If you’re not sure what a blog is or why it would benefit you, you’ve come to the right place! You’ve likely come across a blog at some point, especially if you’ve been on the Internet long enough. Maybe you looked for “vegan food recipes” one day and found a blog that—voila!—provides you with delicious DIY recipes. Perhaps you searched up “best summer books of 2019,” only to come across various book blogs with personalized reading lists.
Whichever is the case, it’s no secret that blogs are an essential aspect of a business. A well-composed and optimized blog can help companies reach more leads and gain a significant online presence.
If you’re interested in creating a blog but aren’t sure where to start, read on to find out how blogging can help you reach your goals.
What is a blog?
Blogging has a long history that originates back in the 1990s. Although the first ever blog was created in 1994, the term “blog” wasn’t coined until 1999. In those days, blogging was more like journaling, meaning that users shared their personal opinions or information on a subject.
Over the years, blogging has evolved to become integral to a business’s marketing strategy. Many companies regularly update a blog to boost their rankings on search engines and achieve other goals.
You do not have to work for a company to keep and post on a blog. Various influencers and online users keep blogs that document their personal travels, health tips, recipes, and other recommendations. These blogs help build personal branding and online reputation.
What is a blog post?
A blog post is a page on your website that revolves around a topic within your niche. For example, if you run a book blog, you may create a blog post that’s a review of the latest fantasy book you’ve read. This post is directly related to your niche (books) but acts as a specific topic (book review).
This also applies if you create blogs for a larger enterprise. By using certain keywords in your blog posts, you can boost up your website’s Google search rankings for those searches. Anyone searching for a specific item or post will come across your website and potentially become a lead.
What makes up a successful blog?
Creating a blog may look simple, but a lot of time and effort must go into it so that it can reach success. The following elements should be included in your blog posts so that they’re compelling to read and helpful in boosting numbers:
1. Eye-catching headline: A blog post should always contain a headline that can instantly capture a user’s attention. It should also give readers a preview of what your article will be about. Words like “top,” “best,” or even adding the current year gives an interesting layer to your blog’s headline, especially if your blog happens to list off important information. You can also take advantage of emotional appeal. Make your headlines emotional (though not too much!) so they can really pull in readers.
2. Interesting opening sentence: When it comes to a blog, the first two or three sentences must be compelling enough to hook your readers. This means your opening paragraph must be quick and straight-to-the-point. Don’t take forever to delve into what your article is about or you’ll bore your readers. There should be sufficient buildup to the rest of your article that makes users want to keep reading.
3. Helpful subheadings: Subheadings are incredibly important in blogging. They aren’t just there to look pretty (although this is one of their purposes!); they also help organize your article so that there isn’t a large block of endless words. Subheadings allow your readers to search for the information they want, and provides visual appeal. It also improves SEO since it creates readable text that allows users and Google to easily understand what your article is about. Adding subheadings also increases the likelihood of Google using your content as a rich snippet in search results.
4. Interesting body: A blog post typically has a beginning, middle, and end. The middle section of a blog post is its body, which is the “meat and bones” of your article. It’s the part that contains the information that inspires or teaches your reader about something they didn’t know before. You can also include certain keywords to your article to help Google rank your website higher.
5. Good call-to-action: Every blog should have some form of a call-to-action (CTA). You should decide what action you want your readers to take before placing a CTA in your blog post. You may want your readers to read a related blog post on your website or leave a comment. You can also ask users to sign up for your email newsletter to receive exclusive content and offers.
6. Relevant links from other posts: Whenever you write a blog post, be sure to include a relevant link from your website. This can be another blog post or an informative page that’s relevant to your blog’s content. This serves as free advertising for your website, allowing users to explore your site’s content. It also benefits your SEO by boosting the number of pages visited and time visitors on your site.
7. Powerful meta description: Meta descriptions are a little preview that Google exhibits in search results. It’s usually a short sentence that may include keywords. On WordPress, the Yoast plugin is a popular plugin that allows bloggers to compose a meta description that meets every criteria.
What are the benefits of blogging?
Whether it’s for personal branding or business-related purposes, blogging offer numerous benefits that allow you to reach your goals. This includes:
1.Boosting SEO rankings on search engines. While you can also use SEO tactics on your website content and/or your paid ads, blogging is a great long-term solution. With time and effort, other bloggers and companies may use your website’s blog posts in their content for relevant and accurate information. This shared linking allows Google to target your website as a trusted source for content in your industry. Your website may eventually end up on page one on Google Search results.
2. Becoming an expert in a niche or industry. If you want to become a trusted expert with an online presence, you can definitely achieve it with a blog. Consistently generating interesting and accurate content for your readers brings in traffic and recognition.
3. Attract leads to your site. You can generate some traffic through your homepage or other pages on your website’s menu. The bulk of your organic website traffic, however, will mostly likely come from your blog. Your blog can provide relevant information to consumers before they make a purchase from you. Helpful blog posts like How-To guides and Top 10 lists can attract an audience that find these posts useful.
With consistent posting and strategies, your blog can allow you to achieve the success that you want for your personal brand or business. When you’re ready to get started, be sure to use the important elements every blog post needs so that it works for you! If you aren’t sure how to engage your audience, check out our 5 Effective Engagement Strategies for 2019 for our helpful tips.