address the reader. Example: Chicken Recipes You Need to Try
- Use the words “how to.” Example: How to Cook the Best Chicken
- Ask a question. Example: How Can You Make the Most Tender Chicken?
Analyze the headlines of your competitors to get ideas and inspiration for your headline. Just be sure you make your headline unique by adding your own fresh outlook.
Introduction
Think about the last time you searched for something in Google and clicked on one of the top links.
How long did you stay on that page?
If the introduction didn’t grab you, chances are you either skimmed past it to the main points or left the page altogether.
Your blog post introduction is key to encouraging your blog visitors to continue reading.
Also, the introduction is important in terms of SEO.
Follow these guidelines for writing an effective introduction.
- Keep it short. You need between 75 and 100 words in an introduction. Then it’s time to get into the meat of the article.
- Use your exact target keywords somewhere in the intro. Make sure it reads naturally.
- Speak as the author. Readers are more engaged if they feel connected with an actual person.
- Explain why the blog post topic is important. Address the reader’s needs and outline why you wrote the content.
- Tell your reader what they can expect. Your site visitors need to know what they are going to gain from investing their time reading your great content.
- Keep the intro relevant to the reader’s search query. The introduction is some of the most valuable real estate in your blog post. Avoid using filler content or fluff just to get the intro out of the way.
- Use active language and metaphors. This makes your content more enticing for the reader.
Body (Main Points)
Did you know that the average reader spends about 37 seconds on a blog post?
When learning how to write a blog post, this is the most important thing to keep in mind.
While this is an alarming statistic, knowledge is power.
Now that you know that your readers are going to spend seconds on your post, you can craft your blog post in a way that keeps your readers engaged.
Your headline summarizes your main point and draws the reader in, and your introduction entices them to keep reading.
However, the body of your blog post is what will keep a reader on the page.
Later in this article, we’ll give you some tips for keeping your blog visitors engaged and reading.
In the body of your blog post, be sure to use plenty of headers to break up your content into sections.
This will make it easier for you to write and get into a good flow when you’re writing.
However, headers are also important for SEO and for your reader’s ease of consumption.
Conclusion
In your conclusion, you’re going to wrap up the key points of your blog post.
A conclusion should be between 50-75 words, and it’s helpful if you include a compelling call-to-action.
A call-to-action may be an invitation to:
- Subscribe to your newsletter.
- Leave a comment on the blog post.
- Follow you on social media.
- Visit another link on your blog.
- Share the link with a friend who may find the content helpful.
Follow these tips for the best conclusions.
- Short and sweet is key.
- Link to your related content.
- End with a question.